In
Arteetude Episode 305 – WAW Zoom Talk Part 2: Perfection, Promotion & the Power of Collaboration, host
Detlef Schlich reconnects with Berlin-based musician and producer
Dirk Schlömer, his creative partner in
WAW – Wild Atlantic Way.Together, they continue their deep dive into
The Nile’s Bittersweet Song, reflecting on audience reactions, the challenges of modern promotion, and the delicate art of knowing when a piece of music is “finished.” Their discussion expands into the ethics of AI-generated music, creative authenticity, and how musicians from the ’70s and ’80s are navigating a digital music landscape where algorithms often replace intuition.
Between stories of Peter Gabriel’s perfectionism, studio anecdotes from the 1990s, and the realities of playlist submissions in 2025, Detlef and Dirk explore what it means to stay true to one’s artistic voice in an AI-driven age.
The episode concludes with a live version of The Nile’s Bittersweet Song recorded in Ballydehob — a raw, heartfelt performance capturing the living pulse of their collaboration.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube. Support WAW by streaming The Nile’s Bittersweet Song and following Arteetude for weekly reflections on art, music, and technology.
The Nile flows on—and so does WAW. 🌊🎶
The episode ends — of course — with the full track.
Listen now. Share it if it moves you.
Listen to the Song via Spotify Link "The Niles Bittersweet Song"
about
The Niles Bittersweet Song flows between myth and memory — a meditation on life’s dual rhythm. Inspired by ancient stories of Hapi, the river god of renewal and destruction, the song follows Kamau, a man standing at the river’s edge, mourning what the waters give and take. Schlömer & Schlich blend haunting melody with lyrical storytelling, where loss and rebirth drift together like silt in the current.
lyrics
The Niles Bittersweet Song
Chorus
The Niles bittersweet song, sweet song
The Niles bittersweet song, sweet song
Verse 1
Kamau stands by the river, where the waters rise and swell
Recalling tales of Hapi, and the stories elders tell
Each year the floods bring life, a gift to the arid land
But in its embrace, a fate he hadn't planned
Chorus
The Nile is in his heart, the tears are in his eyes
The river's bittersweet song
Brings life and takes away, takes away
Verse 2
Kamau remembers laughter in fields of golden grain
But the river's gift one year, brought with it the pain
In its nurturing flood, his brother was swept away
A reminder of the river's price to pay
Chorus
The Nile is in his heart, the tears are in his eyes
The river's bittersweet song
Brings life and takes away, takes away
Bridge
Kamau feels the wind whispering across the flood
A dance of life and loss, in the river's mud
He knows the Nile's power, both cruel and kind
In its waters, the story of life entwined
Do you mind? Really? Do you really mind?
Verse 3
When Kamau watches the children playing by the shore
The cycle of life continues, as it has before
Chorus
The Nile is in his heart, the tears are in his eyes
The river's bittersweet song
Brings life and takes away, takes away
Outro
The Nile's bittersweet song
The Nile's bittersweet song
The Nile's bittersweet song
The Nile
Detlef Schlich is a rock musician, podcaster, visual artist, filmmaker, ritual designer, and media archaeologist based in West Cork. He is recognised for his seminal work, including a scholarly examination of the intersections between shamanism, art, and digital culture, and his acclaimed video installation, Transodin's Tragedy. He primarily works in performance, photography, painting, sound, installations, and film. In his work, he reflects on the human condition and uses the digital shaman's methodology as an alter ego to create artwork. His media archaeology is a conceptual and practical exercise in uncovering the unique aesthetic, cultural, and political aspects of media in culture.
WEBSITE LINKS WAW Official YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@WAWBand
"The Niles Bittersweet Song"
WAW BandcampSilent NightIn a world shadowed by conflict and unrest, we, Dirk Schlömer & Detlef Schlich, felt compelled to reinterpret 'Silent Night' to reflect the complexities and contradictions of modern life.https://studiomuskau.bandcamp.com/track/silent-night
Wild Atlantic WayThis results from a trip to West Cork, Ireland, where the beautiful Coastal "Wild Atlantic Way" reaches along the whole west coast!https://studiomuskau.bandcamp.com/track/wild-atlantic-way
YOU TUBE*Silent Night Reimagined* A Multilayered Avant-Garde Journey by WAW aka Dirk Schlömer & Detlef Schlichhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAbytLSfgCw
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Download here for free Detlef Schlich´s Essay about the Cause and Effect of Shamanism, Art and Digital Culture
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303749640_Shamanism_Art_and_Digital_Culture_Cause_and_EffectSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/arteetude-a-podcast-with-artists-by-detlef-schlich/donations