The Deluge formed almost by chance, a group of friends got together to liven up the opening of the Casal Popular Tio Cuc d'Alacant by paying tribute to Ovidi Montllor and from there they decided to continue composing their own songs that have gone on to enrich the Valencian musical imagination. With that carefree attitude of someone who doesn't give too much importance but does very important things, have taken to the stages of the Valencian Country, from the Spanish state and beyond the Pyrenees, playing Mediterranean folk accompanied by violin chords, the diatonic accordion and the bandurria, was with cumbia, pop, Balkan rhythms and electronics. The latter, following the signs of the times, has gained weight in a repertoire that has been incorporating new sounds, many times, by the hand of friendly groups like La Fúmiga, Dr. prats, The catarres, steal estesa, Zoo o Huntza. In September of 2023, the Castalla group announced a temporary stop at the end of the tour To make your hand which has crowned twelve years of musical career, leaving the EP as a gift The first ball and a farewell concert on 22 of March at the Main Theater of Valencia. Seizing the opportunity, we wanted to ask a few questions to one of the group's vocalists, Flora Sempere, the clear and clean voice you hear, puny in alt, in the feminist anthem "I tu, soil you”.
You will start by making versions of Ovidi Montllor. What does he mean to you??
for us, Ovidi Montllor was an important reference for his music and for the messages of his songs, we did not understand how in the Valencian Country it was not as recognized as, for example, a catalunya. There were songs by him that we had already heard from our parents, such as "Tribute to Teresa" or "I applaud you". But when we wanted to pay our own tribute to the singer-songwriter from Alcoy, we discovered many more songs that we dared to cover like "Montserrat", “Dry gola” or “Tot explodes”, either by the head or by the paw". We always wanted to remember him and keep him in mind, that's why we've tried to make reference to his figure in all the albums, well with versions, well with some literary resource in our letters. And also, our name as a group is that of a song by Ovid that we were never able to cover.
Just like the Manels did, The Deluge has been getting closer to electronic sounds, and in this new context your bandúrria has a difficult fit. You are sorry to have left her a little cornered? How do you embrace new sounds without losing your identity?
Although the bandúrria does not have the presence it once had, we always try to have it in the songs, even if it is with effects and the rest, in fact, that's how we kept it. Sometimes I miss the more organic sounds where the band would fit much better, but it is also true that the path we have taken as a group is one that seeks new sounds close to electronics, i per tant, I take care that it has to take a back seat. I think that the key to not losing your identity while playing with new sounds is precisely to maintain it, even if it is with effects or in second plans, the instruments that characterize us as a group: the violin, the accordion and the bandurria. In that sense, the role of the music producer also carries a lot of weight, since he is the one who manages to keep the essence but with a renewed sound.
Many Valencian groups are folding recently: autumn, Smoking Souls, Mafalda, Zoo… The latter have been criticized for doing the farewell concert in the Valencian Country at the Pirata Rock festival. You see the criticisms as justified? You have been criticized for doing the last thing it was and Barcelona?
Many groups have decided to take a break, in many cases it is definitive, in others indefinite, but I think that as those responsible for our project we should be able to choose how we want to finish. If Zoo wants to finish at Pirata Rock, I think their decision should be respected. To be, is his project and, though they owe it to their audience, they must also be at ease doing what they do. In our case, I don't know if we have been criticized or not, but the truth is that we wanted to do it this way and this is how we are doing it. We would like to be able to enjoy the music that we have been making for more than ten years with our audience in places that are special to us. Both the Main Theater of Valencia, like the Tradicionàrius de Barcelona, they have been and are important places for us and we wanted to say goodbye to the stages there.
Collaborations with La Fúmiga have been recurring in recent years. Your voice can be heard in the song "Mediterrània", they have collaborated in your "Waiting". After the announced shutdown of Zoo, they remain as the main active referent of Valencian music. You think hard times are ahead of them?
La Fúmiga is a more than consolidated group and I think they are already one of the main active musical references in Valencian music, regardless of whether Zoo is active or not. I think they already have their place among the festival headliners, who have captivated the public with their joy and good vibes and, sincerely, I don't think hard times are coming for them. His songs have catchy melodies that everyone sings along to. I think there will be Fúmiga for mouse.
It's been a while since women started to show their heads in the Valencian music industry: Mireia Vives, Clara Andres, Tense, Jazzwoman, Maluks, Extra season, Sandra Monfort, Colomet, Esther… The gender gap is closing? We have reason to look to the future with hope? Who do you like from the new batch of Valencian music??
In this topic, although I see that there are more and more women making music in the Valencian music industry, I think there is still a significant gender gap. In this sense I see that the headliners and the spaces are still mostly occupied by men. It is true that there is more female supply, but this has not influenced too much the equal presence on the stages. Hope is never lost, but if the feminist struggle stops or is diluted, will directly affect this female presence on the stage (among other things). personally, I really like Sandra Monfort's proposal, because I think it's original and I think she's a great musician. But I also really like the way Esther sings, with its sensitivity and its very organic proposal, away from unnecessary ornaments.
Leave for posterity a whole feminist anthem like “I tu, soil you”, which has been sung in Galician, Basque, Occitan, Aranese, asturian, Spanish, French and English. Two opposing vocations come together here, internationalization and the promotion of minority languages. How important is music in the defense of the Valencian?
The music, in itself, it is a universal language. Through music messages are transmitted that reach everyone and open the minds of those who listen to it. then, the simple fact of singing in Valencian already assumes, not just a defense of the Valencian, but also the spread and prevalence of the language. Music is capable of reviving the Valencian.
In the song "Heroines of the dark night" you say that "we are not Neruda's heirs, we are daughters of Marçal”. Who was Maria Mercè Marçal and why do you consider her so important? Explain to us this statement of principles that disowns the Chilean Nobel Prize.
Maria Mercè Marçal is a literary reference in our language, but she is also a reference for her feminist struggle. I think it's important because of the messages it sends to all of us and because of its cultural legacy. Based on his quote "at random I appreciate three gifts: to have been born a woman, of lower class and oppressed nation. And the murky azure of being a rebel three times" was born "And you alone you". And in the song "Heroines of the dark night" we also refer to one of his poems "Les bruixes de dol". It seems to us a pillar of inspiration to make music and convey the much needed message that she wanted to convey. And with respect to the declaration of principles that disowns Pablo Neruda, I think it is more than clear. Apart from abandoning his first wife and his daughter, because the daughter was sick, he was also accused of abusing several women, and ultimately, he was a person who does not seem worthy of our admiration.
Your music combines vindictive lyrics with danceable rhythms in the festive spirit. Make Emma Goldman's famous phrase "if I can't dance, it's not my revolution"? In this revolution we will need "unsubdued tenderness"?
We actually made Emma Goldman's phrase our own in the song "No one dances like you". We always carry this message with us, it is important to make revolutions, but we can do them with a smile, dancing, singing and without violence. Tenderness is a beautiful human characteristic, but it should not be related to weakness and conformity, tenderness can also be carried as a banner in our struggle. She can be tender and also stubborn, and of course we bet on this attitude.
I heard you say in some interview that you would go back to the streets and to the universities where you started if the new administration closed the doors to you. However, the decision was to stop. Why?
We have decided to stop because of the personal moment that the members of the group are experiencing. We don't mind going back to the streets and the Athenaeums, they have always welcomed us very well there, i of fet, if El Diluvi has reached where it is, it was thanks to these spaces that gave us the opportunity to make ourselves known. But we've been giving it our all for twelve years, leaving aside some aspects of our personal lives. We want to rest from the frenetic rhythm of playing in a music group, and we need to pay attention to other aspects of our lives. This does not mean that, in one time, don't return. Sometimes, this moment of rest serves us to regain strength and rethink the project.
Your latest EP, The first ball, includes a song that has given its name to the tour farewell: "Hands on". Just has coincided with the change of regional government, coincidence? What or who would you send to do the hand??
Coincidence? Well, I don't know. When we made the song, all this change had not yet occurred in the political scene, but the name of the tour was not a coincidence. This political change has caused us music groups that sing in Valencian a major setback. Based on the basis that the minister of culture relates any cultural manifestation in Valencian with pan-Catalanism and the rest, i per tant, will not support, because the situation of change has caused a lot of uncertainty and discouragement among the people who make culture in our language. I would send to shake hands precisely with this gentleman who prefers to subsidize bulls from other autonomous communities than to give any kind of help to their own culture in their own language.
How did you come up with the Teatre Principal farewell concert?? There will be surprises?
We are preparing the concert at the Teatre Principal de Valencia with great enthusiasm. We want to readjust our street show to the theater and, taking advantage of all the possible resources that we will have at hand, make it more beautiful. I think it is looking very beautiful and the spectators will be able to really enjoy the last dance with the Flood. Obviously, there will be some surprise that we will announce on our social networks when the date of the concert is closer.
The last single from the last album, "The Walker", draws a parallel between the introspective journey of the character in Herman Hesse's book of the same name and that of The Flood. You are ready to leave and find a new path?
Obviously yes! Many times we are afraid of change, but it's not always bad. I think this message represents all of us in the Flood right now. We need to leave for a while, make our own personal way, to enrich our lives with another kind of experiences and enjoy in another way that we don't know right now. Each walk a new path separately.
This stop is a "see you soon" or a "goodbye"?
This stoppage at the moment is indefinite, because we don't really know what will happen. When the group members talk, we think it will be a quick end. But these things are not known until time passes and everything is defined a little more. Our, personally, I'd like to think it will be a "see you soon", because we still have enthusiasm for the project and the desire to make music.
