Releasing the second cut from their debut EP is indie four-piece Fucales with “Snake”. Incorporating elements of soft contemporary jazz and indie-pop rhythms, the group take us through the back door of a dark speakeasy, where we hear the subtle hum of the leading bass guitar and melodic trumpets blaring throughout. But as we cross the bridge, the song explodes into a rock extravaganza with psychedelic guitars and thunderous drums taking over the melody. Keeping the same high octane energy as their previous single “Verona”, the group make full use of each of their skillsets and effortlessly blend them together to create a dreamy soundscape that displays hints of aggression and wonder.

“It’s difficult to pinpoint our genre,” the group said when asked about their genre-bending sound. “Sometimes it’s dreamy, other times catchy and makes people dance, other times very angry and expressive kind of Stravinsky-like. It’s a lot about the emotions we feel when we play gigs, and we can see that our audiences are really feeling the same.”

From falling in love to taking a rebellious stance against society, the group tap into various situations for their music, shining a light on things that can often get lost between the lines. With the group revealing that their debut EP, “Deep Under” is just the tip of the musical iceberg for them, we sat down with their group talking their love for festivals, musical dynamics and how they’re aiming to break more musical boundaries.

Check out the interview below…

Hi Leon, Mari, Simon and Mikkel – how have you been during this uncertain time? How has it impacted your music and creativity?
Well, it has sure been one heck of a roller coaster ride this past year. As a band, we have kind of benefit from it all because the lockdown made us take a break after a year of working very hard and playing lots of gigs. The break resulted in many new songs and a very strong drive coming out of it. Suddenly we’re going in a new direction –  we were working on music on our own, becoming better instrumentalists, and getting new inspirations along the way. All in all, we’ve grown a lot as a band.

How has Norway influenced you sonically? Who are your biggest musical inspirations? How did you all meet and why the name Fucales?
We all live on the west coast and feel very attached to the sea. We started the band by the seabed, and we often hang out in the docks. It feels like home. As well as nature influencing us, we like to think that living and working in Bergen is impacting us as musicians. We have this great music environment with different genres playing side by side, and locals ranging from Slomosa to Misty Coast and Niilas are truly inspiring to us. When we started out, we actually wanted to play shoegaze, so we made really long songs that were very dreamy and spaced out. Therefore our main inspirations were My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, and then it all spiralled out from there. We also adore techno and exciting rhythms, for example, the Ethiopian Mulatu Astatke, and the Turkish Baris Manco. The way we met is a really cute story, and it all started in a moshpit at Bergen Fest. We literally bumped into each other there, and also during later moshpits, we would bump into each other again. This all led to the obvious: We need to start a band.

Your music fuses indie, pop, even elements of jazz – how would you describe your genre?
It’s difficult to pinpoint our genre, but people often describe to us how they feel when listening to our music. Sometimes it’s dreamy, other times catchy and makes people dance, other times very angry and expressive kind of Stravinsky-like. It’s a lot about the emotions we feel when we play gigs, and we can see that our audiences are really feeling the same. We all have quite different backgrounds in music, and maybe that is why we’re fusing some genres. Simon is becoming a classical trumpeter, Mikkel has a background in rock and classical choir music, Leon has a background in classical piano and prog music, and Mari wants to become a jazz pianist. But none of that is important in the rehearsal room, there we just want to play and express ourselves.

Congratulations on your new single “Snake”, which traces a sense of regret after the end of a relationship – what was the inspiration behind it?
Leon: After a breakup, I began evaluating the inevitable journey of emotions I experienced both during and after that chapter in life. All lyrics are therefore vague reconstructions of memories mixed up with what I currently felt afterward: Why did this happen, what did I do, etc. The musical dynamics of the song also mirrors the dynamics of this, one could say, a melancholic trip down memory lane… Fast heartbeats, uncertainty, and hunches of freedom. The song’s climax symbolizes me coming to terms with myself.

And it’s taken from your upcoming debut EP “Deep Under” – why this name and what ties it together as a body of work?
We chose this name mainly because of our take on the vibe. As with our name and music, the EP itself is a representation of us blending our different musical backgrounds with our perceptions of life and what goes on in it. The EP is the beginning of our arcane soup, so we baptized it as something mysterious as the bottom of the sea. And by the way, we just love using reverb, so that also left its marks on our decision-making. This is just the current visible tip of our musical iceberg though. We got tons of material we’re working on as we speak.

Where did the inspirations for the tracks come from?
It all pops out at random. We all experience different sort of things that just happens to shine through in our music. For example, falling in love, being angry at society, erotic experiences, new musical understandings, and the list goes on. This all impacts us in all sorts of ways. So, during rehearsals, it’s there – shining through between the lines.

You guys have played tons of festivals – what was your favourite so far?
Our absolute favourite festival gig so far has to the Icelandic festival HATIDNI. It all went down in a remote place about three hours away from Reykjavik, the concert area situated in an empty school building. There was this beautiful fjord right by our doorstep, and the audience that welcomed us was just magnificent. The other bands playing were so experimental and honest in their music, and we got to know many amazing people that we’re still in contact with today.

What do you hope your music brings at such a time of uncertainty?
By playing the EP loudly you can imitate being at a party, but it’s also very nice to listen to when going for your government-approved walks. The songs reflect some of our feelings from the first lockdown, so perhaps for someone, it can be a comfort.

What’s next for you? What are you looking forward to in 2021?
We’re craving to play live shows again. It’s through concerts we get to connect our little world with the bigger one. So, in 2021 we’re hoping to play more gigs, festivals, and creative work. Not to mention, indulging in everything that comes with it, such as making new friends and obtaining new sonic input for further music-making. We aim to break musical boundaries and mix genres, both on stage and in the studio. But most of all, we miss connecting with an audience.