Sometimes the day job just isn’t enough. Take Sløtface bassist Lasse Lokøy, for one – not content with slappin’ the four-string in one of rock’s most promising young outfits, he’s taken on extra musical duties with Lokoy, his new, pop-tastic side project.
Announcing the project last week with the sparkling ‘Malibu’, it’s a world away from Sløtface’s prickly punk. Sparkling synth work and wonky percussion combine with a honeyed vocal from fellow Norwegian wünderkind Girl in Red to create a kaleidoscopic, mutating take on pop, more at home with Gorillaz than Green Day.
We caught up with Lasse to get the lowdown on the project, and Sløtface’s future plans.
Hey! So you’re back with a brand new solo project – how long has this been in the works?
“I’ve been working with production for the last two years or so, and I think that’s kind of what triggered the project, ’cause then the songs started to sound okay, which made me want to release it. And I think that’s what I love about producing – when I’m producing music myself on my computer I have 100 percent control of the product I’m creating which is really satisfying.”
How did you find the time? Sløtface haven’t exactly been quiet…
“A lot of the producing and composing happens while we’re on tour actually. If we have seven hours in the van one day, I get really focused and motivated to try to create something in those seven hours. A lot of the parts in my productions are time consuming – and quite boring – so it’s good to just get that done when I don’t have any other things to do. I also think that most of the lyrics are written on planes and in vans, on tour with Sløtface.”
It’s a very different musical world to Sløtface, too. What was your inspiration behind the new sound?
“I think there were three big records the year I started producing (2016) which had a big impact on me – Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’, Bon Iver’s ’22, A Million’, and James Blake’s ‘The Colour In Anything’. I remember I was working on a song the day ’22 (Over Soon)’ came out and I was just thinking, ‘Fuck, I need to make something as cool as this.’ Without ever succeeding. I think that’s my way of getting inspired and excited. I’m always aiming at something when I produce, though it never ends up sounding like the inspirations. I think in this ‘Malibu’ there’s a lot of inspiration drawn from Mount Kimbie’s latest record, and maybe some old Gorillaz too.”
What are your aims for the project? Are you hoping to do any solo shows?
“My aim is to release any song I want to release. And to share the music I’m proud of. I’m thinking of this as a studio project at the moment. I don’t think I will play live, but I don’t know for sure. I feel like the need I have to show my music doesn’t mean that I have to show it on a stage. I’m very comfortable being in people’s headphones and stereos, at least for now.”
And what’s next for Slotface?
“Well, we’re playing 20 festivals this summer in Norway, UK and Germany. And we’re going into the studio at the end of the summer. I’m not sure when we’ll release any of it, but I hope it will be soon-ish.”