NEWS
album release in early december 2020
Hey folks out- and in there,
we hope you are fine, you’re well and above all in good health.
We want to share an important message with you:
Our album KODA NEO will be released digitally on Bandcamp in early December.
Since touring will not be possible in the foreseeable future and we have already used up all of our own resources for production, we will not be able to produce CDs / records. BUT - apart from the simple download - there will be the possibility to order a gift card with the original artwork. After all, Christmas is just around the corner
Hopefully we'll be able to bring some sun into the coming winter months
We'll see / hear each other in December!
Take care of yourselves and stay healthy.
xo Ljon (Nastja, Erik, Matthes)
we hope you are fine, you’re well and above all in good health.
We want to share an important message with you:
Our album KODA NEO will be released digitally on Bandcamp in early December.
Since touring will not be possible in the foreseeable future and we have already used up all of our own resources for production, we will not be able to produce CDs / records. BUT - apart from the simple download - there will be the possibility to order a gift card with the original artwork. After all, Christmas is just around the corner
Hopefully we'll be able to bring some sun into the coming winter months
We'll see / hear each other in December!
Take care of yourselves and stay healthy.
xo Ljon (Nastja, Erik, Matthes)
summer 2019
Dear community,
*deutsche Übersetzung siehe unten*
after doing some thinking I’ve decided to use this platform to share something very personal with you all. Since it’s about a topic which doesn’t just concern myself it appears even more to be the right way.
Three months ago I gave birth to my son. He and I are well again. During his birth a rare complication occurred that was threatening his and my life and left us in fear and terror for a while. The reason for this is a pre-existing condition I - and apart from me a lot of women world wide - happen to have. It’s called Endometriosis and most of you probably never heard of it. My diagnosis took over 10 years. It’s an illness which can lead to pain comparable to labor and often (as in my case) - to adhesions in the abdominal region.
That it would be those adhesions threatening the life of my child one day, leading to this kind of traumatic experience was a possibility but I never thought it would become reality.
Doctors and midwives always reassured me everything would go well. Now I am a case they haven’t experienced within their 30 year long work experience.
Generally Endometriosis is an illness not considered enough in our society.
In my opinion the reason for this lies in the fact that we’re dealing with a women’s illness. In the US there is a stronger awareness and there are even famous women appearing as advocates.
Unfortunately I did not know that as a teenager.
And since I had no knowledge whatsoever I underwent surgery as it was recommended to me by the medical authorities.
Directly after the first operation the first visible adhesions occurred.
This and further procedures haven’t led to any improvement but (in my opinion) to a worsening of the illness. There might be individual cases where there is some kind improvement. But I am definitely not one of them.
I’m writing these words because I want to encourage women/girls who are suffering from indefinable abdominal pain to take this seriously and get some good (alternative) medical support.
There is the notion that it is normal for women to have strong pain every month. But it’s not. After my delivery I realized the level of the pain which I had to endure my whole life, a pain I went to work with, played concerts with, took exams with. Pain medication made this somehow bearable but lead to a damaged stomach and lots of other problems.
It is important so to listen to your inner voice. In German we also say “listen to your stomach”. I am very grateful for school medicine. With regards to some illnesses however (like for example endometriosis) it falls short, doesn’t tackle the causes and (as in my case) can even lead to a worsening.
In Germany it is possible to obtain “additional practitioner insurance” that will partially pay for alternative medical support (like TCM for example). It is also possible to be compensated for disadvantages resulting from the illness and you may apply for a disabled person’s pass.
Apart from these practical supports I think it is important to exchange ideas and experiences with other people.
I am under the impression that people with chronic illnesses which are not obvious to the naked eye have a tendency to be ashamed to talk about their pain and their restrictions in life. Maybe this is because one doesn’t want to appear weak. But ultimately it makes us stronger to speak out, to accept ourselves and to share our stories.
What is the sense of functioning and adapting to some kind of norm if you’re betraying yourself and your body by doing so?
I feel a strong anger against an in part patriarchal system within the school medicine.
A system that unnecessarily removes the uteruses and ovaries of women and doesn’t educate them sufficiently beforehand.
In my case it were unnecessary and even damaging operations on my uterus that put my baby and myself in a life-threatening situation. On the other hand it was school medicine that ultimately saved our lives. This contradiction will be on my mind for a while.
Lots of my/our songs tell – in one way or another – stories about pain and healing.
I now understand even better why.
Erik, Matthes and I are looking forward to finishing our album soon and sharing it with you. We don’t know when exactly this is going to be.
Music heals. But healing takes time.
It might also take some time for us to get back to you via Facebook (in case you wonder).
We are missing the concerts and evenings with you… We’re looking forward to experiencing them again very very soon...
xo Nastja/Ljon
*deutsche Übersetzung siehe unten*
after doing some thinking I’ve decided to use this platform to share something very personal with you all. Since it’s about a topic which doesn’t just concern myself it appears even more to be the right way.
Three months ago I gave birth to my son. He and I are well again. During his birth a rare complication occurred that was threatening his and my life and left us in fear and terror for a while. The reason for this is a pre-existing condition I - and apart from me a lot of women world wide - happen to have. It’s called Endometriosis and most of you probably never heard of it. My diagnosis took over 10 years. It’s an illness which can lead to pain comparable to labor and often (as in my case) - to adhesions in the abdominal region.
That it would be those adhesions threatening the life of my child one day, leading to this kind of traumatic experience was a possibility but I never thought it would become reality.
Doctors and midwives always reassured me everything would go well. Now I am a case they haven’t experienced within their 30 year long work experience.
Generally Endometriosis is an illness not considered enough in our society.
In my opinion the reason for this lies in the fact that we’re dealing with a women’s illness. In the US there is a stronger awareness and there are even famous women appearing as advocates.
Unfortunately I did not know that as a teenager.
And since I had no knowledge whatsoever I underwent surgery as it was recommended to me by the medical authorities.
Directly after the first operation the first visible adhesions occurred.
This and further procedures haven’t led to any improvement but (in my opinion) to a worsening of the illness. There might be individual cases where there is some kind improvement. But I am definitely not one of them.
I’m writing these words because I want to encourage women/girls who are suffering from indefinable abdominal pain to take this seriously and get some good (alternative) medical support.
There is the notion that it is normal for women to have strong pain every month. But it’s not. After my delivery I realized the level of the pain which I had to endure my whole life, a pain I went to work with, played concerts with, took exams with. Pain medication made this somehow bearable but lead to a damaged stomach and lots of other problems.
It is important so to listen to your inner voice. In German we also say “listen to your stomach”. I am very grateful for school medicine. With regards to some illnesses however (like for example endometriosis) it falls short, doesn’t tackle the causes and (as in my case) can even lead to a worsening.
In Germany it is possible to obtain “additional practitioner insurance” that will partially pay for alternative medical support (like TCM for example). It is also possible to be compensated for disadvantages resulting from the illness and you may apply for a disabled person’s pass.
Apart from these practical supports I think it is important to exchange ideas and experiences with other people.
I am under the impression that people with chronic illnesses which are not obvious to the naked eye have a tendency to be ashamed to talk about their pain and their restrictions in life. Maybe this is because one doesn’t want to appear weak. But ultimately it makes us stronger to speak out, to accept ourselves and to share our stories.
What is the sense of functioning and adapting to some kind of norm if you’re betraying yourself and your body by doing so?
I feel a strong anger against an in part patriarchal system within the school medicine.
A system that unnecessarily removes the uteruses and ovaries of women and doesn’t educate them sufficiently beforehand.
In my case it were unnecessary and even damaging operations on my uterus that put my baby and myself in a life-threatening situation. On the other hand it was school medicine that ultimately saved our lives. This contradiction will be on my mind for a while.
Lots of my/our songs tell – in one way or another – stories about pain and healing.
I now understand even better why.
Erik, Matthes and I are looking forward to finishing our album soon and sharing it with you. We don’t know when exactly this is going to be.
Music heals. But healing takes time.
It might also take some time for us to get back to you via Facebook (in case you wonder).
We are missing the concerts and evenings with you… We’re looking forward to experiencing them again very very soon...
xo Nastja/Ljon
13.02.2017
© Nordsee-Zeitung
17. Februar 2016
LJON "Ghost Heart" - Album Snippet from Ljon on Vimeo.
17. April 2015
Music keeps coming back to you.. always.
And new recordings come with the spring!
In the last year: lots of work and studies for Nastja. the latter one soon will be over!
So you'll be hearing more of us soon..
x Ljon
Musik kommt immer wieder zu einem zurück...
Und neue Aufnahmen kommen mit dem Frühling!
Im letzten Jahr: viel Arbeiten und Studium bei Nastja. Letzteres ist bald endlich zu Ende!
Also hört ihr demnächst wieder mehr von uns..
Eure Ljons
And new recordings come with the spring!
In the last year: lots of work and studies for Nastja. the latter one soon will be over!
So you'll be hearing more of us soon..
x Ljon
Musik kommt immer wieder zu einem zurück...
Und neue Aufnahmen kommen mit dem Frühling!
Im letzten Jahr: viel Arbeiten und Studium bei Nastja. Letzteres ist bald endlich zu Ende!
Also hört ihr demnächst wieder mehr von uns..
Eure Ljons
New video "Run"
Blog by Frank Berzbach
# 109
Leben, Lieben & Leiden - aber unzerstörbar bleibt die Schönheit. Sie rettet die Welt, sie macht Tränen zu salzigem Wasser, zum Wasser des Lebens. Wer weint, ist lebendig, er fühlt noch, trotz all dem. Wer noch weinen kann, der ist Zynismus und Bitterkeit, diesen unheilsamsten Lebenshaltungen, entgangen. Die Musik von LJON kommt aus irgend einer Gegend, in der man schon einmal gewesen sein muss, es ist länger her. Eine ferne Reise, eine Erinnerung an eine Zeit in der man oft traurig, aber dafür auch ganz ungebremst glücklich gewesen sein muss. Erschöpft nach einer langen Wanderung fiel man damals auf den warmen Sandboden eines einsamen Campingplatzes in Südfrankreich, auf der Suche nach sich selbst und trank Landwein ohne Etikett aus der Region - und da saß Nastja Sittig mit einer Gitarre und hat ihre Lieder gesungen. Ich glaube, man kann das nie wieder vergessen und beim hören ihrer Musik entsteht, ja erfindet sich musikalisch eine reinere Vergangenheit, in der man das einmal erleben durfte. Das macht nicht traurig, diese traurigen Lieder machen daher glücklich. Sie entstehen aus einer tiefen Ruhe, die tragische Texte, aber eben auch große Klarheit und Einfachheit kennen. Es lohnt sich, zu leben, nothing is in vain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DT_yNCcxgM&index=3&list=TLWMAvHv3BKUJfc7-3BuB2TBOelr7iHGVK
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Beitrag von Songs & Stories.
Interview for O Anagrama:
Portuguese version
English version (shortened)
Portuguese version
English version (shortened)
Full version
by Caio Coletti
O Anagrama: What's your real name?
Nastja: My name is Nastja. Erik is the bass player of Ljon and Matthes is our drummer. I’m composing and singing our songs.
O Anagrama: Does the name Ljon have any special meaning to you? Why did you choose it?
Nastja: Ljon is the russian word for linen. Actually my mother had the idea when she tried to describe the songs. It reminded her of weaving and growing. Everything starts somewhere.. maybe in the clouds.. goes on to the earth.. grows.. and turns into something new.. patterns evolve.. so you can’t really tell where the borders are. That’s the idea of Ljon.. it’s about you and me and the worlds in between. Everything holds a spirit. And everything has a (hi)story...
O Anagrama: Where are you from?
Nastja: All three of us live in Cologne (Germany). I grew up in Berlin.
O Anagrama: How old is Ljon?
Nastja: Ljon is pretty young.. Our real birthday would be the release of our EP: december 2013. that’s also when we started truely performing as „Ljon“.
O Anagrama: When did you start making music?
Nastja: Since I was very little. I started singing before I could speak .. at least my mother says so.
O Anagrama: What would you say are your greatest influences?
Nastja: To speak for myself: One of my greatest influences are Prokofiev, russian and east german children’s songs, The Doors, Björk and Bob Dylan. There’s a lot more! But that would go beyond the scope.
O Anagrama: What's your story with music? Why and how did you start playing, singing and composing?
Nastja: Well, as I said, I started singing pretty early. Compared to speaking it just came naturally I guess. Until today it remained the easiest way to fully express myself.
After a very close person in my life died I started composing. I had to cope with pain and despair. So it just came out in music.
Until today I need to write songs to grasp the beauty and pain of life.
O Anagrama: Where does the inspiration for your melodies and lyrics come from? Tell us about your creative process.
Nastja: There’s multiple inspirations for the melodies and lyrics I write. As I said: they come from worlds in between. Most of the time I can’t remember how a song came to life. Of course my russian upbringing had a strong influence on the harmonies and melodies I use. But I’ve never written a song thinking: the melody has to sound like this or that. There has to be a flow and a pureness in the moment of creativity. It’s about letting go, letting the spirit fly..
I have to admit that the lyrics of Ljons album „Salty Water“ where partly inspired by a person that kept living as a ghost in my memories, enchanting and haunting me. But in the end it’s a unison of persons, moments and impressions that took a strong influence on the way I am now.
I used to write in german for quite a while. But I actually started composing in english when I was a teen. So I somehow got back to the roots. Since english is not my native tongue it gives me a certain space, distance and simplicity. The majority of lyrics that I got influenced by are english. Still this language is like an unknown landscape to me. And I love to explore with it my feelings.
As a band we share a very intimate creative process. Both, Erik and Matthes, are incredibly sensitive musicians, each with a very unique and different musical background. When we start playing and evolving our songs it’s like diving into each others souls. I’m very happy to have them as friends and music-colleagues.
O Anagrama: What's your opinion on contemporary music and the music industry? Are there artists nowadays that you really admire? How do you think your music could fit in this context?
Nastja: That is a really tricky question. I could write an essay about that. But to put it short: I think there is no black and white. There are certainly great artists in mainstream music nowadays. But most of the musicians I admire are those who are independent from a certain industry. The nature of music is free and independend to me. There are only a few artists who can stay true to themselves in the mainstream industry, I think. And they have very strong personalities. But generally: art doesn’t have to happen in the „big“ dimensions. It happens each moment.. in our kitchen or living-room.. in the universe of everyday life.
I decided some time ago to keep my creativity as „independend“ as possible.
Right now I’m working part time in an inclusive art project and study social work. It makes me happy cause I (personally) need that counterbalance. I need to concentrate on something other that myself, art and creativity. That fuels my inspiration. Working with people and different living environments fulfills me. I stopped defining myself as an artist or as a musician. I don’t like these kind of boxes people squeeze themselves into. I just prefer to be me.. whatever that may be : )
On the whole I think Ljon is there – the way as it is. It’ll keep breathing and growing without any pressure. We’re not striving to become anything other than we are right now. We’re just being who we are, loving what we are doing and sharing it with others.
I for one love to have close contact to the people that listen to our music and connect with them. That’s a very valuable gift.
O Anagrama: Why did you decide to start posting your songs on Youtube? When and how did you feel they were ready to be listened by other people?
Nastja: I had to share my feelings. Just as simple as that. I made myself very vulnerable and was also scared to put myself out there. I did not want to make stylish or artistic videos.
I simply wanted to capture my feelings in a raw and simple way. Youtube served as a medium for that. I started doing that before „Ljon“ existed as a band.
Some people may like the videos and some people don’t. I think the world got too obsessed with „liking“ and ranking things in general. The value of something lies in itself. When you’re accepting your flaws as perfection and your weaknesses as strength – no matter what other people think – then something can probably be considered as „ready“.
O Anagrama: What are your goals? What do you see a few years from now for your career?
Nastja: To resume it with one of my favorite quotes – Chris McCandless alias Alex Supertramp: „I think careers are a 20th century invention and I don't want one.“
And my beloved friend Gry Bagoien used to say: „The future is here.“
That pretty much sums it up : )
by Caio Coletti
O Anagrama: What's your real name?
Nastja: My name is Nastja. Erik is the bass player of Ljon and Matthes is our drummer. I’m composing and singing our songs.
O Anagrama: Does the name Ljon have any special meaning to you? Why did you choose it?
Nastja: Ljon is the russian word for linen. Actually my mother had the idea when she tried to describe the songs. It reminded her of weaving and growing. Everything starts somewhere.. maybe in the clouds.. goes on to the earth.. grows.. and turns into something new.. patterns evolve.. so you can’t really tell where the borders are. That’s the idea of Ljon.. it’s about you and me and the worlds in between. Everything holds a spirit. And everything has a (hi)story...
O Anagrama: Where are you from?
Nastja: All three of us live in Cologne (Germany). I grew up in Berlin.
O Anagrama: How old is Ljon?
Nastja: Ljon is pretty young.. Our real birthday would be the release of our EP: december 2013. that’s also when we started truely performing as „Ljon“.
O Anagrama: When did you start making music?
Nastja: Since I was very little. I started singing before I could speak .. at least my mother says so.
O Anagrama: What would you say are your greatest influences?
Nastja: To speak for myself: One of my greatest influences are Prokofiev, russian and east german children’s songs, The Doors, Björk and Bob Dylan. There’s a lot more! But that would go beyond the scope.
O Anagrama: What's your story with music? Why and how did you start playing, singing and composing?
Nastja: Well, as I said, I started singing pretty early. Compared to speaking it just came naturally I guess. Until today it remained the easiest way to fully express myself.
After a very close person in my life died I started composing. I had to cope with pain and despair. So it just came out in music.
Until today I need to write songs to grasp the beauty and pain of life.
O Anagrama: Where does the inspiration for your melodies and lyrics come from? Tell us about your creative process.
Nastja: There’s multiple inspirations for the melodies and lyrics I write. As I said: they come from worlds in between. Most of the time I can’t remember how a song came to life. Of course my russian upbringing had a strong influence on the harmonies and melodies I use. But I’ve never written a song thinking: the melody has to sound like this or that. There has to be a flow and a pureness in the moment of creativity. It’s about letting go, letting the spirit fly..
I have to admit that the lyrics of Ljons album „Salty Water“ where partly inspired by a person that kept living as a ghost in my memories, enchanting and haunting me. But in the end it’s a unison of persons, moments and impressions that took a strong influence on the way I am now.
I used to write in german for quite a while. But I actually started composing in english when I was a teen. So I somehow got back to the roots. Since english is not my native tongue it gives me a certain space, distance and simplicity. The majority of lyrics that I got influenced by are english. Still this language is like an unknown landscape to me. And I love to explore with it my feelings.
As a band we share a very intimate creative process. Both, Erik and Matthes, are incredibly sensitive musicians, each with a very unique and different musical background. When we start playing and evolving our songs it’s like diving into each others souls. I’m very happy to have them as friends and music-colleagues.
O Anagrama: What's your opinion on contemporary music and the music industry? Are there artists nowadays that you really admire? How do you think your music could fit in this context?
Nastja: That is a really tricky question. I could write an essay about that. But to put it short: I think there is no black and white. There are certainly great artists in mainstream music nowadays. But most of the musicians I admire are those who are independent from a certain industry. The nature of music is free and independend to me. There are only a few artists who can stay true to themselves in the mainstream industry, I think. And they have very strong personalities. But generally: art doesn’t have to happen in the „big“ dimensions. It happens each moment.. in our kitchen or living-room.. in the universe of everyday life.
I decided some time ago to keep my creativity as „independend“ as possible.
Right now I’m working part time in an inclusive art project and study social work. It makes me happy cause I (personally) need that counterbalance. I need to concentrate on something other that myself, art and creativity. That fuels my inspiration. Working with people and different living environments fulfills me. I stopped defining myself as an artist or as a musician. I don’t like these kind of boxes people squeeze themselves into. I just prefer to be me.. whatever that may be : )
On the whole I think Ljon is there – the way as it is. It’ll keep breathing and growing without any pressure. We’re not striving to become anything other than we are right now. We’re just being who we are, loving what we are doing and sharing it with others.
I for one love to have close contact to the people that listen to our music and connect with them. That’s a very valuable gift.
O Anagrama: Why did you decide to start posting your songs on Youtube? When and how did you feel they were ready to be listened by other people?
Nastja: I had to share my feelings. Just as simple as that. I made myself very vulnerable and was also scared to put myself out there. I did not want to make stylish or artistic videos.
I simply wanted to capture my feelings in a raw and simple way. Youtube served as a medium for that. I started doing that before „Ljon“ existed as a band.
Some people may like the videos and some people don’t. I think the world got too obsessed with „liking“ and ranking things in general. The value of something lies in itself. When you’re accepting your flaws as perfection and your weaknesses as strength – no matter what other people think – then something can probably be considered as „ready“.
O Anagrama: What are your goals? What do you see a few years from now for your career?
Nastja: To resume it with one of my favorite quotes – Chris McCandless alias Alex Supertramp: „I think careers are a 20th century invention and I don't want one.“
And my beloved friend Gry Bagoien used to say: „The future is here.“
That pretty much sums it up : )