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My Festival Feelings: Thus:Owls

The first grandiose album of the year has come from Sweden’s Thus:Owls - the latest project from Erika Angell - whose debut album ‘Cardiac Malformations’ is an expansive, haunting soundtrack to the dark winter months. We sat down with Erika to discuss festivals, multiple bands and Scandinavian music...

Josef och Erika, The Moth, eRika... why do you want to start another band?

Actually, Thus:Owls is kind of the same band as eRika but with one new member, Simon Angell from Montreal. But just before Simon joined us we also had started working in a new direction musically and together with him we found a solid sound we wanted to put down on tape. Along with that it felt good to set the beginning of an era with a new name. The two other bands I'm part of are duos, so Thus:Owls is the only band that has room for a bigger sound.

The album was recorded very quickly, this sounds impossible given the large, complex sound...

We recorded it in six days altogether with overdubs and everything and mixed it during maybe four days or so. Of course we knew the songs pretty well, but most of the arrangements happened in the studio. You're able to sleep and cook at Svenska Grammofonstudion, which makes you keep the atmosphere and focus through the whole recording, I think that's one reason it was even possible.

There are plenty of reference points for the music: My Brightest Diamond, Hanne Hukkelberg - how are you inspired by other experimental female musicians?

I think it matters that I'm brought up in Scandinavia. People from other parts of the world seem to mention that a lot, that there are similarities in sounds and approach amongst Scandinavian singers. And I believe very much that the musicians in my Scandinavian surroundings have influenced me, so to mention a few of the ones I admire: Sidsel Endresen, Lina Nyberg, Lindha Kallerdahl, Mariam Wallentin (Wildbirds and Peacedrums), Ellekari Larsson (The Tiny), Lisen Rylander Löve (Midaircondo), Katrin Amsler (Television Pickup) but there are also names from other places, known to you all like Nina Simone, Björk, Lotte Lenya, Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones, if we're talking female musicians.

How does working with a band differ to working on your own?

I love the process of being lost in my own world, writing and arranging music by myself. I used to play by myself in the woods when I was a kid, losing myself in my imagination. It's like that to write music if it's going well. But I would never be as surprised, pushed and brought in new directions if it weren't for the other musicians I play with. Music is so much about communication and that's one reason I like music so much. Sometimes it's harder to develop music with others since there are more ideas and wills to listen too, but it's also amazing for the same reasons.

Do you prefer going to festivals as an artist or a punter?

If it's a big festival I really enjoy being there as an artist cause you're able to go backstage between the bands you want to see. But I prefer smaller festivals where you don't really make any difference between artists and punters, where everything feels more like a big garden party. It's nicer to listen to music like that too, closer.

What has been your favourite festival experience?

When I toured with Loney Dear we played at the Sasquatch festival in The Gorge, Washington state. So beautiful! We played on the smaller stage with the view of this amazing landscape before us and later that night I saw Björk on the mainstage for the first time. ‘Eagles are coming in’ is about that day actually.

Do you tend to stick around at the festival or do you leave once you've played?

I try to see something or as much as I can. I'm always looking for musical kicks and inspiration, but the more music you hear the harder it gets to get that kick. But I always look for it, because it's the best thing ever when it happens, that someone blows your mind away.

Are there any festivals you'd like to play but haven't?

Lots of festivals we'd like to play since we hardly haven’t played any yet! You name them and we'll come!

What would be your perfect festival - setting, audience and line-up?

The atmosphere is very important. I love stunning nature and surroundings, so a place that's amazing in itself always makes good music even more magical. Not too big, maybe only three stages, or different venues you can walk between. People are more friendly and happy when there's room for everyone to see, listen, walk and talk, so not too many people, I mean a good amount of course, but not the seas of heads walking around in dirt. I love when festivals concentrate on new music since I love to find new things, but a mixture with great bands and new things is the best I believe. Have you ever been to LE GUESS WHO? in Utrecht, Netherlands or to Sweden’s Way out West? Both really good festivals.

SEE A VIDEO OF THUS:OWLS PERFORMING AT BY:LARM LAST WEEKEND HERE