Svend48 Turns Memory, Absence and Electronic Experimentation Into “Sans laisser de trace”

In this interview, Svend48 talks about the accidental birth of his artist name, the influence of childhood memories, the story behind “Sans laisser de trace”, and the creative bridge between his solo electronic universe and Bianca Rastafiore.

Interview with Svend48

Can you introduce yourself to listeners who are discovering Svend48 for the first time?

Hi, I am Svend, part Danish, part Belgian.

During Corona, I discovered GarageBand on my iPad. It was originally intended as a recording tool, but it also has a world of built-in synth sounds. Playing around with these sounds, I discovered that my iPad is actually a great tool to compose on. That was the start of Svend48.

In fairness, I have always played music. I play piano, bass, and I can manage a few basic open chords on guitar, literally four or five only, open chords of course. I have played in different bands and different styles, ranging from intimate folk, to jazzy outlets, to British-style guitar rock. The GarageBand discovery added new exciting opportunities.

Where does the name Svend48 come from?

The artist name actually happened by mistake. The first time I uploaded a track for distribution through SoundCloud, I had intended to use another name for the concept. But when filling in the SoundCloud distribution portal, by mistake, I also uploaded my SoundCloud password instead. I only discovered it after everything was confirmed and sent off.

Anyway, I decided to keep it, and it means that I still have a good name in the drawer for a future new project: Bossa Berchem.

How would you describe your musical universe in a few words?

I would say very diverse, with elements from all genres and cultures that have passed through my life.

In my parents’ home, Getz/Gilberto’s jazzy bossa nova style was played almost daily, as were The Beatles, Duke Ellington, and strangely, during one holiday, T. Rex. My first single was “I Can Do It” by The Rubettes, and my first LP was “Strung Up” by Sweet. I loved 70s Pink Floyd, “Grand Hotel” by Procol Harum and “A Night at the Opera” by Queen.

Then came new wave, The Cure, Talk Talk, Human League, U2, and I rediscovered The Rolling Stones along the way, followed by Faithless and the incredible Massive Attack.

I like very much a quote written by one blogger about one of my tracks, “Avatar”: “If trip-hop existed in the late 60s or early 70s, then it would sound a lot like this track. Funky and techno at the same time, it is quirky and I dig it.”

What first pushed you to start making music?

One of my first childhood memories, when I was four or five, was an evening when my two uncles visited our house while touring with their jazz band. At one point, they sat down and played four-hands jazz standards on my mother’s piano.

I just knew there and then that I wanted to play later as well.

Which artists, genres or personal experiences have influenced your sound the most?

This was partly answered above, but to mention a few: bossa nova, with its soft, warm energy and great rhythms; Scandinavian pop, with its catchy and somewhat melancholic vibe, like Gasolin and ABBA; and the exciting dance and rock energy of EDM when blending analogue and electronic instruments.

Your new track is called “Sans laisser de trace”. What does this title mean to you?

It means somehow longing for something that once was and now cannot be reached.

What is the story or main idea behind the song?

The idea came while walking in a forest and seeing a small commemorative plate for a corporal who had lost his life in a long-forgotten war.

Today, the scene is peaceful and feels almost unreal to the passer-by. You cannot tell this had been a battlefield unless you know, and it is hard to understand what felt so important that it had to lead to a war.

The only reminder is this silent commemorative plate for a young soldier who would never live the life that was meant for him. To him, it was real.

Is “Sans laisser de trace” based on a personal experience, or is it more fictional and symbolic?

Fictional. I was trying to write from the perspective of a mother, a sister, or simply from a passer-by who sympathizes with the person behind the name on the plate.

What emotion did you want to transmit through this track?

The story is about the feeling of missing someone, and about those left behind apparently trying to soothe that person, but essentially trying to soothe themselves.

How would you describe the atmosphere of the song?

I hope I found the right balance between melancholy and positive feelings of hope, while showing the absurdity of what happened.

How did the creative process begin: with the lyrics, the melody, the beat or a specific mood?

The instrumental part was made during Corona, when I discovered GarageBand. The track just happened while exploring available sounds, starting with the beat in the intro, and then one sound leading to another.

I knew this could not just be an instrumental and that it needed lyrics, so I had put it aside because I did not plan to introduce vocals into the Svend48 concept.

At the end of last year, I rediscovered the track and decided to put lyrics to it. I had this one sentence, “tu nous as quitté sans laisser d’adresse”, that I liked. I think the footwork percussion in the beginning automatically linked my thoughts to the walk around that time in the forest, with its battlefield, and the rest of the story and the lyrics just wrote themselves.

Was the track written quickly, or did it take time to find the right direction?

Basically, the lyrics were written in small sessions over two days. The most time-consuming part was really finding the right wording to avoid being bombastic.

Is there one lyric or moment in the song that feels especially important to you?

I guess there are two.

The first is the “sans laisser d’adresse” line, about missing someone and realizing there is no return. That started the process.

The second is: “donner ta vie pour une plus grande cause, sauf que personne t’a consulté.” The corporal did not give his life. It was taken, stolen.

What makes “Sans laisser de trace” different from your previous releases?

It differs from other Svend48 tracks by adding vocals, which in this case also evokes a melancholic vibe.

Until now, I have kept Svend48 as an iPad playground, where tracks just happen naturally by experimenting with sounds in GarageBand. The result so far has been everything from chill to psychedelic. I do expect to stick to that for Svend48, but in this case, the story that came naturally was more serious.

Did you work alone on the track, or did you collaborate with other artists, producers or musicians?

For Svend48, I work alone. But I asked Sofie, who I work with in another project, Bianca Rastafiore, to do the vocals.

She has a very clear, girlish and motherly voice, and she is excellent at interpreting a story. It is her storytelling that gives the track its balance between melancholy and hope.

What do you enjoy most about collaboration in music?

To start with, it is a great moment when a band really feels each other while playing live.

As for composing, a lot of composition, at least to me, comes from one moment sparking another. Sometimes one person does something, and that naturally leads someone else to add what comes next.

Are there any artists or producers you would like to collaborate with in the future?

I am pretty happy with where I am, and with whom I already work, so nobody really springs to mind.

What I would love is if one of my songs were covered. Who knows?

How have people reacted to the song so far?

Very positively. So far, Svend48 tracks have been instrumentals, ranging from chill and jazzy to anthem-like EDM or IDM. I was concerned some people would perceive this one as cliché or even pretentious.

Is “Sans laisser de trace” a standalone single, or does it announce a larger project?

Never say never, but at this time I do expect the next releases to be mainly IDM, synthwave or jazzy chill again, without big messages.

Where can listeners follow you and discover your next releases?

I hope on the Audiartist blog!

Actually, the next release will be with Bianca Rastafiore, my other musical concept, with Sofie and good friends from diverse musical and cultural backgrounds.

Out on May 29: an EP named “Three Women”. Expect a mixture of upbeat latin pop-rock and soul vibes, with lots of guitars and a funky smile.

Pre-save “Three Women” by Bianca Rastafiore