The Swedish band Mando Diao was founded over 20 years ago. They had their first international hit single more than a decade ago. In May 2014, the four Swedish boys released their seventh studio album 'Ælita', with which they are currently touring Europe. This fall they will play several shows in Germany. Uniglobale met the two lead singers Björn and Gustav and spoke to them about their new album and their attitude to life. You can find the video of the interview and the German translation of the print article from the current issue here.
UNIGLOBALE: What does 'Ælita' mean? What is it?
At the beginning 'Ælita' was a synthesizer that we bought used. He was originally from the Soviet Union and he looked very strange. That's why we bought it, but didn't understand it at first. We tried to play it, but it didn't behave at all like any instrument we knew. It didn't feel like technology at all. More organic, like an animal, not like something digital.
After we started playing, we eventually stopped seeing the synthesizer as a technology. From then on we saw all our technology more as biology. And suddenly the instruments changed and we played them differently. It was like we added another dimension. Of course it was just players, but it made us play differently. It helped us communicate precisely because it was biology and not technology. Because it doesn't feel weird to talk to a flower, but it does feel weird to talk to a typewriter.
UNIGLOBALE: At the beginning you were a guitar band, today you are more electronic. Would you say that this is the main difference between your early pieces and today's ones?
We started with technology, with computers. The first music we made together as a group wasn't based on guitars, or any other instruments, but on sounds. We have always worked with computers, even in the early days.
UNIGLOBALE: How has your music changed in the last decade?
Self-consciousness. When we were younger we were haters because that's what you are when you're young. Because hate comes from yourself, you yourself are insecure. But instead of hating yourself, you hate someone else. You can hate someone because they play a certain instrument and that's a really weird reason to hate someone. But you do it anyway. We did it. Because you're an idiot. In the sense that idiots just can't think that well. We have now realized this and therefore promise that we will no longer hide our differences. Because when we ourselves were insecure, like in 2004/2005, we mainly showed our aggression because we were afraid. But now we're letting go and we're not going to follow any more rules that other people have made up.
UNIGLOBALE: Music seems to be a big part of your life. What would you do without the music?
That would be like taking everything away from ourselves. We just never had a choice. It's a bit like saying to a homosexual: "You chose this!"
UNIGLOBALE: But what would you have done if you hadn't been successful?
PROFITS
ÆLITA
1 of 3 signed albums from MandoDiao!
We are giving away three Ælita albums autographed by Björn and Gustaf. To win, write to us by August 31, 2014, never having a choice. We look forward to your answers as a PM on Facebook or as an email to gewinnspiel@unglobale.de
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The Swedish band Mando Diao was founded over 20 years ago. They had their first international hit single more than a decade ago. In May 2014, the four Swedish boys released their seventh studio album 'Ælita', with which they are currently touring Europe. This fall they will play several shows in Germany. Uniglobale has it
