Sweden’s delicious little pop tarts Death In The Afternoon have been around for quite a while and it feels like they are constantly re-inventing themselves. Their debut in 2011 was very rock and their second album quite 80s. They now have their third album lined up for release later this year on Stockholm’s hottest label Sommarhjärta – and judged by the great first single Let’s Talk it’s neatly set in poppy middle of both their other albums. A good excuse to catch up with Linda and Christian of Death In The Afternoon.
So, what’s the last thing you ate?
A vegetarian casserole that we made. Very tasty indeed.
Do you both write the songs? What does your writing/recording process look like?
Christian writes the songs and we work on arrangement and production together. Usually the songs start out as a short guitar track, synth or bass line that we work on by adding new parts, effects and harmonies. It’s a kind of “let’s see where this takes us” approach.
Does being fiancés affect this somehow?
We rarely have to discuss what we like and don’t like when it comes to our music. The work-process is very easy that way because we know each other so well.
Listening to your debut album from 2011 and then to your latest single, it is actually great to listen to the sort of maturing process you went through. How do you feel about the development you went through as a band? It feels as though you are always reinventing yourselves.
We always want to, and try to do something “new” when we make a record. But it’s not something we struggle with. Being so influenced by 80’s music, while constantly discovering new music probably helps us develop our own music. We also get bored real quick. We both have a (probably) unhealthy need to constantly do “something else”.
What are major influences to your sound? Have they changed during the years?
We really like the 80’s when it comes to music. Growing up and listening to our older siblings and parent’s records it just stuck. There is something naive about a lot of the music from the 80’s that we find really fascinating. A lot of the artists and bands sure knew how to write great pop-songs, not to mention how to make hit-records.
Do you have a certain fascination for Ernest Hemingway’s literature?
I (Christian) spend a lot of time at the public library, and my favorite spot is by a big window overlooking the water. That spot is right next to the english/american-litteratur section, so I read a lot of Hemingway there. It just felt natural when we decided to name our band after one of his books.
Do you have any plans to tour or play shows abroad?
Hopefully yes. Traveling and playing music, can’t get much better than that!
Anywhere you would like to play live? I remember seeing you on a basement stage in Paris a couple of years ago..
We would love to play some festivals.
Thanks for taking the time.
Their new single Let’s Talk is out today on iTunes, Spotify, and the likes.