Grammy Nominees and with an EP just released, we talked to the trio Seeb, who told us about new material, future plans and more.
With a recently released album (which you can listen to below as you read this interview), we talked to Espen from the Seeb trio who told us about the group’s creation process, the Grammy, future plans and more. Press play and come with us … Interview: Seeb!
(Para ler essa entrevista em português, clique aqui)
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Beat for Beat – Hey guys, thanks for accept an interview with with Beat for Beat! Let’s start a little in the past, very cliché: what does it feel like to be nominated for the Grammy??
Seeb – It felt really good event technically, Mike was the one who were nominated. That was because in the US the remix doesn’t count for a version of the song, only the original. But anyway it was the remix that became a hit and were the reason it was nominated so it was great. We were also there for the award show.
B4B – You are from Norway, how is the electronic scene there? What was it like getting out of all that Nordic wonder and coming to the heat of the southern countries? Do you prefer the hotter weather or is the ice your loved one?
Seeb – We prefer both actually. The winter up here can be wonderful but after a few months we always start longing for the heat and summer. I guess we are influenced by that in the music too. Would not like to live somewhere the climate doesn’t change during the year. The electronic music scene in Norway is doing very well at the moment with artists like Kygo, Alan Walker, Matoma, Astrid S, Sigrid an so on. Many mainstream acts and a whole lot of left field and exciting artists as well.
B4B – We can say that you are from the “new harvest” of artists, since Simen and Espen released their first remixes in 2015. Is not it intimidating to try to enter in a scene that is dominated by giants everywhere?
Seeb – Yes it was and we were very scared at first. Also meeting big names and people we had respected for a long time was making us nervous but you soon learn not to think too much about it and just focus on creating music not influenced by who you have on the vocal track.. We haven’t felt intimidated either since we kind of popped up from nowhere and were able to care out a niche for ourselves from the start. We didnt have to go through the same route as many DJ’s have before us as we came from the producer world and have in many ways prepared for this a long time, you could say.
B4B – Have you ever worked with Shawn Mendes, Coldplay, One Republic, Skylar Gray … what artist is your big dream for a collaboration?
Seeb – Yes but sometimes we have to work from Skype for instance. It´s not always you get the chance to sit down together in a studio since people are always very busy in the music industry so we try to adapt to that. Our dream artist right now must be Dua Lipa and Post Malone. I think we could have done something cool there.
B4B – Initially a duo and later, a trio with the entrance of Niklas. Has that changed the relationship of you, the project or the sonority that you have?
Seeb – Not really. We are still working in the studio as we always have and becoming a trio has helped in making it easier to get stuff done and of course its refreshing to have another set of ears. We feel we complement each other.
B4B – ‘Nice To Meet You’ is an EP that is a way of thanking everyone who supported you. Can we expect an album soon?
Seeb – We are not really album people but we have just started to play around with the idea of putting together one so we will see in the near future.
B4B – What was the creative process for the EP? There are 3 heads thinking, there was not much conflict at the time of composition?
Seeb – It´s always conflict, no way around that and we have that also as a dynamic within Seeb. The track typically starts as an idea from Simen or myself (Espen) and then it´s a battle going on on who can come up with the best hooks or chords. It´s the way we´ve always been working for over 15 years now and its difficult to change. But as soon as we have agreed on a direction things come together really fast. Niklas is more of a negotiator in these processes.
Seeb and Dagny, from Drink About
B4B – The deadmau5 mouse, for example, always says there are plenty of songs he can not put into his albums. There’s a lot left of you and you intend to release as singles by yourself?
Seeb – We have A LOT of unfinished songs lying around. Literally hundreds and we just can’t work on everything. And yes there are some favourites that doesn’t fit in here and there but they might show up as singles one day. One good thing about being Seeb is that we can decide for ourselves what we´d like to put out. Before when we were working as producers we had to involve so many other opinions all the time.
B4B – Asia, United States, Europe… what is the goal to be achieved by Seeb? And Brazil?
Seeb – To hopefully have the new single «Drink About» becoming the summer anthem of 2018? Or maybe we could wait until winter since we are on the opposite sides of the equator and we could spend our winter on the beaches of Rio? That would be nice, we would also definitely like to do more shows or festivals there. We know we have many fans there, and in several other countries in South America so we are putting it in our prio list for 2018!
Seeb at Indonesia
B4B – From 2002, when Simen and Espen met, until today, what has changed in their personal lives and what they expect for the next five years, perhaps?
Seeb – That´s a long time ago anyway, many things have changed. We have both had a bunch of kids and we have more focus and freedom now to really concentrate on making music. The success have also made it possible to get our music out there and for that we are forever thankful that people take the time to listen to it. It has certainly changed our lives and the lives of our families to the better.
B4B – Finally, what can we expect from the SEEB, as a whole, for the rest of 2018? Any surprises they can share?
Seeb – Not at this moment, we are planning a whole lot of new editing collabs and plans so stay tuned. If course we will be playing shows but will also take some serious time in the studio this year to cook up some more records.
B4B – Thank you very much SEEB, we look forward to being able to watch / listen to a live concert in Brazilian lands!
Seeb – Thank you!!
