The Opener is The FADER’s short-form profile series of casual conversations with exciting new artists.
Daydreaming plays a bit role in Musicality, the new project from artfully cool Copenhagen band haloplus+. The album’s title track rides a wave of glacial synths and drums that sound like bursting bubbles as vocalist Stine Victoria allows her mind drift about a partner. “Open Air Backseat,” with its gently strummed guitars and chopped and screwed vocal effects, toys again with the idea of escaping reality: “Get me in my dreams, you’re such a wannabe.”
Victoria, alongside bandmates Isa Nam Sook and Joakim Wei Bernild delivers her words somewhere between deadpan croon and spoken word. Their deeply romantic yet slightly alien sound feels both in line with that of the current wave of artists coming out of Denmark (haloplus+ are signed to Escho, a label they share with Astrid Sonne, Fine, and Elias Rønnenfelt) and completely idiosyncratic, imprinting their own musical identity on the city’s scene. Their songs initially appear aloof, but repeat listens slowly melt away the icy delivery and reveal a fantastical underbelly.
Ahead of Musicality, out September 19, get to know haloplus+ as they discuss their memories of dancing to Lady Gaga in high school, the advice they swear by, and their disco ball dreams.
Describe the first show you ever went to as fans
Isa: Julian Casablancas at Vega in Copenhagen with my friends from school! It was so fun seeing him play. Seein “I’ll try anything once” live was a special experience, and he even spoke a bit of Danish on stage.
Stine: Lady Gaga’s Born This Way tour in Parken, with my two best friends at the time. One of their dads took us there because we were only 12. We would blast music and dance almost every day after school to this album, so it was so amazing to experience the grand show IRL. I often think of this moment.
Joakim: Must have been 50 Cent in the old amusement park Tivoli, when he had just put out Get Rich or Die Trying. I remember a sequence of the show where he would put on a pile of new T-shirts, caps, and shoes one at a time and then throw the item into a screaming crowd of arms — like a catholic priest blessing holy water.
What was the last movie you watched, and give a short review.
Isa: The Lovers on the Bridge by Leos Carax. Beautiful and absurd. 4.5 out of 5 stars
Joakim: Point Break by Kathryn Bigelow. 4 out of 5
Stine: Ariel by Aki Kaurismäki. 3 out of 5 stars
What’s a motto that you think everyone should live by?
“Take the risk or lose the chance”
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“It only takes three seconds to be brave”
What’s your favorite song to play live right now and why?
“I like yours” is one of our favorites atm. It’s a quiet song where we all sing. It’s a blessed feeling singing together and one of the reasons we started haloplus+. We mostly play it when we’re in a calm concert setting and contrast it with some more chaotic tracks with adlibs and samples all over.
Describe the best show you’ve played this year so far.
We just played as part of an opening at Den Frie in Copenhagen on an enormous rug by artist Jasleen Kaur. The opening took its name from one of our lyrics and so we were invited to come be a part of the celebration. We come from a scene of DIY concerts, so we feel at home on the floor at eye level with everyone else. Our next show is with Soli City, Oli XL, and Real Live Crew, and will probably be our best show this year so far.
What’s the best thing you’ve bought yourself recently and why?
Quite recently, we bought a big disco ball that we are gonna put up for our release party. It’s so beautiful, especially transporting on the front seat of the car catching the sun, sending bright rays all over town.
What was the last creative idea you had that made you ask, “Can we do that”?
Just added some calypso rhythms to a remix of a Smerz song. Still feels :S
Forward us the last meme that made you laugh.
