Part 1

Name: Nylenda
Members: Øivind Hatleskog (vocals, organ, Mellotron, analog synths), Sigbjørn Håland (analog synths, drum machine, guitar, Danelectro Babysitar), John Olav Håland (bass)
Nationality: Norwegian
Recent release: Nylenda's single “Slowly Backwards/Skurkebass" is out via Skurkebass.
Recommendations: John: I would like to recommend an author named Carl Frode Tiller with his trilogy “Encircling”. He writes with a microscopic level of detail on human relations. I have never read anything with so much emphasis on inner dialog and thought processes, it is almost painful to read but extremely vibrant at the same time. He also writes in “Nynorsk”, in my opinion a much richer and more lyrical version of the Norwegian language than “bokmål”.
Sigbjørn: "Untitled (carrier)" by Jone Kvie is a painted and polished bronze sculpture of a kneeled astronaut. With its impenetrable gold visor, you can´t see the human inside the spacesuit, instead you only see your own reflection in the visor. The figure sits there on his knees with his hands down by his side and a slightly slouched posture, as if the person who could have been inside is disappointed by the state of things. But as with other good art, it can be seen in a completely different way. The fact that the astronaut is sitting there on his knees can just as easily be read as a human being who regards the world with all possible reverence. A truly great piece of art that really sets the mind in motion.

If you enjoyed this interview with Nylenda and would like to find out more, visit the band's official website. They're also on Instagram, Facebook, and Soundcloud.



When did you start writing/producing/playing music and what or who were your early passions and influences? What was it about music and/or sound that drew you to it?

We started writing music together in 2015 with the goal of making music that engaged the audience to move and dance. We have from the start been very live oriented and wanted to use hardware instruments and gear to create and perform our music. So, when we started up, we were influenced by artists that performed electronic music on instruments, like Jagwar Ma, Caribou and LCD Soundsystem.

Øivind comes from the art-pop scene and brought in a different sense of song composition and melody. The three of us had a mutual love for psychedelic music and German Krautrock. We merged these influences together; we wanted to form a band that played on instruments but sounded new and fresh.

Electronic music can be repetitive and put you in a euphoric state, same with psychedelic music and Krautrock. We just love to lock into a groove and repetitive figures over a long time until they take you into a trancelike state, where time and space almost cease to exist.

When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening and how does it influence your approach to creativity?

John: For me I´m somehow very oriented toward nature and make association to sounds in the forest. The sound of bass for me is linked to the sound of wood. Synthesizers are much richer and abstract sounding. But when I close my eyes, the combination of rhythm, bass patterns and synth sounds take me to an undefined landscape in my mind. I get the sensation of moving where time and space is boundless. It´s like meditation, where my mind is endless.

I think I have a more instinctive approach toward creativity, I get a feel of rhythm and melody by inspiration, but not always instantly though.

How would you describe your development as an artist in terms of interests and challenges, searching for a personal voice, as well as breakthroughs?

The first few years we used to make music through long stretches of jamming together. This process used to be either very natural or extremely challenging.

Sometimes we locked into each other, and that allowed us to make melodies and grooves that transformed into song structures that we could develop further in the studio. Other times we struggled and became very disappointed when these sessions led to nothing interesting. It was like banging our heads against a wall, it could be really disheartening at times.

At some point we decided to record our ideas and work out demos. This way of making music was much more productive and creative for all of us. It forced us to focus on each element of a song on a deeper level. We could give each other input and suggestions as we went along.

In the studio we have always worked with the producer Anders Bjelland. When we are in the studio, he is like a fourth member, he comes in with a ton of creativity and a new set of ears that shapes how the songs end up.

On later recordings we also are blessed to work with a drummer named Børge Fjordheim. His drumming brings in more fluid and organic feel to our songs. We did a couple of live shows with him that were a very inspiring experiences. He gave us the confidence to break free of the song structures in our live shows. We could for instance decide to extend certain parts and improvise over them. Or have extended transitions between songs and not be rushed to get to the next song.

It was a great experience that led to some very powerful musical moments for us that have shaped how we approach the recording of our next record.   

Tell me a bit about your sense of identity and how it influences both your preferences as a listener and your creativity as an artist, please.

John: My music identity as a listener is all over the place, I like popular music and experimental music equally. I listen to music from different cultures all over the world. But as a composer I like to view myself with a strong Scandinavian identity with a splash of German and oriental music culture.

I´m drawn toward repetitive and droning figures that put me in a state of mind over longer stretches. It just feels very powerful and is very influenced by attending electronic danceparties. Endless grooves, airy sounds and synth arpeggios which go on forever are very inspirational.   

What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to music and art?

We strive to make music that is both recognisable and different than most other music you may have heard. I think that the key lies in the blend of different styles and genres that make up the sound of Nylenda. It´s both organic, fluid and motorik sounding. It sounds retro and at the same time futuristic.

The idea is not to restrict ourselves to a specific style or aesthetic form. To be curious and open minded towards all kinds of ideas and letting a song develop and mutate over time, gives us many different paths to explore when creating our music.

How would you describe your views on topics like originality and innovation versus perfection and timelessness in music? Are you interested in a “music of the future” or “continuing a tradition”?

Definitely music of the future.

We are of course shaped and influenced by tradition, but we are not afraid of twisting and mixing different musical styles and traditions to make our music sound innovative and hopefully unique to the listener.

Over the course of your development, what have been your most important instruments and tools - and what are the most promising strategies for working with them?

Sigbjørn: A family member gave me a Phillicorda organ around the time we started Nylenda. The Phillicorda inspired us to implement more of the 60s and 70s psychedelic pop and rock influences into Nylenda. Before that we would attempt to make more straightforward club music. I think the Phillicorda was a catalysator to the direction this band has taken.

From there on we just started taking a different kind approach to our song writing and started implementing an instrumentation that is bit different than what is mostly commonly found in electronic music. Like the electric sitar and the Mellotron.

[Read our feature on the Mellotron]

The most promising strategy for us is to give these instruments a looser and a more free role, so that they become a counterpart to the motoric beats and synth sequences.