Vaag :: Vague music

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A brief, if not “vague,” Q&A session with Haarlem, Netherlands-based musician Marc Brinkerink (aka Vaag) intentionally designed to deliver a clear and direct line of communication without unnecessary clutter—except when it comes to his music, of course.

“I like things different and vague.”

Haarlem, Netherlands-based musician Marc Brinkerink’s Vaag moniker is used as a vessel for his abstract, deformed, and glitchy electronic music. His 2024 electro/IDM/ambient records Perfect Imperfection and Twenty Two—both available on Point Source Electronic Arts—appeared on Igloo’s 2024 year-end list.

Igloo :: When and why did you start Vaag?

Marc Brinkerink / Vaag :: Around 2019. I’ve always been into different types of music, but never really into IDM or ambient. But I’ve always listened to it. I think I was just ready for it.

Did you have an idea of what you wanted to do with Vaag?

I actually started with a kind of “slow house,” but that quickly ended and changed into electro, IDM, and ambient.

How has Vaag evolved since you started, and how would you describe what you do?

Vaag :: At first I was more into structure and songs, but I actually find that boring and have largely stopped doing that. Now I jam for a while and then I go through it again, move and remove. A jam is often way too long. I don’t really like very long songs. I like tracks around 4 minutes, even though it doesn’t always turn out like that. With Vaag, I experiment and mainly do what I like and think sounds good. I try as much as possible not to think “what will other people think of this?” Vaag is my musical freedom, but close to IDM.

Why did you choose the name Vaag?

Vaag :: “Vaag,” that’s what many people say when they hear this kind of music for the first time. When I sometimes let people hear a CD by Autechre, for example, it was usually: “vague music” to them. And I think that’s fine, I like different and vague.

Why did you choose for electronic music?

Vaag :: I’ve always been busy with samplers, synths, computers and especially drum-computers. I started out with hip-hop but also found Autechre, Plaid, Art of Noise and things like that very interesting.

Do you do everything with Vaag by yourself?

Vaag :: Yes, I’ve always done projects with other people, from hip-hop to metal, but this is just completely my own thing.

Do you work from home and do you have a specific working process?

Vaag :: I do indeed do everything from home. Sort of. I make a lot of sketches, usually late at night on my laptop. I do that for a week or a month. Then I listen to it and make a list of the things I believe are cool. Then I try to make a song out of that.

What setup do you use to play and record your music?

Vaag :: I mainly work in Ableton Live, sometimes with hardware (Polyend Tracker, SYNTH, OP-Z,… ) but I don’t have a lot of hardware because it usually stays in the closet. I have so many possibilities with Ableton Live that I quickly miss that in hardware (e.g. LFOs). But there are a few hardware instruments that I would like to work with: Digitone 2, Cydrums,…

Who do you see as your musical influences and do you also perform live?

Vaag :: There are a lot: Autechre, Plaid, Bjork (Vespertine), Speedy J, but also Flying Lotus, Ivy Labs, SDEM, Burial, Hexalyne, Printiig, and many more. It is mainly a studio project now, but never say never.

Perfect Imperfection and Twenty Two appeared on Igloo’s 2024 year-end list. Do you also see this as your best work?

Vaag :: Yes. I’m never so sure when I’m working on it, but when I listen back to these albums now, I’m proud of them.

Twenty Two is available on Point Source Electronic Arts. [Bandcamp]