The Papertiger Sound are by far the best band I have heard this year. They make music for dark Autumn nights and cold sunny Winter mornings.
Acoustic electronica is one way to describe this transatlantic duo but that just wouldn’t go deep enough. The band has the ability to make you yearn for things past but they also make you appreciate what you once held dear but thought you had lost forever.
TPS are the musical equivalent of opening an old photo album that plays palpable songs as each memory comes vividly back to life.
Perfect.
Dan from the band took some time out to answer some questions from us.
Ok, let us start at the beginning. For those readers that are not familiar with the band tell us more.
Kerstin and I met in Leeds in late 2006, and we formed Papertiger Sound shortly after. Kerstin now lives back home in Nova Scotia, Canada and I live in Norfolk, England. We make music over the Internet by sending files to each other and talking on Skype, and release our music through the Auteur Recordings label. Occasionally Kerstin will come to England, or I’ll go to Canada, and we’ll play a show or do a session for the BBC.
Who are you biggest musical influences?
Kerstin and I share similar influences, like Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, Bjork, Fourtet, Sparklehorse. But I think we influence each other as much as other bands, which is probably why it works so well.
What are your influences outside of music?
Landscape has always affected how I write. The bit of Norfolk where I’m from, right on the edge of the Fens, in particular. It’s all flat endless fields and big skies. We’re both into David Hockney’s photography too, though I don’t know if that has any real influence on our writing.
What was the first record you ever bought?
It was ‘I started something i couldn’t finish’ by The Smiths, on 7″ vinyl. That video of Morrissey cycling around Salford with his lookalikes is genius. I’m still a big Smiths fan today.
And the last?
I honestly can’t say when i last bought anything new. I’ve recently been ripping all my CD’s to hard drive, so it’s been nice rediscovering music I’d forgotten about, like Ride, Lush, The Cardiacs and The House of Love. It’s a bit like buying it all over again.
I think I would describe TPS as Autumnal acoustic Electronica, similar in feel to bands like Hood, Epic 45 and July Skies. Do you agree with this? And are you a fan of any of these bands.
Yeah, that’s a nice description. Everyone seems to pick up on something different when they hear us, though funnily they all seem to include the words ‘Winter’ and ‘Autumn’ . It’s music for wearing big coats and gloves too I guess !
I’ve seen Hood a few times, and I think we share similar influences, like Bark Psychosis. I was also fan of the 555 label, with bands such as Empress. I’ve never heard of Epic 45 or July Skies, I’ll have to have a listen.
If you had to choose one TPS song to introduce people to the band, which one would you choose?
‘Words Escape Me’ maybe. In fact I’d say the whole of the ‘Tiny Robot Love’ EP, which is free to download.
Which current bands do you listen to the most?
I’ve been listening to Friendly Fires and Everything Everything in the car this week. The new Bearsuit album is good too.
I get a feeling that a lot of your music is influenced by feelings of a lost childhood. I don’t mean in a negative sense but a deep yearning for days gone by. Do you miss childhood and what are your fondest memories of that time? Is adulthood all it was cracked up to be?
I like the fuzzy memories I have of childhood, but I don’t really miss being a kid. I remember I used to sit in fields all night with my telescope quite a bit, getting dizzy looking at the stars. And making dens with my friends and running around like a lunatic most of the day! It was all a bit Swallows and Amazons at times. But yeah, I do have that sort of nostalgic melancholy for childhood and it affects our sound. Adulthood is ok, apart from the bills!
Have you got any plans for any live shows or new releases?
We do have new music, but no plans to release anything at the moment. Maybe around Christmas time we’ll release something, we’ll see. As far as playing live, I may do something on my own nearer December, but not as Papertiger Sound.
Right, you are stranded on a desert island. You can have one book, one album, one meal and one drink dropped from a plane to you. Pick them!
Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman, Souvlaki by Slowdive, something Indian for the meal, and Lager.
Ok, I will say a big thank you for taking the time to speak to us and leave you with the final words…
Hello, we’re Papertiger Sound, and it’s been nice to meet you.
Vivid Riot 
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