A Chat with How To Loot Brazil (09.04.24)
For almost 20 years, 17 to be precise, How To Look Brazil has been going their own way with absolute mastery in their music. Described as “even more genius than the band itself can imagine”, it is nearly impossible to define the group. Post-punk, techno, chillwave, alternative rock, art pop…who knows, it’s all a mishmash melting pot with How To Loot Brazil continuing to pioneer eclectic art. We speak with band members Maik and Vic about their new album Joy To Be Had, recommended songs, what animal they would choose as a pet, future plans and more!
OSR: How did How To Loot Brazil come about? What drew you all to music?
Maik: I got my first Synthesizer on Christmas 1987 and I’ve been making music ever since. I played in various punk rock bands but they all split up eventually so I decided to start a solo project. I was watching The Simpsons some day in 2006 and a book called How To Loot Brazil popped out of Homer’s suitcase, so I instantly set up myspace.com/howtolootbrazil and began uploading my first recordings there. In fact, the band name came before any song was ever written.
Vic: I think I joined the band around 2011 maybe, when How To Loot Brazil already existed for some time. I had been singing in various bands, but was new in town back then and didn’t know many other musicians. We had some mutual friends and eventually Maik and Ka asked me if I wanted to join How To Loot Brazil. I think I said yes instantly. The music and the production was completely different from what I was doing before. It was very exciting. I still remember our first vocal recordings in our friend’s basement. We just did things. No overthinking. Lots of fun.
OSR: You recently released your 9th studio album, Joy To Be Had. What can you tell us about it? Is there a theme or backstory?
Maik: There’s no kind of general topic or concept. Lyric-wise, I guess, just like any other songwriter I address everyday issues, for me in particular it’s insomnia. Musically it’s again a smorgasbord of genres, you’ll come across Techno, Synthwave, Indie, Alternative Rock, Pop and Electronica. Same as it ever was.
OSR: If you could change anything about Joy To Be Had, what would it be?
Maik: I’d definitely change the snare sound of ‘Time Flies’ as you hear it on the official release. It’s sampled from A-Ha’s ‘Take On Me’. I usually replace samples or add other instruments on top of them but I simply forgot this as I was lost in production. You can hear the difference when you compare it to the video version on YouTube. But all in all, I’m super happy with Joy To Be Had.
Vic: I really regret that I recorded ‘Not the 80s’ in that key. Too low, but too late! But there isn’t really anything I would change.
OSR: What do you hope people take from this album and your music in general?
Maik: I simply hope they love it.
Vic: Just go with it. Maybe you like it, maybe you don’t – but it’s never boring.
OSR: Do you think Joy To Be Had is a good representation of your sound at the moment?
Maik: Yes, it’s a pretty good reflection of what we wanna sound like, including every imperfection you face when you’re producing totally DIY.
Vic: Production-wise I think it’s the best Maik has done so far. You really can hear the development from our beginnings till now. And you never know where a song is going to take you.
OSR: If you had to introduce your band to a new listener, which song would you recommend they listen to and why that song?
Maik: I’d probably pick ‘New People’, it contains pretty much every trademark representing HTLB, a touch of 80s vibes you’ll find in the bass line, the tempo, the melodic hook, some choppy guitars and the dark techno sounds coming in the end.
Vic: I think I’d take ‘Clouds’. It represents a lot we like: It starts really sweet, dreamy and melancholic. It has a poppy chorus, beautiful harmonies and in the end, it gets really intense including some riot-girl shouting.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
OSR: If you could have any animal as a pet, which one would you choose? I mean absolutely any animal.
Maik: We have a dog and a cat which would always be my first choices. But if I could choose any animal and if it wouldn’t violate animal welfare as they belong in the wilderness, I’d love to have a chimp. I love chimps.
Vic: Otters.
OSR: What is something that never fails to make you laugh?
Maik: Monty Python, Ricky Gervais, Louis C.K., silly memes, Der Postillon and Katz & Gold – never disappoint me.
Vic: Otters.
OSR: What does the future hold for How To Loot Brazil?
Vic: We love making music together, we love playing live, we still have lots of fun doing it. We already started writing and producing new songs, and it feels like it’s just getting even better 😄
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Maik: Go voting but remember: The Nazis lost!
Vic: Go to more concerts!
Many thanks to Maik and Vic for speaking with us. For more from How To Loot Brazil, check out their official website, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
