Kiasmos: “There’s no place for ego in the studio.”

How did you meet?

Janus Rasmussen: It was 2007, I was in an electronic pop band called Bloodgroup, and we often played in venues in the centre of Reykjavik. Ólafur was the sound engineer at one of the venues and he did the sound for us several times. With Bloodgroup, we released an album that took us on tour all over Iceland, and we took Olie with us. In the car, on the road, we got to know each other, we talked about techno, and what we liked about the sounds popular at that time. That’s when we decided to settle down and produce techno beats at the weekend.

How do you know when you’ve found the right person to start a project with?

Janus Rasmussen: It’s all about friendship, that’s how it started, producing techno tracks, then going out for a drink in town, then going to clubs to see what was going on. We were both really into the Icelandic club scene at the time. We became friends, made more and more music together, and then got more serious with our first EPs Looped and Thrown on Erased Tapes. Like everything else, Kiasmos came naturally.

Ólafur Arnalds: We both live in Reykjavik, actually 100 metres from each other. Our studio is in the same neighbourhood. Even when we’re not working together, we still see each other.

Do you share the same views on music? Is it something you discuss?

Janus Rasmussen: We talk to each other a lot about music. We started out playing club music because it interested us and we’d never done that before. Olie came from the hardcore/punk scene - he was a drummer - and I came from the rock scene, so it was our first step into electronic music. We’ve also discovered that we have a lot in common when it comes to cinema. We’re both fans of David Lynch and film soundtracks... We’re both very curious about art in general. And I think people will be surprised to learn that we both love pop music! Even today, we like to talk about pop songs. For example, we really liked what the Swedish singer Robyn has done.

You’re releasing your second album seven years after your first. What took you so long?

Janus Rasmussen: The discussion was always there, there was always the idea of making this album. The plan was to release the second album soon after the first, but we never felt any pressure, at least not from our side. I think the label and our managers got a bit impatient, but as far as we were concerned, there were never any worries. We knew it would come when it came, and that’s what’s happened.

You recorded this album in Bali, what was it like for you on the other side of the world?

Ólafur Arnalds: Partly yes, we wrote four songs there. It was at the height of the pandemic, so it took us a long time to get there, and we stayed for six weeks. We had nothing to do but make music, so that helped us a lot in terms of inspiration, and it gave us a slightly different approach to writing - obviously, it’s not the same as in Iceland.

Janus Rasmussen: Bali opened the door to new songs. From there, it took us another two years and it was ready.

How do things work between you in the studio? Who does what?

Janus Rasmussen: There aren’t really any rules. Olie’s clearly the better keyboard player of the two of us, and I’m maybe more involved with the beats, but it’s not fixed. We write the songs together and share ideas. There have been a few times when I’ve had a beat ready and Olie’s had a harmonic progression ready; we put them together then work on the song and finish it quickly. That happened on “Flown“ and “Sailed“. But it’s rarely that quick. We often like to see what happens in the studio.

Do you have a clear idea of what the Kiasmos sound should be?

Ólafur Arnalds: Yes, in a way, but we try not to be too attached to it. I think there’s an ethos behind it that we want to keep at all times, which is to make music with feeling, that’s melodic. But the style can be anything. As long as it’s melodic, danceable and a bit of fun, that’s the most important thing.

Janus Rasmussen: We always try to make things musically interesting.

Do you question yourselves a lot?

Ólafur Arnalds: Yes, absolutely. The challenge is to try not to repeat ourselves while staying more or less within the same boundaries.

Is it easier to challenge ideas when they’re not your own?

Ólafur Arnalds: It’s easier to challenge others than yourself, that’s true (laughs).

Janus Rasmussen: Even if we don’t agree on everything, there’s always something bigger that emerges when you find that common ground. It’s always better than sitting on your own.

Is it easier to put your ego aside when you’re friends?

Ólafur Arnalds: I don’t find it difficult, it’s just music. When you put too much ego into your music, that’s when the problems start. (Laughs.)

Janus Rasmussen: That’s something you learn very early on when you’re producing music, that there’s no place for ego in the studio.

Do you ever have profound disagreements over a song?

Janus Rasmussen: We don’t really disagree, but we clearly have our preferences. Sometimes you’re over-invested in a song because it resonates so much with you at the time, so you have to let it sit for a few weeks before coming back to it. Generally, you’re much more likely to agree with the other person after that.

What’s your favourite thing about each other musically?

Ólafur Arnalds: What helps me a lot when we work together in the studio is when Jan comes up with grooves. They’re just grooves, but he’s really good at doing that. And even if the song sometimes goes in a completely different direction, he’s always got a good start to the song, which gets your foot in the door for what’s to come. It’s an inspiration to go somewhere.

Janus Rasmussen: I think Olie is a master at telling a story with his music. The way he’s able to conceive an idea 100%, particularly in the arrangements - which is the most important thing, because there’s no song without a narrative arc. For me, it’s great fun to work with someone who has such a well-developed sense of storytelling.