We have posted Swedish bands lately like DW. Now it's time for an exclusive interview with ROCCA; another Swedish band consisting of Christoffer Björklund and Julia Vangsnes. They are also based in Stockholm.Hello, do you feel the glow right now?
(Julia) That was a good start! Actually, I don't feel any glow right now. Let's blame it on the weather.
(Christoffer) I'm poppin' champagne as we speak actually.
Why the name Rocca?
(Julia) We came up with different names, but the name "ROCCA" was a shooting star that fell down on us.
(Christoffer) It's hard to come up with a good name, we just took it, so we had something to put on our records.
When did you start as ROCCA?
(Julia) I've had several bands before ROCCA. Late in summer 2006 I met Christoffer and from that point I decided to put my full focus on ROCCA.
(Christoffer) Yes, we met via mutual friends at a club in Stockholm. In 2006 ROCCA was officially formed.
How would you describe your sound and music?(Julia) Like a collision, hopefully. I think some songs sounds like: "happy car-crashes" if you know what I mean...haha... still...let us not categorize a typical ROCCA sound. The lyrics versus the sound. The music versus the expressions. And then... always add passion to it. It's all about giving each song the best treatment after the circumstances. And that's all.
(Christoffer) The sound could be anything really as long as it has got the right feeling to it. There has been a lot of old school sounds in past ROCCA productions, but we're always trying to find new expressions as well.
How did your first live show go?
(Julia) We had the first live show in 2007 at Debaser Medis in Stockholm. I remember it as a good one.
(Christoffer) We rocked it. One guy told me it was the best concert he's ever been to so we must have done something right.
Have you been signed yet?
(Julia & Christoffer) This is the case; so far we've been releasing two singles at the Tokyo based label Every Conversation Records. Also, we've been contributing with songs onto compilation albums and also for commercials and trailers. By signing each release separately we're having the freedom and ability to take some sort of control within the whole process. Our next album release will be on another label. It's nothing wrong to "go major".
You've done some great remixes, including a remix for Lykke Li. How do you choose which songs to remix?
(Julia) A good song is a always a good song – no matter of the sound, still...remixes can be really disgusting depending on what parts in the song the remixer chooses to clarify. To know the art of remixing takes a talent. I think Christoffer is one.
(Christoffer) You need to do something different with the song and find a new context which fits. With some songs, it's hard to do that. They're already great. The Lykke Li song "Everybody But Me" was quite easy to remix. Not only is it a great song but the original version had so few sounds in it so there were many different alternatives you could try which sounds completely different than the original. I think we made three different versions.
When did you Christoffer decide to use the Talkbox for your music? Before Chromeo?
(Christoffer) I've always been fascinated by the talkbox sound and before I got my own I was so curious of how they made that sound in old r'nb songs like Zapp's "Computer Love" for example. I got my talkbox in 2007 I think. Currently we don't use it that much in the songs, we're having a talkbox break.
How does the future look like?
(Christoffer) We're about to release an album. We will keep on making new songs, collaborate with other artists and so on...
(Julia) I am jiggy with it.
Ok, cool guys looking forward to hear from you again!
Here are six songs by ROCCA. Enjoy!
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