Niki & The Dove's first interview
- By Jack Preston -
- May 10, 2012
Swedish electropop duo Niki & The Dove this week released their fantastic debut album ‘Instinct’, but not before having a sit down with Red Room. We asked Malin Dahlstrom and Gustaf Karlof all about their first times, including a bad first gig experience in a Photography Museum and the pleasure of saying the word Boogaloo...
How has it been releasing our first album? Gustaf: It’s been a really fun time, there’s so much going on. At the moment we’re actually putting together a mix tape with some new songs that aren’t even on the album as they’re totally new. I’ve been looking forward to this point and releasing an album for something like 14 years, so it’s an important time for us.
Malin: The first album coming out is a really big deal for us, it’s been one of the things that I’ve been looking forward to most in my life. It’s taking up so much time and it's always on my mind.
How do we feel about 'Instinct'? Gustaf: It has to be excitement, I’m not even that nervous. I’d be panicking if I knew what we were releasing wasn’t what me and Malin wanted to make but that’s not the case. We’re very proud of what we’ve done.
The first time we realised this partnership was going to work? Gustaf: There was a point when it became clear that me and Malin had the same vision about the end result. We can differ sometimes on which route we should take to create that vision but we’ll always get there in the end, there can be arguments in the studio but we're always happy about the results.
The first song I wrote? Malin: The subjects were different to now, song writing is such a dynamic thing that it’s always going to change over time. Although some subjects which you touch upon are eternal so they’ll always be present. You write about what you’re interested in at that time, for example when I wrote 'The Fox' I was very interested in the subjects in that song, but then a month later there’s new feelings and your passion goes elsewhere.
The first album I bought? Gustaf: It was called ‘Electric Boogaloo’, it was a very cool record. Electric Boogaloo, it was really great.
Malin: Electric Boogaloo? Haha! That sounds hilarious!
Gustaf: It was! Electric Boogaloo, [Red Room notices Malin and Gustav are getting a lot of pleasure from saying Electric Boogaloo] it was a really cool electronic dance record. Electric Boogaloo. I was about nine years old. I have a lot of great memories of being so young and wearing big headphones to listen to lots and lots of music, much more so than watching television. That may sound pretentious but I really had a massive crush on music, it was all so mystical, I just fell in love. I didn’t realise the power of music back then, now I do.
The first film I saw? Gustaf: That was Indiana Jones, what a film that was. Or, perhaps it was actually Gremlins, who remembers that? Some strange creatures in that film.
The first Niki & The Dove gig? Malin: Haha, yes I can remember that one very well, it was in a Photography Museum in Stockholm. We had no idea how to play the music live, we just didn’t have a clue, I was shocked by how it all went. It was really bad but looking back it was a funny experience.
Did you enjoy those first times? How about some more from; The Ting Tings, We Are Augustines, Katie Melua, The Jezabels, Sleigh Bells, Kyla La Grange, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Blood Red Shoes, Charlie Simpson, The Futureheads, Vanquish, Lostprophets, Tom Williams & The Boat, Andrew W.K. or Ane Brun?
By Jack Preston. Senior Content Executive. Tweets at @JackPressedOn
