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ENTREVUE/INTERVIEW with DANIEL PERREY from CYDONIA
REALIZED BY: PHILIPPE ANDRÉ for PROFILPROG

Philippe André - Profilprog (PP):
Hello Daniel, thank you for giving us your time to answer our questions.

DANIEL PERREY (DP):
Hi Philippe, thanks for having me! I’m glad to be here and excited to dive into your questions.

PP: The band has been around since 2007, but your first album was released in 2022; what are the main reasons for this?

DP:
Over the years, we have experienced frequent lineup changes. It wasn’t until 2019 that we reached a point where we could say: "Now we’re complete—now things can really get going!" And we began shaping our songs into the form we wanted to release them in.

PP: You come from Freiburg in Breisgau, right near the French frontier, and yet none of you speaks the language—why is that?

DP:
Not all of us are originally from Freiburg; rather, we chose this city as our home. The first foreign language taught in German schools is English; French is only an elective. Although many of us also learn French, our proficiency in it is often only rudimentary.

PP: Your first record in 2022 features two live tracks—why?

DP:
Because the live recording of a concert turned out so well, and our performance of both songs was really strong. The live atmosphere really comes across. And we thought: Maybe it’s also a good idea for listeners to experience us as studio musicians and live performers.

PP: Why did you use additional musicians on the second album?

DP:
Our producer, Jens Lueck, suggested adding some keyboard textures to a few of the songs, and we ended up incorporating those ideas. For the closing section of “Enjoy Yourselves” featuring strings, we required musicians who could play the violin and cello, as none of the band members are proficient with those instruments.

PP: Is Jens Lueck's contribution of major importance?
DP:
We brought Jens on as our producer. He did an exceptional job throughout the whole process and helped to elevate our songs with his valuable suggestions. He also made a point to emphasize that the album was produced collaboratively by Jens Lueck and Cydonia.

PP: Do you plan to develop classical instrumentation (violin, cello) in the future?

DP:
That’s not currently planned. But then again, the idea for the strings at the end of “Enjoy Yourselves!” only came about very late in the recording process. At the start of an album production, you never know exactly what’s going to happen. And that’s precisely what makes working in the studio so exciting...

PP: "Second Sight" is much longer than "Stations"; does that mean the inspiration came more easily?
DP:
Well, it’s more that our songs have mostly evolved over a long period of time. We then released an initial, smaller portion of our repertoire on our debut album, “Stations”. And the other songs simply needed more time to 'mature' before they found their place on what is now a longer second album.

PP: What is the main subject of "Second Sight"? Is it a concept album?
DP:
We experience both bitterness and darkness, as well as faith and hope, in our lives and in the world around us. What if there were an opportunity to see things from a different perspective in a parallel world or another dimension? What if there were no promise of return? Would you step through the gate for a "SECOND SIGHT?" Second Sight is not a concept album in the traditional sense; rather, it consists of individual songs that all speak to our own experiences, encounters, and convictions. Furthermore, we wanted to create the very kind of music that excites and inspires us personally.

PP: Are the tracks shared, or is there a principal composer?
DP:
The process varies a lot. Usually, someone comes to rehearsal with an idea or a musical segment, which we then collaboratively develop into a song. Occasionally, someone also brings a fully composed song to the band.

PP: Your music could be described as neo-progressive, do you agree with that term?
DP:
Well, that's okay. If you're looking for a specific category for our music, that would be the best fit among those currently available.

PP: What influences do you acknowledge?
DP:
We’ve all been influenced by different things from our youth. Of course, it’s the great pioneers from the ’70s who shaped us — bands like Pink Floyd, Genesis, Camel, and Eloy — but newer artists in the genre, such as Marillion and Porcupine Tree, also shape our musical tastes and, consequently, our own playing style.

PP: Who chose the band's name and why?
DP:
The band name was conceived back when the group still had its original lineup. Cydonia is a mountainous region on Mars. Some listeners have told us that our music feels like a journey to another world—and we love that. Ultimately, that is what Cydonia represents: an unexplored place, far removed from the everyday and the familiar.

PP: Does anyone here participate in other groups besides Cydonia?
DP:
Yes, Michael is still in a rock cover band; other than that, there are no ties to other projects.

PP: Do you have any plans for the coming months?
DP:
We’re playing a few live shows to launch our new album. Afterward, we’ll dive into entirely new material alongside some ideas we already have, and we’re really excited to see how everything takes shape step by step.

PP: What are your other activities or professions besides Cydonia?
DP:
Outside of music -- our great, shared passion -- we all lead very different lives. We each have our day jobs and families, along with various personal pursuits. But at the end of the day, the biggest one for all of us is naturally our band project, CYDONIA!

PP: Thank you for your collaboration and all the best to CYDONIA
DP:
Thank you!