One track that we've been particularly intrigued by over the last week has come from a new collaboration from Sweden, 'Nervous City | Nervous Self', which is entitled 'G-d Knows What'. We all immediately liked the track, and I found myself listening on repeat, thinking about the lyrics too, which is always a good sign. The music itself has some obvious 80's indie influences, but the music doesn't sound dated, and the writers are clearly able to write a good tune, and construct a pretty fine pop song.
Take a listen to the track here:
If truth be told, though, we had almost zero information about this new project, so we thought it best to ask some questions, and we were given some interesting glimpses about the background to the track - even if the collaborators themselves remain somewhat shrouded in mystery...
NMR: I'm intrigued by your collaborations title, 'Nervous City | Nervous Self', can you tell us where the name came from?
''I kind of stumbled upon the title when visiting an art exhibition about, if I recall correctly, German painter Max Beckmann. It was intriguing how the portraits of the city and it's buildings was given almost human characteristics. How there was a visible connection between the the city itself and the artists inner self.''
NMR: Are you able to tell us anything about previous projects you've been involved with, or are you intending 'Nervous City | Nervous City' to be a completely fresh start?
''Nervous City | Nervous Self is a fresh start in some ways and what has been done previously is not so interesting to talk about - at the moment.''
NMR: I love the lyrics to the new track 'G-d Knows What' in particular, what's the background to writing this?
''The lyrics are, I guess, a reflection of what it means to embark on this journey called artistry. For me it's inseparable from life, and it has so much to do with staying true to one self. Or at least trying to. All in all these endeavours can be more than painful at times - but nonetheless, the reward can be pure divinity. I think it benefits the art when the stakes are high.''
''I think it benefits the art when the stakes are high.''
NMR: Can you tell us anything about future plans for the collaboration?
''Hopefully the future will bring some more studio time and some concerts, and if we could dream a little; some recognition - or at least a few free drinks and meals.''
NMR: Your music is an interesting mix of styles, but with a nod towards 80s / 90s indie music, is that a fair assessment, or will we see something very different as time progresses?
''I think you can hear a lot of different styles in "G-d knows what", from the 80's as you say to more contemporary sounds. I think that it is a process that evolves in the studio and it could change a bit when recording next time - although I think we found a sound world that felt right. But there is no manifesto on how a song with Nervous City | Nervous Self should sound.''
We're going to follow the progress of 'Nervous City | Nervous Self', because we like the music, are intrigued about the whole project and also want to join the queue for the free drinks and meals too.
In the meantime you can find them on Facebook: