Cosima aka Von Bülove is an influential figure in the Romanian electronic music scene who has made significant contributions towards creating an inclusive and accepting environment through their famous series of events called “Queer Night.” Cosima has played a pivotal role in providing a platform for marginalized individuals within the queer community to express themselves, come out, and be embraced with love and support by the party-goers.
Part of the Corp Platform the commitment goes beyond just organizing parties; actively challenges
discrimination, fosters understanding and cultivates safer spaces where everyone can freely enjoy the music and express themselves. Through their efforts, they have created a transformative experience on the dancefloor and beyond, promoting unity, compassion, and the celebration of diversity. Their actions have helped reshape the narrative, breaking down barriers and fostering a sense of belonging for all attendees, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Their work serves as a catalyst for positive change, creating a more accepting and vibrant community within the realm of electronic music in Romania.
I had the chance to talk with Cosima and discover how much goodwill for much nicer projects is waiting, so we hope in this interview to compress some of the dreams, plans, and thoughts are there for the future.
Hello Cosima, How are you today? Underton Team is more than happy for having you on our portal.
Hi, hi, from hot & sunny Bucharest! Had a really good day today, reading a lot & listening to music.
Equally happy to be invited on your platform.
We want to know some of your past experiences as an artist and music producer, and how your journey has started.
Well, if I were to go back to the roots I would mention two separate instances. The first is my experience as a member of a children’s choir which I enjoyed immensely. There’s something about being in sync and harmonizing with other people that is ever so rewarding. The other one is a series of afternoons coming back from school and listening to Bolero by Maurice Ravel on our family’s Tesla turntable over and over, trying to discern the changes and the addition of acoustic elements & musical instruments from beginning to end. The fact that it was going on & on with the same tempo… I couldn’t grasp the idea of this seamless transition. I was fascinated by it!
Can you provide information about your debut single, ‘Ploaia’ (Rain), released in 2019? We are interested in knowing the reasons behind its creation (only if the case) and the public’s response to your release.
I recorded “Ploaia” with Ion Dumitrescu (Future Nuggets) a couple of years before the release. Ion and I were long-time collaborators and we had been together in a band, “Raze de soare”. From time to time we would meet and jam at his studio, this is how “Ploaia” was born. It was originally self-released digitally until Pingipung offered to release it on their record label as a 7inch. “Ploaia” was a leap into a different genre than “Raze de soare” which was a real success proportionally.
Ploaia – Cosima (Future Nuggets)
Based on your artist experience, What do you think about electronic music in Romania: where is it going and how can it be improved?
I think there are quite a few pockets that are concerned with electronic music in Romania if we are to talk about the clubbing scene as well. Our biggest export is the rominimal scene that has slowly shifted away from minimal techno towards lesser introspective party experiences. Then there is the
“alternative” scene which I am part of, different smaller groups gathered around venues, dealing with sub-genres of electronic music that are more or less politically engaged. Clubbing has been a safe haven for the discriminated who would only dare to be themselves at night or in the after-hours. So house music and techno are inextricably linked to the queer community. Since the whole electronic music scene has become commercially oriented and driven by financial profit, I see more and more people migrating out of the club, self-organizing, going back to the roots. I guess we’re witnessing a transformation that was accelerated by the covid pandemic in which clubs will be less relevant for the movement in favor of collectives based on shared politics.
I would love to see more people dancing at parties!
We are deeply curious about the formation of the Corp collective, including the history and past experiences that have shaped its journey and contributed to its current accomplishments.
Since I was shy and very self-conscious, I found it so challenging to be on stage especially if I were out of environment. I would see almost no women DJ-ing locally and that added to the anxiety. Then I met Chlorys and Aron (Admina) through the Queer Night bookings and we decided to do something about this situation regarding gender representation on stage & off stage. We wanted to make it easier in terms of accessibility for women & non-binary people or at least to open the possibility of a safer space outside of our own parties. And to bring into the spotlight the original context of this movement, the fact that we owe it all to the queer Black & Latino community. This is how Corp. was born in 2016.
What are the current projects you are working on? Can you tell us more about them?
I’ve been passionate about acoustics for a few years, designing and building custom music production studios together with my brother, Mihnea. I’m currently taking formal acoustics classes, going deeper into this field. I find this very exciting!
Got any new hot-cast, mix, track, or release to share with us? We’re eager to check out your latest and exciting musical stuff.
I’m currently working on a hybrid set, mixing and live voice for club settings. You will find out pretty soon about it!
Great, we wait for this! We thrive on the story behind your very interesting pseudonym too.
I was named Cosima, after Wagner’s wife and Liszt’s daughter. She used to be called Cosima von Bülow after one of her other husbands. I took the surname jokingly and added an extra layer of “love” to it to twist it away from the questionable affiliations of this famous family.
Really really nice! Let’s also talk about ‘Queer Night’ in Romania. This has brought so much energy and excitement. But it’s not just about one person – we’re itching to know about the team behind ‘Queer Night.’ And here’s the juicy part we can’t wait to uncover: what’s the story behind your incredible 10-year journey in the scene?
We started organizing the Queer Night in 2010 as a response to what we perceived as a lack of events dedicated to the LGBTQ+ local community. The initial team as the party itself was part of a performative project called “Candidatura la Președinție” (The Presidential Candidacy). Ion Dumitrescu, Manuel Pelmuș, Brynjar Bandlien, Paula Dunker & myself concocted the series of parties together. Paula came up with the name, just back from NYC where “queer” had already been reappropriated as a term. It was all still very new here! Since we didn’t have any funding we self-organised meaning we would also take turns in playing music at our parties. This was my ticket out of playing & mixing in the living room with my brother.
We noticed you spinning a distinctive genre of techno music known as rominimal. Is this the primary style you promote as a DJ/performer? If so, we’d love to hear about how you started pursuing it. And are there any other styles you incorporate into your sets, adding variety and excitement on the dancefloor?
I play all sorts of music depending on the context. A big chunk of it is indeed close to the sound that’s promoted in the rominimal scene and that’s owing to the fact that I grew up together with my brother listening to trip-hop, breaks, downtempo, dub, chillout & ukg. I try to pay attention to the producers’ and djs’ politics & background when selecting my playlists in addition to the affective mood.
I will always have a soft spot for early progressive (house, techno & trance), dnb infused tracks & acid washed sounds. I also used to listen to lots of hard techno at some point, italo disco, post-punk & library & soundtrack music. So I guess all of this makes its way into what I’m playing today.
From artists you love,(Romania and abroad) tell us who are the ones you would like to collab. in the future or even some for our readers to be aware of?
I’m in love with Bonnie Banane, her productions, aesthetics, use of voice & overall atmosphere in her
work. A Romanian artist I’m always in awe with is Fraga. She’s got a really slick way of writing lyrics and she’s also a very talented producer.
Can you please complete the word “Under…”
Dog
Thanks for everything!