Name: Andorra
Members: Peter Kohlmetz Møller (Fender Rhodes, keyboards), Mads la Cour (flugelhorn, trumpet), Simon Krebs (guitars, lapsteel), Nikolaj Bundvig (drums), Morten Jørgensen (bass)
Nationality: Danish
Current release: Andorra's new album III is out February 21st 2025 via April.
Global Recommendation: The Archipelago in Sydfyn (in Danish: det Sydfynske Øhav) is an amazing spot in the summer. Svendborg and Odense are nice cities, great food and a lot of cool culture stuff going on. So come visit us instead of Copenhagen - please! lol :D
Topic I rarely get to talk about: I kind of have a thing for Thai food carving art - you know, where they carve tropical fruits incredibly detailed and present it on a huge table. I have in secret subscribed to a youtube channel that shows how to do that. lol :D

If you enjoyed this Andorra interview and would like to know more about the band, visit their official homepage. They are also on Instagram, and Facebook.
 


Why do you like playing in a band rather than making music on your own?

Creating together is just more fun! Playing in a band allows us to create a richer sound than we could achieve individually, of course.

Another huge advantage is that a lot of stuff just happens accidentally, and a lot of good stuff happens when you let go of control a little bit and just listen in on what the other guys are playing.

What, to you, are some of the greatest bands, and what makes them great?

There are so many to choose from. But some of our obvious big inspirations are bands and artists like Radiohead, Lyle & Pat, Talk Talk, Palle Mikkelborg, Nils Peter Molvær, Bill Evans, Beck - among many many others.

There are endlessly many to choose from, and what makes them all great to us, is that their music tells stories, has a great sense of narrative, beautiful aesthetics, and they have all, in their time and still, been miraculously innovative and forward thinking.

[Read our of Tim Friese-Greene of Talk Talk interview]
[Read our Nils Peter Molvær interview]
[Read our Nils Peter Molvær interview about Certainty of Tides]

How did the band come together?

We formed during the covid lockdown in 2020 in Denmark. It was a weird period, but as an artist, it suddenly gave us a lot of time to work, which was nice.

We have a shared background from the music conservatory in Odense when we were young kids, and then later it was a dream for us to get together again and work on an instrumental project.

We decided to create a musical bubble where we could compose, experiment, and support each other.

What were some of the reasons you wanted to play in this constellation?

We wanted to reunite as friends and musicians who understand each other's strengths and weaknesses. The chemistry we developed over the years made it evident that we could create something special together.

Obviously it’s also great that we are quite different musically in terms of style / background. It’s inspiring.

How do your different characters add up to the band's sound?

Well, all sorts of things. The backbone of our group is quite diverse: orchestral jazz, free music, film compositions, singer and songwriter stuff, indie music, rock music, experimental electronic stuff.

So when we meet and work out our music, we all contribute with these things, and that’s a lovely thing.
 
Is there a group consciousness? How do you experience it?

Hmmm. It’s a communal focus of energy. What that stuff is all about is listening very VERY carefully to what surrounds you and what is being played.

Yes - ideally, there is a consciousness among us, a group consciousness of sorts. And the audience is definitely a huge part of that experience as well. The synchronicity of music and people.

Tell me about the process behind your current release.

We spent lots of hours composing and refining our material collectively before presenting any of it live. Morning rehearsals at Simon's house usually - a lot of coffee. Then a compact studio session for 5 days in rural Denmark in a nice analog studio.

We arranged, mixed and produced ourselves. The process was quite organic and a lot of love and time were spent on balancing it all in the end.

How does the creative process typically get started?

We usually start with a concept or a motif, and then we build on it collectively. Sometimes one of us also has a full composition that we will try, sometimes we build stuff up from recorded free improvisations - so it’s quite flexible.

We have gone more radically to those two opposites this time and either written and arranged more in detail than previously, or simply played completely free music in the studio.

What tend to be the best songs in your opinion?

Tough question. It might be about the simple things. Melodies are often the secret sauce. And then it seems that a lot of music is about finding the right balance of things.

So, a great melody and a great sense of  balance of ideas and sounds around it could be an ok answer. Or just a GREAT groove - sometimes that’s all it takes.

What are your thoughts on compromise vs. standing by one's convictions?

We just have a lot of fun, we laugh a lot, and we kind of always end up agreeing on things, so we are quite lucky in that way.

Do any of the band's members also have solo projects?

Yes. Or rather, all 5 of us are full time musicians.

We all usually end up working in groups with other people, but from time to time Peter, Simon and Mads for instance record solo stuff in their own name.
   
In a live situation, how do decisions between band members work?

Instinct. Intuition. We call it “having BIG ears”.

Has the interaction within the group changed over the years?

Not really - but musically it’s a lot easier now that we have a lot of shared experiences and 2 other albums behind us.

Have you worked with outside contributors?

Well, not yet. Could be great though, maybe?

We have some ideas but good things come to those who wait. We will get there.

What makes you stay together?

Our strong bond as friends and musicians is what ultimately keeps it all together.

And a lot of laughing and sometimes a LOT of beers.