A ‘cheerily schizophrenic’ take on the early house and disco sound, courtesy of Icelandic-born, Danish-based producer Thorsteinssøn.
Who are you?
Hi, I am Gunnar Viggosson and I live in Copenhagen. I have played and released music since the late 90s, alongside running Comfortable Records, which I co-founded in Sheffield in 2003. In more recent years I have been releasing a few 12-inches as Thorsteinssøn, which is what brought me here.
What do you sound like?
It often sounds like me playing instruments on top of sampled beats or drum machines. It’s supposed to be my take on the early house and disco sound that I like and am inspired by. Words like lo-fi, deep and cosmic have been used by others to describe it in the past… The last one I saw was ‘cheerily schizophrenic’.
Why should we listen to you?
Because hopefully you are curious and open to new stuff…
What have you released so far? What else have you got coming out in the near future?
Since it began in 2013 I have had three vinyl EPs out on Legendary Sound Research, Horse On Horse and my own label, plus a track on Monologues Records‘ first various artists vinyl release. For the near future I am very excited about my upcoming album out on Pets Recordings. It will be on double vinyl and digital. In connection to this is also a three-track remix EP (PETS071) that has just landed in shops, where Cab Drivers, Ashworth and Geeeman have made some amazing versions of their own. The album is called Academy Of Heroes, consists of 14 tracks and is out on November 4th.
What song sums you up? Why?
The J.B.’s – ‘Doing It To Death’… It’s all there in the title.
What or who is your biggest influence and why?
I would say the overall influence is my record collection, which consists of all kinds of music from the 40s to now and a big part of it is 60s/70s soul, disco and funk. The records that I like and keep going back to are usually made by artists that in my opinion have created their own thing within their genre and are more into feel than perfection. To mention a few examples, I like the sounds of Man Friday, Bohannon and Ron Hardy, but also the cosmic/sci-fi universe of Hendrix, Wicked Witch, John Davis, Quasimoto and various funk/jazz musicians. For more recent influences I would have to mention online radio like Intergalactic FM, TRUSHMIX, Red Light Radio and labels like PPU, FXHE, Clone and Environ, plus the countless nights I have spent going to clubs and gigs as a fan.
Where can we hear your music?
Online on most known platforms and record shops.
Where will you be in five years’ time?
That’s a good question. Five years is just around the corner, so likely not too far from where I am now.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
It is Friday, 18.24 PM, and I woke up about half an hour ago.
Thorsteinssøn’s Academy Of Heroes is out on November 4th on Pets Recordings. Find him on SoundCloud.