10 x 4 – Pallers

We first introduced Pallers a few weeks ago with this excellent remix. We have been digging into their music ever since – a fragile mix of introspective lyrics and intoxicating beats that draw from bass music, but come ready packed in a shiny pop wrapper. So, we thought it was high time to ask the Swedish duo of Henrik and Johan to submit to a bit of 10 x 4 style probing. Their debut album is due to be released in October on Sweden’s Labrador Records.

Favourite part of the day to create?
HENRIK: Night time is the right time for me, even though lately I´ve been working more daytime. It´s not easy being nocturnal and also trying to maintain a day-job. The right mood always comes at night or late evening. I used to live right in the city centre when making some of the tracks on the album and when the shops closed and the traffic died it felt almost dystopian, like being alone in an abandoned city. Especially the winters were like that. But sometimes nights can be the only possible time to be creative, when working with other things during the day.

JOHAN: I used to think day time was an impossible time to create, but then I gave it a try a few months ago and it proved to be pretty good actually. The important thing is not seeing the light of day or people.

Method or madness?
H: Yes, please! Both. It´s good to start off with some “madness” when beginning to work on something. We often try to do as many sounds/melodies/structures as possible when recording together. Then we take things away in the finalizing process. The mixing of an album/song is always very methodical for us, for most other musicians as well, I guess.

Most influential person?
J: Morrissey. I’m a vegetarian, I started a record label which is my day time job, I write songs and I have a girlfriend. All because of Morrissey.

First musical love?
H: I was very much in love with Rod Stewart when I was very very young. I saw a televised concert and was totally amazed by his coolness, I was 4 years old…Atlantic Crossing was my first ever record and there are still songs I love on it. Some of them are covers but in my heart they will always belong to Rod.

J: Yazoo. I was very impressed by Vince Clark’s fringe.

Last musical love?
H: I´ve tried so much and many times lately to fall in love again, it is getting so hard. I feel pretty sick and tired of a lot of things right now. There are seldom very interesting albums nowadays, I think more the occasional great song here and there. Even though it´s been a while since falling in love I think Burial is the last one. No music has touched me as much since discovering The Smiths. There´s just such an amount of emotion in his way of putting together the sounds and the notes. I guess you all have heard him so there´s not much to say about it. Such a shame that his chipmunks have been kidnapped and abused lately. They need to stay quiet for a while.

J: I fall in love with music all the time. ‘Gentle roar’ by Niki & The Dove which I heard for the first time a couple of days ago was probably the latest.

One thing you cannot live with out?
H: Apart from the obvious things I´d say my headphones. Nothing is as comforting as shutting out everything and sink into a nice tune. I´d kill myself if I didn’t use them while on the train everyday.

J: Mail.

One thing you would live without if you could?
J: I always thought death was a bit overrated.

Favourite instrument?
J: Can we consider Cubase an instrument? Cubase VST32 5.0 from the year 2000 would be my favourite.

Eureka moment?
H: Sidechaining!? No, I´m still waiting…

Biggest disappointment?
H: I once had this really big pike hooked that just snapped the line. I only caught a glimpse of it but it was beautiful and needless to say, very very big, surely over 10kg.

J: Every time I hear a new Morrissey song it’s a huge disappointment. Usually I do like the songs eventually, but it’s just so tiring that he keeps working with the same musicians who play the same uninspired riffs over and over and over again.

A place to create?
J: I’m the opposite of a handyman and just connecting a microphone to a mixer or something basic like can get on my nerves. The studio is the place to create – everything is already connected and in place when I get there.

Last thing that inspired you?
J: Bycycling (crescent retro).

Published September 19, 2011.