Poptones’ experimental vigor may be traced to Copenhagen’s Rhythmic Music Conservatory, one of many world’s most creatively unfettered environments. That’s the place teenage friends Mads Bertelsen (bass, vocals), Simon Hiemstra (guitar) and Anders Poulsen (drums) shook off the final confining vestiges of their rural upbringing on Denmark’s west coast and locked into their genre-fluid groove. And so they’re positive within the thick of it on Pure (Glad Metallic). Recorded in India, Italy and their house nation, the trio’s second LP intersperses intimate solo sketches with extra collaborative improvisation for an indefinable sonic pastiche that sways between prog, hardcore, ambient, indie and the avant-garde.
Right here’s extra from Hiemstra.
—Hobart Rowland
1) “Pores and skin Of Sea”
“This was written by way of intuitive and free improvisation throughout a Danish artist residency within the demise home of former Danish prime minister Jens Otto Krag. The tune marks a change in our sound, with each steel associations and grand orchestral concepts. It went from zero to a completed sketch in just some hours, which isn’t our typical tempo of writing. There’s one thing highly effective about working rapidly and never overthinking each chord. Lyrically, it’s a grand and explosive story of an interior emotional life—in regards to the sudden sense of safety discovered within the darkness.”
2) “Say One thing Now”
“Born from a self-invented improvisational recreation managed totally by a deck of Uno playing cards. You draw a card that then decides how you need to act within the improvisation. It’s one thing we’ve carried out a couple of occasions, although it’s not profitable each time. However generally it clearly works. The sport was impressed by Brian Eno’s Indirect Methods and John Zorn’s ‘Cobra.’ The refrain is taken straight from the instrumentals, with none adjustments. There’s truly a video of that precise second on our Instagram. The lyrics are about delusionally imagining and dreaming about one’s personal future, solely to understand that it’s only a dream. It’s a hopeful story of youth and feeling able to take the following step in life.”
3) “This Will Be A Good Day”
“Made by enjoying primary chords with an odd guitar tuning, whereas on the lookout for the calmness and peace within the dissonant soundscape. The tune continually teases its subsequent transfer, culminating in a grandiose refrain and saxophone solo. It’s written to be carried out as little as attainable within the verses and as powerfully as may be within the refrain. Lyrically, it’s about how self-doubt could be a tough factor to interrupt out of. On the similar time, it’s a reminder that it’s dwelling inside your individual head, and it’s truly attainable to flee. Nevertheless it requires fixed work.”
4) “Asleep”
“An improv session we did with a few of our pals: (guitarist) Harald (Ingvarsson), (saxophonist) Oscar (Alstrup) and (vibraphonist) Rémy (Gouffault). Oscar is enjoying on nearly each tune on the album, and the others are additionally a part of ‘Eyes Closed.’ We’re so grateful to have shut pals who wish to be part of our undertaking.”
5) “Mirror World”
“The primary concepts for ‘Mirror World’ have been written in 2022 in an improvisation with Mads on drums and Simon on guitar. The observe has modified so much since then, and it’s now probably the most metal-influenced observe on the file, particularly with vocalist Victor Kaas. We needed to work with explosions, excessive dynamic contrasts and adjustments in tempo, whereas drawing inspiration from grunge, dissonant indie and steel. The tune is about racing ideas and nervousness and attempting to flee your chaotic ideas.”
6) “O Of Life”
“All about velocity, energy and chaotic vibes—solely stopped by the hard-hitting breaks within the refrain. Essentially the most hardcore-inspired tune on the album. The inspiration appeared after we have been probably the most into Black Midi. Undoubtedly the shortest tune with a typical tune construction we’ve ever written.”
7) “Slim Streets”
“An interlude that works as an introduction to the universe of ‘17 Hours.’ It’s a recording of Mads improvising on singing bowls.”
8) “17 Hours”
“Primarily based on a e book by Mads’ grandad, Poul-Erik. The e book describes Poul-Erik’s recollections and experiences from his life in Nepal working with youngsters in colleges. The tune was written shortly after his demise and is each a tribute and a solution to maintain on to his reminiscence. Mads later went to Nepal himself, visiting the areas the place his grandparents had been. That journey has impressed among the music and lyrics on the album, together with the lyrics for ‘Skinny Air.’ The tune is about being distant from house.”
9) “Skinny Air”
“The thought for ‘Skinny Air’ was initially written by Simon whereas he was on an Interrail by way of Europe together with his accomplice. They went to a home by Lake Iseo in northern Italy, and it had a guitar. He began enjoying, and the guitars to ‘Skinny Air’ have been made proper there within the second, captured on a voice memo. The lyrics and vocal melody have been written by Mads whereas mountaineering within the Himalayas together with his spouse. The tune is about how extremely lovely and fragile life may be.”
10) “I Am Right here”
“This was written by Mads whereas he was playing around with an epic synthesizer plug-in in Ableton. He took a bunch of recorded guitars from an outdated tune, reversing them and changing the entire thing to midi. Afterward, he recorded some guitars within the outro/refrain. To complete it, he improvised on vocals based mostly on a flow-write he’d simply carried out the identical day. It was meant to be carried out quick, with out pondering an excessive amount of in the course of the course of.”
11) “Hypnagogic State”
“One of many first songs we wrote for this album, it attracts on inspiration from the ’90s shoegaze scene—one thing we’ve listened to since we have been youngsters. It has a whole lot of explosive dynamics, which we’re actually into. The verse shifts between open, floating dissonances and closed, synchronized rhythms.”
12) “Eyes Closed”
“An improvised continuation of ‘Hypnagogic State.’ We’ve performed it reside so much and benefit from the noisy buildup, which all the time ends in full meditative chaos. After we recorded it within the studio, it was solely the three of us, however we felt just like the observe wanted extra devices. So we determined to ask some pals to file improvisations on prime of the bass-and-drum recording from the studio. We then did a couple of free improvised takes, which we lower up and organized. That ended within the model of ‘Eyes Closed’ you hear.”
