Even though the Kleerup‘s album was released last year in his native land of Sweden, doesn’t mean I can’t add it to my 2009 list of favorite albums. Us Stateside folk are a little behind the 8 ball, but that doesn’t mean we love it any less. The S/T album is a shimmery gem of production and collaboration. You can purchase the album here.
Kleerup-Longing for Lullabies (Joakim Remix) [mp3]
C=T: What comes first, the beats or the lyrics?
Kleerup: When you come up with a reason for making a song, the rest follows. Sometimes the title will dictate the song direction and melody, sometimes the melody comes first, sometimes the beat. It’s all about going whichever direction the purpose for the song is taking you.
C=T: Once you’ve laid the beats and have the vocals, what inspiration do you use to select the vocalist?
Kleerup: It’s normally what voice I’d like to hear myself. It’s just like writing a movie, you often have someone in mind who fits the part.
C=T: If you were to put Brian Eno and Kraftwerk in a cage, who would win?
Kleerup: I think they’d both die from losing too much blood. It would definitely be a draw.
C=T: If you had to choose just one vocalist that you haven’t worked with yet, who would he/she be?
Kleerup: Amy Winehouse. She sings her heart out.
C=T: My favorite track on the album is an instrumental one, “I Just Want to Make a Sad Boy Smile”. I wish there were some vocals on this track, but please explain the title and your thought process on going strictly instrumental.
Kleerup: A girl I know was watching the video and just said “ I just want to make a sad boy smile,”which fit perfectly with the song.
