We find out which genre box Communions tick and chat about good vibes and new directions.

Following the huge success of AA-side single “So Long Sun/Love Stands Still” at the end of 2014 – including selling out the 7” limited edition and praise from Pitchfork – Communions are releasing a self-titled EP through Tough Love Records. Communions features lead track “Out of My World”, a road to a dreamy paradise with its unwavering lyrics and poppy guitars, alongside four other tracks.

Communions is a family music business full of creative juices flowing at all times possible when the two brothers and two close friends – Martin and Mads Rehof, Jacob van Deurs Formann and Frederik Lind Köppen – aren’t studying in high school and university. They sing about naivety and youth through emotive pop songs. We caught up with them to talk the magic behind the EP, touring and advice for young bands like themselves.

https://soundcloud.com/tough-love/communions-summers-oath-1

Describe your sound in your own words.

The sound is guitar pop; or rock with pop melodies. It probably ticks one of those boxes.

Where do you get your inspiration for creating music?

Our inspiration comes from our experiences and imagination. Conceiving something and sending it into the world makes us feel good, like we’ve accomplished something. That is our main motivation.

Fab. Describe a typical day in the recording studio.

For the most part we have an idea of how we want a particular song to sound before recording. Most of the time is spent on going through takes until one feels right, and then we go from there. When we recorded the EP it was really relaxing and fun. We recorded with our friends so there was always a really good vibe.

Which is your favourite song on your latest EP? And why?

“Forget It’s A Dream”. Even though it fits nicely with the other songs, it also points in new directions. All the instruments are in focus and the role of the synth especially explores newer territory for us. It turned out quite good.

Why did you design the cover of the EP the way you did? Does it mean anything in particular/reflect the music in a particular way?

I don’t think it reflects the music in a particular way so much as it adds an extra visual dimension to it. We wanted the artwork to incorporate a sense of athletics so we went to a small outdoor stadium in Copenhagen to shoot some pictures.

The cover is a photograph of our friend Ezra Shami. It turned out that the pictures of him jumping and running didn’t work that well. There was something about his pose on the shot chosen for the cover that had a certain ambiguity to it which we liked. It’s like he’s in the middle of an incomplete action – like something is about to happen. We couldn’t be happier with the end result.

Onto the themes… Why are naivety and youth central themes to your music?

At times it feels like Copenhagen sort of exists in its own little bubble, separated from – and unaffected by – everything else. We’re still going through an early phase of our lives where our friends and people around us seem to have a wonderfully naïve way of looking at the world. In general I think it’s a state of mind you kind of drift in and out of. I think we are just trying to capture that spirit as long as it lasts and incorporate it into our universe.

https://soundcloud.com/tough-love/communions-out-of-my-world-1

When will you be touring again?

Right now we have several shows in some European capitals spread out during the summer. I wouldn’t exactly call it a tour though. Apparently plans are being made for us to play in the U.S. and China in the fall.

Exciting stuff. What is the best thing about touring? And the worst?

We haven’t really been on a real “long” tour yet, so that’s kind of hard to answer; but the short trips we have been on, the best part has always been getting the chance to experience new cities and meet new people: basically just getting out of our daily environment. That’s always exciting. The downside is probably that it gets tiring eventually.

Where do you see yourselves in ten years time?

I don’t think we’ve thought that far ahead to be honest. Hopefully we will still doing something creative.

What advice do you have for bands who are just starting out?

Sincerity is important. I think people are able to see through a lot of things and however serious you are with what you’re doing shows right away. However, I don’t really think we are in any position to be giving much advice, as we are still quite new to the whole music world. Hopefully we’re not doing it all wrong…

You’re definitely doing great. What has been the highlight of the Communions life so far?

Going to London and playing there was great. And recording this EP has definitely been a main highlight as well.

If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing now?

Probably nothing. Two of us are students at the university right now and the other two of us are just about to graduate high school. So I guess we would be attending our classes.

Words: Faye Smith.