Philco Fiction's Turid Alida Solberg discusses her band's new album 'TALK/BRAG', streaming today

We've heard "Bodies", "June 17" and the title track already and the rest of the album lives up to the soulful promise of these songs. TALK/BRAG might be only eight tracks long but each is brimming with soul power harnessed from 80s pop, and 90s R&B and hip hop.

In the week before its release, we spoke to Philco Fiction singer Turid Alida Solberg about the creation of TALK/BRAG.

Hi Turid, I was looking back over some old photos and interviews of the band from 2012 and it struck me that Philco Fiction has really transformed itself. There's definitely no sign of so-called influences like The Knife anymore...

“Yeah, and we’re not doing masks anymore! I think it’s just where we are now and what we’re listening to now…times changes and it’s just nice to go into something new. I think we started, with this record, to really take it to a more soul and R&B sound, a warmer sound maybe. I still hear that people are using those same references and I’m a bit surprised about that…I can’t hear anything of The Knife in our music now.”

What holds the record together, for me, is the brassy and bassy sound you can hear on nearly all the songs. Was this an intentional move?

“We were listening to a lot of hip hop at that time; there are some really direct references like on ‘June 17’, it’s – and maybe you can’t hear it – really inspired by this Quakers [hip hop producer supergroup featuring Geoff Barrow] song. We also have really good friends who play this sort of style and instruments, which takes it in a more retro-soul direction. It felt natural, in a way.”

Where do the songs start? Do you go off and write by yourself?

“There aren’t any rules but it often starts with my sketches and lyrics, and we paint it out big together. Nothing is finished when I let them hear it, everything is always evolving with the arrangements until the day we record the last piece. It’s not only me and Andreas [Lønmo Knudsrød, the other half of Philco Fiction], this time we’ve been working again with Bjarne who was with the band earlier, he’s been a big part of a lot of the songs here.”

I saw the live show recently and it's expanded out to more musicians - does this help in recreating the sound of the album?

“Yeah, of course. It’s a lot of layers and horns and it doesn’t sound like two people so it’s nice to be three, or four, or seven…sometimes!”

Lyrically it feels like there's a lot of talking going on in the songs, like you're in a moment and living it, looking to take control of a situation...

“I didn’t start off with a theme but I think it’s [about] communication and relationships…maybe more like everyday things, though. Everyday drama, everyday love and humour…all those small things between people. I wanted to zoom in on them and make them big. I’m very inspired by things I’ve experienced myself or someone close to me has experienced – I just try to blow it up. So, something like ‘Move On Frank’ was just an immediate response to Bjarne quitting the band…”

I'd mentioned what I thought held the record together musically, is that something which comes from you and Andreas together?

“I think me and Andreas have very different taste in music and different approaches to music. We have very different personalities so our sound is that contrast between us. It can be frustrating but it means our music is eclectic and has a lot of genres in there.”

One surprising moment is when the final track "2AM" starts to fade out and is replaced by a sort of noise and dance track, unlike anything else before it. What brought that about?

“It felt natural to have that song end the record; also, the theme for that song is the day after the big party and you can’t get rid of the night before and all the other songs…it felt right to finish with that song. It took us by surprise as well, even though we’d be working on it for a long time!”

I have to ask about the press shots for the album; they're really stylish...

“Yeah! I worked it out with some friends of mine – a photographer and designer. It’s often what comes first in a way. We did them a year ago, it felt important to set up the visual stuff before finishing the whole record because it gave something to the songs.”

Why did you choose "TALK/BRAG" as the album title out of all the songs?

“We wanted to name it after one of the songs and this felt like the natural and right one. I also like the sound of it…it’s nice to say ‘TALK/BRAG’”

What are Philco Fiction's plans for the rest of 2016?

“We hope to play a lot of concerts! We play Koko, London on 5th Februar. Then we go back to Oslo, then Helsinki and Copenhagen before going back to London. We’re also recording something this spring, something which didn’t make it to the album…we just hope to continue working!”

TALK/BRAG is out now on Killing Moon Records. Philco Fiction play Koko London on 5 February and Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen on 20 February. Tickets are available.