Photo by Pär Hugo Kjellén
One of the truly greatest album from a Swedish artist in 2005 was Tiger Lou’s ”The Loyal”.
With the feel of being inside a German car driving at top speed down a wet autobahn in the dark, just sensing the colors on the side of the road rushing by. Barely.
The despair and the joy in Rasmus Kellerman’s voice like a narrator to the movie that is played on the windshield. Pure magic.
The first album ”Is my head still on?” (2004) with the enormous hit single ”Oh Horatio” felt new yet timeless at release, it still does.
Tiger Lou’s most recent album ”A Partial Print” (2008) carries a heavy load, with great dignity. The music is unique in a very Tiger Lou way. Dark with a drive. Drums and guitars that remind us that it is possible to create great music with small means. Those ten minutes that is ”The More You Have To Give” and ”The Less You Have To Carry” is short of perfection in my book.
After three full-lengths as Tiger Lou, Rasmus Kellerman released ”The 24th” as himself. The sound is very different, acoustic, more personal, a diary if you will.
We had to have a talk to Mr Kellerman, to see what’s in store for 2012… and more…
What are you listening to, right now?
”Arrow” by Jacques Greene & Koreless, ”Nova” by Four Tet & Burial, ”Grace” by Keith Kenniff, ”Where Are Your People” by We Have Band, ”Josie” by The Darcys, ”Hold On” by SBTRKT, ”Be There In Bells” by The Pines, ”No Respect” by Machinedrum, ”Just Smile For Me” by Bondax & Bobbie Gordon.”
A regular song salad.
Best book read, in a while?
”I look forward to the two new Chuck Palahniuk books I just ordered. And I’m about to start Blue Nights by Joan Didion. Been a while since I finished a book. I’m an easy starter, hard finisher.”
Your hopes for this year?
”Get my shit together and write more songs for my new project, which is gonna be great. Finish up some new Tiger Lou songs perhaps, do a gig or something. Do a few techno tracks. Go to Greece in the summer. Become a better designer. Be a good husband. Have fun. Live/work in California.”
Three artist who inspire you?
”Right now I think what Burial is doing, and how he does it is very inspiring. That would be my ideal situation, being able to write & record your tunes in peace, and email them to someone and have that be it. No tours, to promo, no fucking around. Just music straight from one heart to another. Jacques Greene does some amazing rule bending, which I love. And Radiohead have their own universe.”
Who deserves a breakthrough in 2012?
”I think SBTRKT should be a household name. Him and Jacques Greene. The sheer melancholy, beauty and groove of the music they keep producing amazes me. I wanna be in their sphere. Me and everyone else.”
Kentuckyseven suggest you check out the sweetness created up until now…
Spotify: Tiger Lou, Rasmus Kellerman