Introducing: Lucy Swann

Here at TLOBF our love for Nordic music is well documented with our regular readers being endlessly subjected to our articulate but nonetheless overzealous raves, about the latest brillant musician or collective to arise from the snowy North Europe region. So when our very own Rich Thane – founder, editor and general overlord of everything TLOBF, was given the chance to curate Ja Ja Ja, a monthly club night at The Lexington and one that was especially created to showcase Nordic music – he was excited to say the least.

With the line up consisting of Team Go, When Saints Go Machine and Lucy Swann, it’s set to be a great night. If you’ve forgotten to take your medication this morning, and as a result of which not purchased a ticket for this unmissable event – then do so now! Full event info listed below.

However, to whet your appetite, so to speak, below is a brief but lovely chat with Lucy Swann – one of the Mr. Thane’s chosen ones. We talk to her about her sound, comparisons and tour shenanigans. Enjoy.

Hey Lucy how are you?

I’m good. Thanks for asking.

Where are you right now?

Sitting in my hoody at the kitchen table in my flat in Oslo, drinking a cup of coffee, answering these questions on my mac and trying to type louder than my tinnitus from a concert a couple of days ago.

You’ve been compared to other artists like Niki & The Dove and Oh Land, and reasonably so, but how would you describe your sound?

I didn’t know that. Nice to hear. My music is based around rhythm, that’s my main source of inspiration and then I select sounds that appeal to me and the mood of the song. I like capturing “gutsiness”, be it masculine or feminine. Some of my songs have an electronic vibe and some have more of an organic feel. But rhythm is always prominent.

What inspires you?

The weirdness of dreams, language and meaning, meditation, Brian Eno, John Cage, David Lynch, Eddie Izzard.. and the list goes on.

When did you realise you wanted to create music for the rest of your life?

I’d always taken that thought for granted growing up, ’cause it was what I’d spent most of my time doing. So there was never a question of doing anything else. It wasn’t until I was 26 that I understood that I had to make a conscious decision to make it my living. Before that I’d just been aimlessly wandering around in different bands and projects. When I turned 26, I realised I could make music on my own terms.

Which do you prefer – recording in the studio or playing live to an audience, and why?

Oooh, definitely playing live to an audience. The honesty and spontaneity of it. It’s not that I don’t like working in the studio, but so much of that process can be absolute torture. It takes more effort to manage one’s inner critic in the studio, where as on stage you don’t have time to analyse. Instinct reigns.

You’ve been chosen by our very own Rich Thane to play Ja Ja Ja’s March show at The Lexington, are you looking forward to it?

Very much so. It’s really nice to be invited back to London so soon after playing Club NME last month. I was pleasantly surprised by the audiences in London. They were so attentive and loving!

Fellow Nordic musicians Team Me and When Saints Go Machine are also playing, you toured with the former of the two, how was that?

They are a bunch of gorgeous people with loads of guts and a great stage presence. Their songs are instantly hummable, in a good way. But they don’t half make me feel old!

Any mentionable tour anecdotes..?

Well, airport security is always a wild-card. I’ve fallen over on stage before and broken my kneecap… which was fun. Everyone thought it was choreography, you know, the James Brown type “jump into the splits” thing. It wasn’t.

And I can mention that some concert hosts, allthough filled to the brim with hospitality, tend to take for granted that all musicians are alcoholics that want to get pissed after a concert. Sometimes the boring fart just wants to rest before the next show.

http://soundcloud.com/msujendi/lucy-swann-for-heavens-sake

Thursday 31 March 2010 @ The Lexington, London
The Line Of Best Fit presents an evening with Ja Ja Ja
in association with Rockfeedback

Team Me (Norway)
Lucy Swann (Norway)
When Saints Go Machine (Denmark)

Tickets are on sale now priced at £5 via WeGotTickets.