A couple of weeks ago, the Danish city of Aarhus held the innovative music festival Northside, which year after year sets new standards due to its creative environment and visitors' enthusiasm. While moving from one stage to another, Metal Magazine had the opportunity to speak to the leader of the popular Danish band Reptile Youth, the performance of which shocked us to the core.
The Danish duo Reptile Youth consisting of Mads Damsgaard Kristiansen and Esben Valløen, are making post-punk in the ways of Brooklyn teams such as the Rapture and Radio 4. After the release of the stunning debut album Reptile Youth in 2012, the guys went on a great tour, followed by a large number of radio singles, and a grand remix album. In March this year the band pleased their fans with a second album with a more intricate title - On Rivers That Run for a Sea That Is Gone. Despite Mads' comment that "this album has no potential hits”, you will no the able to avoid swinging your hips smoothly to the music, and the lines of the songs will settle firmly in your mind. If you were lucky enough to see the band's live performance at the recent Northside Festival, you’ll definitely agree. To the question “Where do you get your energy for the concerts?” Mads simply shrugs in puzzlement “I don't know? I think it has been inside me all the time.”
So now you just want to share it with the audience.
We don't have any immediate music career goals. No concrete goals at least. We know how it feels to sit on a bus and then suddenly a song cuts your world in two, or glues it back together again. Or how it feels to take off your head on a dance-floor somewhere at 5 in the morning. Somebody did it to us. We want to do it to you too.
When and why did you start playing?
I started singing when I was very little. I had to help my dad doing the dishes after dinner. And when we did that he always put on old records. The Beatles, Pink Floyd or Neil Young. And we sang along. Thats kind of when it all started I guess. Right now, I am listening to the new Damon Albarn record. And a guy called Damien Jurado. He released a new record recently that is amazing. And Kanye West. The Yeezus record is almost punk at some point. At least he’s very anarchistic, he does exactly what he feels like.
What makes a good session?
Good things often come when you feel safe. And you need a lot of trust too, trust in each other and in the situation. If you worry what other people might say you're not gonna find the interesting things. And fun. It needs to be fun.
Do you have any rituals before going on stage?
We give each other a hug and look at each other in the eyes.
What image do you think your music conveys?
I think it's a very individual thing, that people can listen to something and a complete variety of images will pop up in their heads. Even between brothers or close friends.
If you had to describe your music in 3 or 4 words, what would you call it?
Listen, For, Yourself.
If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry what would it be?
To destroy all the fear.
What do you think about the growth of the popularity of Danish music?
I like it. I think the Danish scene is very interesting right now, there are many good things coming out of Copenhagen these days. And I like that the scene here is so diverse. We’ve got a lot of good punk like Iceage and Lower. We’ve got electronic inspired artists such as Trentemoller, Broke, Rangleklods. We got cool ass wonder girls like MØ, and I could keep on going. I'm proud to be a part of that.