It's time to lose your shit
Swedish duo Ängel are on a mission to drag rock n’ roll back into the spotlight — louder, stranger and wilder than before. With two singles and an EP out, and shows both at home and abroad, they’re now heading to Waves Vienna to stir things up. We caught up with Samme and Nico for a classic Q&R, to hear about rave rock, life on the indie side, and why they believe good chaos always finds its way.
– For someone who doesn’t know who you are and what you do — what’s to know about Ängel?
SAMME: We are two performing artists with a vision for a rock n’ roll renaissance. We will make rock n’ roll relevant in a digital age. Not because we can but because we have to. For too long this great beast has been resting on its laurels.
NICO: And we make the best rave rock out there right now.
– You’ve released two singles and an EP, are you happy with the reception so far, and how do you work to reach people?
SAMME: Very happy with the responses we’ve got from those who have received it. Our listeners are steadily growing, festering like a wound of love. It is our firm belief that if you make good shit the rest will follow.
NICO: The reception has been hot. We trust that the music spreads to those that need it.
– How do you view the indie scene vs. the major scene, and strategies for reaching people in the Spotify era?
SAMME: The major scene is like it has always been, tied by all its thousands legs to wild horses running in different directions. As long as you make them all run at the same speed you’ll not be ripped apart. However, in the indie scene the horses are fewer but they pull on the verge of exhaustion. Artists have more possibilities of running the show by themselves. Still, we all need a little bit of help sometimes so collaboration is key.
NICO: We are not interested in competition or comparison. Ängel transcends all of that. We make music because it is holy for us.
– You’ve played abroad before, how does that compare to playing at home?
SAMME: The difference is not so striking, apart from the fact that you have to speak English abroad and that seems a bit ridiculous to do at home. We’ve made people lose their shit both at home and abroad and it all depends on the stars. You meet pure souls everywhere you go as long as you know where to look. Pro tip: it’s all in the eyes.
NICO: Hungary reminded us of Sweden. People say that no one dances in Berlin, we proved them wrong. Serbia was the best. The audience’s energy was astounding.
– Waves Vienna coming up, what are your thoughts on the festival?
SAMME: We’ve never been to a conference festival before so curious to see what this is all about. Hopefully we will meet some crazy people to connect with. Apart from that we’re looking forward to making the Waves-crowd lose their shit when we take the stage.
NICO: It is an opportunity for us to show what we got and why the music industry should put their money on Ängel. We are cocky, cute and contagious.
Ängel will play @ Loop on Saturday during Waves Vienne, 9.00. Get down!
ÄNGEL - INSTA
WAVES VIENNA - OFFICIAL