SSM – So, We The North, is your only (main) band right now?
First of all – thank you for giving the opportunity to answer some questions of yours, sir!
The releases of Dayblind and Endemic keep me busy lately but I actually have some new material in the works right now. This time I bring in a celebrity vocalist so I can focus entirely on mixing and production. Can’t see why I should make anyone of my projects the main band. At the same time, I don’t want to appear like a prostitute going from one act to another. I am very serious about my work.
SSM – There seems to be an connection of the band’s name to Canada, right? Not only to Scandinavia. I saw some shirts from addias with your name, by the way.
Yes, the Canadians are picking up quickly! I guess they can relate to the darkness much in the same way as us gloomy Scandinavians.
SSM – Those guys from the north they love synthesizers, right? Can you explain why swedish audience for example is much more into synthiemusic than Italians?
Well, I certainly love being seduced by the sounds of a synthesizer. It is like entering a perfect world. The machine understands me and I understand the machine. There is no miscommunication which is, at least in my view, inevitable in human relations. The music is my escape, and has been for a very long time.
SSM – Your sound in 2016 is not that dark, that extreme anymore. Is this somehow a testimony of your on state of mind? You are less aggressive maybe nowadays?
In some sense my music is a testimony of the state of mind, sure. But if you asked people close to me, I am not seen as a calm and laid-back person. Quite the contrary. In fact half the scene try to appear harsh and aggressive, with face paint, vocal distortion and padded goth clothing. These are just facts. I bet you there is not one individual behind those acts that mean real business.
SSM – Do you prefer to work alone? Not to discuss with other members?
Ideally I work alone. But as I mentioned there is some collaboration in the pipe line. I have some good friends in the scene. We send each other new material to comment on. I learn a lot from them and get input on work in process. And I couldn’t do without this exchange of ideas and experiences with other artist.
SSM – Now you live Norðurlöndin … Did you move from Sweden to Island? Why?
Norðurlöndin is most commonly known as the Nordics. And that is where I live.
SSM – “Dayblind” – What does this mean?
I prefer to leave the listener some unanswered questions. And the album title is no exception. To me personally, Dayblind stands for the inability to see things for what they are. A spiritual blindness if you will. Any person who suffered severe trauma has probably felt this at times. Maybe even for a lifetime.
SSM – What about concerts of WTN? You played at WGT in 2013 last. A big experience for you?
Yes, the response at WGT was massive. I remember we had huge technical problems, both on stage and in the venue. But the crowd was amazing. Germany is in many ways a top nation if you want to get on stage with your band. I hope to do that again, soon, possibly with a vocalist on stage.
SSM – It seems the musicscene is getting more and more global (thank you internet!), BUT: subcultures act more local than ever. In my eyes, a band like WTN has big problems to reach an wider audience in USA for example. Is it very hard too get gigs outside your country?
You are probably right. I get numerous proposals to play venues around here. Not so much from bigger stages abroad. Any new band to this scene would have the same problem though. But I’m not worried, these things sometimes take time. And as the big names are fading, just look at recent releases, we will be ready to take over 😉