Based in their hometown of Odense, where the trio eat, sleep and make music in their studio, Hasse, Nikolaj and Mads, otherwise known as Slaughter Beach,  are careful to not rush things. It’s a tactic that has seen them take their time over the release of ‘Love/Venice’, which is OUT NOW out on Norway’s Brilliance records. For all its psychedelic wig-outs, ‘Love/Venice’ is far from a pastiche of the summer of love. Opener ‘ClearInsight’ starts with some deeply unsettling noise before shifting gear into the sort of restlessly hip song that would make Deerhunter or Modest Mouse proud. Driven by a pedalled note guitar riff that could have come straight out of a Johnny Marr jam, it sets a high standard. The irreverent strains of ‘Introvert’ mark it as a buoyant tongue-in-cheek number in the vein of Pond. Its military marching beat, combined with Nikolaj’s purposely naïve delivery, tells the story of a relationship in dissolution. The softness of touch and pining subject matter accompanies closer ‘Nuked’ in sentiment. What starts as a lack of communication in ‘Introvert’ ends in a total conflict of personality in ‘Nuked’ as Nikolaj criticises the superficiality and insincerity of a departed beau.

Slaughter Beach are the lilting and romantic lo-fi heroes that your winter playlist has been missing, and if the new EP is anything to go by, 2016 has us very excited for that inevitable debut album. We chatted to Slaughter Beach ahead of their show in London:

Hey Slaughter Beach, How’s it going?

Great. Currently we’re in Oslo. We just played a show tonight, everything’s good!

How do the three of you know each other in the band?

Two of us (Nikolaj & Mads) went to school together and because of the music environment in our hometown Odense, we stumbled upon Hasse and started doing things together back in 2012.

You’ve just released your debut EP Love/Venice.  How long have you been working on it and how does it feel now its finally released?

During the years we’ve been working together we’ve done a lot of songs and some point last year we really felt as though things we’re coming together in the right way and that was when ‘Love/Venice’ really started taking shape. We’re so thrilled to finally have the EP out, it kinda marks the start of Slaughter Beach.

You received some great praise and gained lots of media attention when you released ‘Spinning Globe’ as one of your first Soundcloud uploads. Did you feel any certain pressure to follow up this first successful track?

No not really. Of course we got really excited by the attention, but regarding the EP we took our and finished it when we were satisfied with result.

Your sound seems to concentrate on more of the blissed out pop sounds of psychadelia. Where do you draw your influences from?

We don’t in particular draw influences, its more of an emotional inspiration. Sometimes you just get caught up by something or someone. It is usually pretty random.

What sort of records/artists were you listening to during the recording process of this EP?

Mostly 90’s stuff. Sparklehorse, Built To Spill, Smashing Pumpkins, Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel, Quasi, Elliott Smith

You’re embarking on your EU tour in November. Is there any city you’re particularly looking forward to playing?
We are looking forward to every single show! And London is going to be great. Really looking forward to that!

The Old Blue Last in London will play host to you on the 9th of November, is there anything in particular you’re going to try and check out in London whilst you’re here?

We don’t have that much time while being there, but we will definitely try check out as much as possible!

 

Get the new EP ‘Love/Venice’ HERE