Poptones Talk New Album, Favourite Instruments And More

Sep 24, 2025 | Interviews

Words by Glenn Sargeant

Feature Image Photo Credit: Rune Gro-Nielsen

Danish experimental rock trio Poptones today announce their second full-length album, ‘Pure’, arriving Friday 26th September 2025 on Happy Metal Records. We caught up the band here:

Who is in Poptones, how did you meet and what do you play?

We, Poptones, are an alt-rock trio based in Copenhagen. We have played together for what feels like forever, shaping our musical (and somewhat personal) identities throughout the years. Anders and I (Simon) met in elementary school, where we started playing together at the age of 10. In high school, we met Mads, with whom we quickly started a band, which then later became Poptones. We came from this small town where there were a lot of bands (especially indie-rock bands) that really inspired us to aim big and prioritise music. Both Mads’ and Anders’ brothers were in the older bands in the city, which naturally opened some recording and gig options, we might not have gotten otherwise. At the same time, we were in our teenage years a part of this local venue (URT), which was only run by young volunteers. We worked with booking concerts, fixing things that broke and stuff like that. Very DIY.

Mads (vocal and bass)

Anders (Drums)

Simon (Guitar)

What is your earliest musical memory?

Hmm, that’s a tough one. I remember that we, when Anders and I started playing together, made three songs in what would probably be 15 minutes. The songs were called quiet song, middle song and wild song. Pretty self-explanatory what the difference between the songs was. I think we knew around 3-4 chords, so the songs were just about freestyling with them and then playing quietly, loudly or in-between.

When did you begin songwriting?

As a band, we began to write songs when we were 16 years old. We were really into electro-rock and indie, found huge inspirations in the Danish bands like Mew and Veto. Also Radiohead (probably still the best band in the world tbh – Mads’ opinion) was a major inspiration back then. We still have some recordings from back then. The music has really changed a lot since then haha!

You have your second full-length album “Pure” via Happy Metal Records released on 26th September 2025. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

Our first album, Between Darkness & Daylight, was made a lot through the computer. Obviously, by ideas played on our instruments, but much of the arranging and composing part happened without our instruments. We wanted to challenge that

this time. Reflect the sound of us playing as a band. In addition to that, we wanted to record the songs so that they would sound like a band and without too many overdubs or stuff like that. We really failed the part of limiting overdubs, haha.

After we discovered how saxophone, vibraphone and lap steel could influence our sound, we made lots of overdubs on every track. Those instruments were not discovered by us until after recording. But I think we are just the type of band that hears more parts in the music than we can play by ourselves. Which we feel is a good thing, even though it makes it necessary to really practice our songs for live concerts.

Together with that, we really wanted to introduce structured improvisation into our songwriting, which ended up being a huge part of tracks like ‘Say Something Now’ and ‘Eyes Closed’.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

We recorded it in Copenhagen, the Nordvest area. It was recorded by Peter Emil Sloth in his studio. It has then been mixed by Jens Ramon, who was also a part of the studio sessions.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?

At some point, when we recorded ‘Thin Air’, we did this trick of putting coins on the drums to give them a more “clicky” sound. It was mostly an experiment, and I honestly don’t know if it changed anything. But later we found out that the trick had ruined all the drum skins and they were the most expensive ones the engineer could find. All good though.

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

Hmmm.. We have been using a lot, both in the studio and the dub recordings we made ourselves. We definitely love the Neumann U104 microphones, that we have used on most things. When recording the saxophone, we used a xlr->jack, to send the saxophone into a guitar amp, through some distortion pedals. I feel like that trick made the saxophone instantly fit into our sound, instead of possibly being the “odd one out” in the mix.

For instruments, we have used drums, guitar, bass, vibraphone, saxophone, lap steel, baritone guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, guitars played with needles through the strings and a zoom recording of hitting a metal fence. That specific fence sound is actually a part of many tracks on the album.

Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

A: Say Something Now. It’s hopeful, energetic and has a more “hook” feeling than our other songs.

B: Definitely Mirror World or O of Life. Energetic songs, full of distortion, chaos and screaming.

C: This one makes me think the most of either Skin Of Sea or This Will Be A Good Day. They are both calm, searching for the climax while having the patience to reflect and settle in different parts.

Was it a difficult album to write?

Well, it took its time, but I feel like it was not more difficult as such, than our other releases. Maybe it was even a bit easier since we had a clearer direction and were more aware of how we could approach songwriting. With that being said, it is, of course, a huge investment of time and energy, and we have put all of ourselves into it.

Who designed the album artwork?

The picture and idea are by ourselves. Marikka Højen has helped a lot with the graphics and finalizing the whole thing. She has also made the vinyl graphics and single artworks. Huge shout-out to her from us!

You have also released the lead single ‘Skin Of Sea’. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

Skin Of Sea was written through intuitive and free improvisation, during a Danish artist residency, which is the death house of former Danish Prime Minister, Jens Otto Krag.

It was just a free improvisation, without any rules, plans, or structure. Sometimes idéas just appear, and then the important thing is to be aware and capture the potential.

The song went from zero to a finished sketch in just a few hours, which is not our usual pace of writing music. It’s an intuitive track, built on simplicity. There’s something powerful about working quickly and not overthinking every chord.

It was the first track where we included Oscar Alstrup on the saxophone, which led the way for including them on all the tracks.

After that, Skin Of Sea, was the track where we first included the vibraphone and lap steel as well.

Skin of Sea is lyrically a grand and explosive tale of an inner emotional life, about the unexpected sense of security that can be found in the darkness. The lyrics revolve around loneliness and the search for meaning, which always seems within reach but constantly slips away.

Lyrics:

Skin of Sea is a grand and explosive tale of an inner emotional life—about the unexpected

sense of security that can be found in the darkness. The lyrics revolve around loneliness and

the search for meaning, which always seems within reach but constantly slips away.

The single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?

We search for inspiration in stuff that is somehow stupid methods and might seem too simple. But to us, it’s key to look for inspiration in everything.

An example of that is the way we made the video to Skin Of Sea.

The video was filmed with a broken phone camera, slowed down to 20%. The camera is constantly shaking, and the undefined picture is giving a feeling of drowning and reaching out, while being underwater.

And to be honest, the video was recorded in my gym. I was filming these kinds of silly graphics that running machines can show. I think it was supposed to be a forest route in the Czech Republic. I then clipped and directed it, if you could call it that. Very simple but effective.

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

We all come from a place called “Thy”, which is on the north west coast of Jutland. Most famous for its unique nature, the brewery and surf spots like Cold Hawaii.

How do you look after your voices?

I think this is only relevant for Mads. He eats raw ginger before shows, does some warm-up exercises backstage and sometimes has a whisky before the show to “smoothen the voice”. I don’t know if the whisky trick is a hoax, but I imagine it works better than beer, haha.

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2025/2026?

For the rest of 2025 and start of 2026, we are focusing on Scandinavia.

But we are planning our first UK tour in September 2026. So far it looks like concerts in Nottingham, Manchester, and London, without anything being settled yet.

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

We want people to connect with our music. And we want to connect with each other on stage, while enjoying the moment. Music is both a personal and a social thing for us, and it’s important to enjoy the moment together.

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

We gotta admit we love distortion. That’s no secret. We have so many distortion/fuzz pedals on our boards, but we also like to use pitch shifters and weird effects as well. A new instrument we are happy to be part of our stage sound is the saxophone. Oscar Alstrup is an amazing player and has expanded our musical reach from day one! Thank you!

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

We would choose The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson, which imagines a near future marked by humanitarian and ecological crises, where inequality fuels international tension. These themes resonate with our music quite well, in that it seeks to balance tension, chaos and beauty. Just as the novel contrasts the possibility of an ecological collapse with visions and hope of renewal, our songs draw on both brutality of the present, simplicity and beauty – which could be the beauty of a coexisting nature and human society where genuine human connection might offer a way forward – away from the false promises of consumerism and towards something more pure. (Anders)

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

I think the best way to explain this is by putting a list of albums that have inspired us and the album:

Slint – Spiderland Elliott Smith – Either/or

Swans – To Be Kind This Heat: Deceit Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream Wednesday: Rat Saw God Black Midi: Schlagenheim Crack Cloud: Crack Cloud Black Country, New Road: For The First Time Chat Pile: God’s Country

What makes Poptones happy and what makes you unhappy?

It truly makes us happy to spend time with each other. No matter what we are doing. We are very, very close – practically family, and what is more important than that? We love to experience stuff with each other, whether it’s sitting in the sun having a cold beer or being on the road together. It makes us unhappy when the vinyls are delayed from the factory!