We recently released the new album by Braulio Lam, an artist based on the Tijuana and San Diego border. He is a freelance photographer by profession and this has a big influence on his music production work. Braulio sent me a selection of beautiful Lomography Redscale photographs and so we decided to put together a blog post tying together his love for photography and his music, not to mention a backstage pass he got from William Basinski. As part of this blog post, Braulio has also put together a beautiful cinematic video, introducing us to one of his next ambitions, which is to make more art films...

HT: How do you balance your photography? Do you do some work for clients like press photos and then some for yourself as inspiration? For the landscape shoots, do you go to specific locations with something in mind, or do you go out and just see what you find?

BL: Yes, just like that. I am a freelance photographer/videographer. I have been doing this since I finished my career in 2014. I take photos of all kinds (concerts, portraits, food, products, weddings etc.). If there is something I don't know how to do, I like to do it anyway and learn it. Photography and music make a good match too and I also do photography for myself. I like to go alone to the beach or go on a hike and take my 35mm camera.

HT: Can you explain the concept and inspiration behind your new album 'Redscale'? How does it compare to your previous works in terms of theme and style?

BL: There is no particular theme, but in terms of concept it is inspired by photography like much of what I produce. Redscale was a work that I did at the same time as Chiaroscuro which came out on Dragon’s Eye Recordings earlier this year. In the case of Rescale it was a more therapeutic album for me. The sound is more reduced and prettier, as if it were yellow vintage images of old memories. Photography has been part of my music since my first release in 2016 ‘Soundtrack for Vision’ on Static Discos. And it still is still a huge inspiration this day. I'm not a person who is good at writing or naming things. I am much more technical and visual.

HT: Can you explain to our readers what Lomography Redscale is?

BL: Lomography Redscale XR 50-200 is a 35mm film with 36 exposures. It is a regular colour film that has been flipped, so that light hits the emulsion through the base of the film rather than directly. This reversal causes the red layer of the film to be exposed first, rather than last, allowing it to receive more light than the other layers.

HT: Do you have any locations or subjects for photography that you’d love to shoot, but you’re not currently able to do?

BL: I would like to go to places I haven't been yet, however, I do already have some very contemplative places that I like to go. For example the Otay Lakes in Chula Vista, California or Rosarito Beach, in México. I really like landscape photos. I am not a street photographer but I like to appreciate great photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Fan Ho, Vivian Maier, Garry Winogrand and many others. I like minimalist photography, with few elements in an image that give me a sense of peace.

HT: I have seen some great photos on your Instagram of William Basinski! How did this come about, did he hire you?

BL: It is funny and interesting in the case of Wiliam Basinski - I first met him in 2014 in Los Angeles, CA. The place where he was playing was called Jewel's Catch One which is a famous small bar. That same evening Oren Ambarchi played, whom I also admire a lot. That day my brother Benny and I drove from San Diego to LA to go and see them. I remember that we entered the bar early and before the event started there was only a few people there. I looked across and there was William, Oren and by pure chance, Tim Hecker too as a spectator; I assume that he is a friend of theirs. I approached to say hello to William and Oren to ask if they could sign their CDs for me (Triste, 2001), and Basinski (A Red Score In Tile, 2003). In the end I asked them if I could take a photo with the three of them, and so it was…

Last year William played in LA, at The Wiltern. He is very generous, funny person and above all a character. He had given me a pass to be backstage at the end of his act. That's how I captured the image you can see on my Instagram, with my Canon A-1, 55mm lens on Kodak Portra 800.

HT: Have you got any plans for the future, whether it be in photography and/or music?

BL: I would love to make art films. Last year I had my first experience doing photography for a short film and I loved it. I also have upcoming music releases with ‘Close-Up’ coming out on Avantroots Records, a more rhythmic, Dub-techno work.

You can follow Braulio's work in the following places:
Bandcamp
Instagram
Facebook

'Redscale' is available now in a limited edition run of 100 marble vinyl-effect CDrs or a digital version in a range of high quality formats. You can take a listen and buy a copy in your preferred digital format by clicking HERE! The artwork features Braulio's photography of course!