Interview with Holon

Interview with Holon

Tell us about your latest release

The latest release is a single called “Samsara”, which dropped in December 2024. It’s the first taste of my upcoming two-part concept album called Love & Behold. It’s basically a sonic deep-dive into love, loss, and getting back on the feet again. All the existential spirals that come with being a human with feelings and a guitar.

If you’ve ever had your heart broken and then tried to meditate your way out of it—this one’s for you.

What was the recording process like? Was it in a studio or do you do it all

yourselves?

Yeah, this was a full do-it-myself-at-home situation. I built a home studio so I could avoid

both human interaction and hourly studio fees. I recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered the track myself. It’s not because I’m a control freak… okay, maybe a little.

The only exception is the drums, which are performed by Geir Anfinn Halland Johansen,

who somehow still picks up my calls even after I send him grooves in 11/8 and say, “Just make it feel natural.”

How do you guys write the songs?

“Guys” might be a stretch—it’s mostly just me and my internal chaos. The process usually starts with me messing around on the acoustic guitar, singing some gibberish, and then frantically recording it before I forget the magic (or the mess—I figure that out later).

From there, I piece things together like a sonic Frankenstein, sometimes tossing in some odd time signatures while hoping it doesn’t sound like three different songs playing at once. Even though sometimes that could be a cool effect. Lyrics come last, usually inspired by things I’m too emotionally repressed to say out loud. So naturally, I sing them instead ;)

What were your main influences while writing?

Musically? A strange but wonderful cocktail of Dream Theater, Radiohead, Frank Zappa,

John McLaughlin, and the sound of my espresso machine firing up in the morning.

Lyrically and emotionally, Love & Behold is heavily influenced by real-life heartbreak,

personal transformation, and that weird phase where you’re somewhere between despair

and clarity. Throw in a bit of Buddhist philosophy, and you’ve got the general vibe.

What is your favourite song on the new release and why?

Well, seeing as “Samsara” is the only song on the release—it’s a single, after all—I’d say it wins by default. But honestly, even if there were ten songs on there, it would still be my pick.

It’s a track that’s really close to the heart. It dives into loss, change, and the uncomfortable - but-necessary process of letting go and starting again. Writing it was therapy for me. There’s something about how the song builds—from something fragile and intimate into something more expansive and layered—that still hits me every time I hear it. It’s personal, but I think a lot of people can see a bit of themselves in it too.

How did you come up with the name of the release?

The single is called “Samsara”, which is a concept from Eastern philosophy—the endless

cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. It felt like the perfect title because the song is about those moments in life where everything falls apart, only to slowly reassemble into something new… usually while you’re still wiping off the emotional debris. It’s about grief, transformation, and the weird beauty of starting over, whether you want to or not.

Also, let’s be honest—it just sounds cool.

Mysterious, moody, and like something you’d listen to while staring out a rainy window and questioning your entire life. Which, coincidentally, is exactly how the song was written.

How did the band get together?

Well, the “band” is just me and Geir, my long-suffering drummer and occasional sanity

check. Holon started after I’d been in several bands that kept imploding or disappearing at the same rate as my guitar picks.

Eventually, I figured, “Why not just go full mad scientist and do everything myself?” So I did. Geir joined me for the ride, and he’s been throwing down killer drums ever since. No auditions, no drama—just grooves and good vibes.

How did you come up with the name for the band?

I found the word “holon” in a book by philosopher Ken Wilber, and it just stuck. A holon is something that is both a whole and a part of a greater whole—which to me is a perfect metaphor for music, people, emotions, and those really long prog songs that could be 3 tracks but insist on being one.

Also, it sounded cool. I did find out there are a few other bands called holon out there - so might not have been the smartest move, but what the heck, now we’re all just a small part of a larger, mildly confusing digital holarchy ;)

Have you got any gigs or a tour coming up where people can hear the songs live?

At the moment, not yet. Holon is still mostly a studio-first project, and my current live rig

involves me and a guitar. But I’m exploring ways to bring the songs into the live

space—probably starting with acoustic or stripped-back sets, maybe even some intimate

shows where I talk too much between songs.

What are your plans for the next few months?

Right now, I’m working on releasing more singles from Love & Behold while finalizing Part 1 of the album. There’s also Part 2, which is lurking in the background with a lot of half-finished tracks with more questionable choices.

I’m also planning to ramp up live activity, get some merch out there, and maybe finally figure out how to use TikTok without having an existential crisis.

So yeah—more music, more creative chaos, and hopefully more ears to hear it.