A Conversation With Reptile Youth

Reptile-Youth-Band

In 2009, vocalist Mads Damsgaard Kristiansen and bassist Esben Valløe decided to start a band. In the three years that have followed, the Denmark-based duo has toured the world, playing in countries like Germany and China and notable festivals including Iceland Airwaves, Reeperbahn Festival, Unit Tokyo and Roskilde Festival as the only band without a release. But that’s all changed now. The two-piece recently worked in the studio with producers Dave M. Allen (The Cure, Sisters of Mercy) and Marc Ralph (Hot Chip) and released its debut self-titled full-length. With that under its belt, Reptile Youth’s next mission is conquering the U.S., and it’s starting by playing at this year’s CMJ festival. Before heading to New York, Kristiansen and Valløe were nice enough to chat with me about their new record, touring the U.S., and Denmark’s music scene.

Katrina Nattress: What do you hope your audience gains from seeing you live?

Mads Damsgaard Kristiansen: I hate watching bands deliver half-hearted performances – it’s embarrassing and it makes me sick. I hope the crowd gains a feeling of wonder and a feeling of being united. I hope they feel inspired.

KN: What’s the best show you’ve ever been to?

MDK: Some years ago I watched a Neil Young concert. It was a magical experience. I was hypnotized. He is more then a human and still filled with transparent flaws. He is universal.

Esben Valløe: I had the same feeling watching PJ Harvey in 2011.

KN: You are gearing up to release your debut LP. Are you excited to play more shows after your fans can listen to the songs recorded?

MDK: We just released our debut album and for the first time we have a crowd with a chance of knowing our songs. It’s a very special feeling.

KN: You have been a band since 2009 and have played internationally since then. Why did you wait three years to release your first album?

MDK: A lot of bands do not release anything for the first three years. I think you ask that question because our live reputation simply grew too fast for our studio experience to match it. People expected that when they heard of our band we ought to have an album out.

EV: We felt like waiting until we were completely satisfied with the songs and the sound. And now, finally we feel satisfied. It is incomprehensible, how much we grew from doing loops in our bedroom studio to recording and producing an album with Dave [Allen] and Marc [Ralph].

MDK: I have a hard time listening to Esben talking about being happy and satisfied. Of course it’s a magical feeling having the record out but the anxiety of finishing our first manifest is heavy too. It’s a very mixed feeling and it’s like having made something really beautiful a long time ago. It took so long time that not only am I tired of the record, I’ve also grown to see the flaws. What would have seemed a masterpiece yesterday appears something else tomorrow and it makes me anxious to know that people will be listening to the record – thinking it is me now – because the record is more about me back then.

EV: The advantage of being a young band is that we still feel very fresh and unspoiled, and even though we’ve grown a lot, we still have a lot to learn and even more in us that wants out. We’re under construction.

KN: Tell me about the writing/recording process with this album.

MDK: We have a very set way of writing songs together. We meet up with our friend Søren and we spend a full day together in Søren’s studio.

EV: Mads brings a piece of a verse or a chorus and often there’s a melody as well. I play the guitar and we jam some kind of foundation into shape. When we have built a structure Soren and I begin to develop the beat, the melody and chord progressions while Mads is singing.

MDK: If I’m stuck, I go to Sorens roof. After a while, hopefully, I’ve come up with something to take the song further, and I go back to Esben and Søren in the studio.

EV: Sometimes we even have time to come up with an interesting vocal harmony or a weird sound for a synth theme.

MDK: And sometimes a day in the studio looks completely different to this.

KN: The album was produced by Dave M. Allen and Marc Ralph. How did you hook up with those guys?

MDK: We played Iceland Airwaves two years ago and made friends with a guy who used to work in a studio with Dave. He connected us and we had really good vibe together. That’s how this whole thing started.

KN: Tell me about working with them.

EV: We brought a dozen of demos to their studio in London and started out just playing around. Dave and Marc have a very different approach to recording and producing – and Mads and I too. I think this was one of the reasons why it worked that well.

KN: You are set to play at the CMJ music festival. This is your first timeplaying in U.S., correct?

MDK&EV: Yes it is. We were booked for SXSW this year but didn’t get the visa. Really excited to finally go now.

KN: What are you most excited about for the festival?

MDK&EV: To be honest we haven’t had the time to check out who’s playing but there are so many great U.S. bands that we want to go see live.

KN: Do you have any plans to tour U.S.?

MDK&EV: Yes we are planning to come back in the spring to tour.

KN: What’s the music scene like in Denmark?

MDK&EV: It’s very vivid and very explosive.

KN: What other Danish bands should we have on our radar?

MDK&EV:Indians, Broke, Chimes & Bells, Sleep Party People and many more.

KN: What’s next for Reptile Youth?

MDK&EV: Touring and producing album number two.