Interview with SUSURRATION (Part 1 of 2)

In our two-part interview with Jessy Bäsecke-Beltrametti—the mastermind behind Susurration —we talk about her latest EP, “Dominance.” And things definitely heat up, since the main theme revolves around BDSM.

Orkus: The cover for “Dominance” looks pretty wild. How did you come up with this idea? And what’s the story behind these symbols?
Jessy Bäsecke-Beltrametti: The logo is an anti-patriarchal statement that uses the metaphor of female dominance in a BDSM context—and, of course, it’s also a loving reference to this way of life. It consists of a vulva as a symbol of femininity* and feminism. The small symbols represent the different areas of BDSM: the spider stands for bondage, the key for control or D&s, and the blade for pain play.
For the EPs “Dominance” and “Submission,” we wanted to work with altered photos of ourselves. That’s how the eyes came into play—they’re taken from a concert photo of me. Tattoo artist Lea Rabenschwarz then developed the whole concept into this artwork.

O: The EP kicks off relentlessly with “Break Me Down.” How did this song come about?
JBB: I wanted to explore the topic of BDSM as comprehensively as possible to avoid typical clichés and stereotypes. That’s why “Break Me Down,” which takes a submissive perspective, is juxtaposed with “Consensual Noise Content” as its dominant counterpart. For “Break Me Down,” it was important to me that the song come across as very self-assured and powerful, so that the aspect of self-determination and inner strength—which I consider essential to this form of submission—is palpable. It’s a self-assured pride song for all subs and bottoms.

O: There’s also a steamy video about it. What was it like filming it?
JBB: That was pretty wild. It was so much fun to bring this sparkling fantasy to life with so many amazing and creative people. The dedication and playful joy of everyone involved gave this shoot something magical. Our goal was to give visibility to queer sexual pleasure and self-realization without the “male gaze.” So we worked with an all-Finta crew. That means, apart from Hannes and Dave, there were no cis men involved in the shoot—either in front of or behind the camera. That made a noticeable difference and created an atmosphere that was both open to experimentation and conspiratorially focused. During the sex scenes, Sarah Horst also did an incredibly good job as intimacy coordinator, discreetly ensuring that all boundaries were respected and everyone’s well-being was maintained. That provided a tremendous sense of safety and calm. It’s exactly this atmosphere that I appreciate about the queer kink scene, and it’s precisely this blend of freedom and safety that I wanted to convey with the video.

O: “Consensual Noise Content” really stands out. Is there a story behind it?
JBB: Dominance, as it’s portrayed in this song, involves not only the obvious aspects but also a great deal of warmth, mindfulness, care, and love. Unfortunately, this often gets lost in many pop-cultural depictions. To clearly distinguish true dominance from abuse in an artistic context, it was extremely important to me to make this aspect palpable alongside the harshness and power. That’s how I came up with the idea of using the cello parts as a starting point and developing them into a relentless track, which ended up being very multi-layered and conveys both raw intensity and a sense of security and tenderness that envelops the intensity and catches us. I’m very happy with it.

O: What are your connections to the BDSM scene? And what role do you play in it?
JBB: In my experience, there is a wealth of knowledge within the BDSM community about communication, personal responsibility, and mindfulness in how we interact with one another, since this kind of intimacy can become dangerous without constant reflection and communication. In workshops, at events, and through encounters in this world, I’ve learned so many valuable lessons that I’ve been able to apply in other contexts. I think it’s important to apply and pass on this knowledge and these communication practices—whether through workshops, interpersonal relationships, or music that represents and brings this world to light. To a large extent, this is what matters to me when I artistically process these aesthetics and themes. And of course, I also love the dramatic theatricality, the surprisingly playful nature, and the profound imagery of BDSM, which blends so wonderfully with the gothic world. Last but not least, these songs are also a declaration of love to the wonderful people who make up this scene.

Claudia Zinn-Zinnenburg

We’ll continue our interview shortly.

Lineup:
Jessy Bäsecke-Beltrametti – vocals
Dave Wieser – drums
Hannes Bachofner – keyboards
Michael Hirst – studio guitars

You can also find “Susurration ” in our July/August issue:

Listen to Susurration on our “Current Issue” playlist on Spotify: