Deportees release debut UK EP 'Re-Dreaming'
DEPORTEES RE-DREAMING EP
AWARD-WINNING SWEDISH TRIO RELEASE DEBUT UK EP
INCLUDES THE SINGLES BRIGHT EYES AND TIME IS THE TIGER
Tracklist:
1. Bright Eyes
2. Time Is The Tiger
3. Wild Repeat
4. A Love Design
5. Patterns
Listen here
Prepare to fall in love with the sound of Sweden’s Deportees, who have today released their debut UK EP Re-dreaming. While unknown here, the trio from Umeå, a remote city in the far north, have long been both a critical and commercial success back home. Their most recent album, 2015’s The Big Sleep was awarded the Swedish Grammy for Best Rock Album, an award the band had also picked up for their previous long-player Islands & Shores.
On Re-dreaming Deportees effortlessly combine the epic with the intimate, blending empathetic lyrics with sublime hooks. On lead single, ‘Bright Eyes’ (“a beautifully sketched song” CLASH) we find the narrator extending a hand to a friend that can’t stop grieving. Lead singer Peder Stenberg says: “There’s a time to cry and a time to heal, in love and in politics. In ‘Bright Eyes’ I encourage a friend to the latter. Not because I don’t sympathize, but because I need this person.”
Deportees pick up the pace on propulsive second single ‘Time Is The Tiger’, an ode to the power of music and its promise of something more than simply enduring life. The majestic ‘Patterns’ closes ‘Re-dreaming’ with its rich and layered arrangements patiently building towards a cathartic crescendo, supplying the perfect ending for Deportees first release of 2019. An album, their sixth, will follow in the autumn.
Re-dreaming was produced by Pontus Winnberg (Miike Snow, Amason), Johannes Berglund (The Radio Dept, Ane Brun, Fever Ray) and Måns Lundberg (Shout Out Louds).
Deportees have released cinematic promos for the EP’s two singles – the outer-space set video for 'Bright Eyes' references films like ‘Interstellar’, ‘Gravity’ and ‘The Martian’, while the video for 'Time Is The Tiger' , filmed in the Californian desert, is like ‘Easy Rider’ or ‘Into The Wild’ on a skateboard.
Maybe because of its geographic isolation, Umeå is a perfect pasture for creativity. In the 1990’s, its musical trademark was the vegan hardcore punk scene starring bands like Refused. Brothers Peder and Anders Stenberg alongside Thomas Hedlund, kids back then, were transformed by this vibrant subculture. They discovered the power of music in mosh pits and soon began playing in various hardcore-bands themselves (like Plastic Pride and Reason For Anger). When the time came to rebel against the rebellion, they named themselves Deportees and drew influences from diverse artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Prince and The Band.
Over five distinctly different albums, Deportees have won plaudits, fans and awards for their constant creativity and reinvention. They managed to cop the ears of French pop royalty Phoenix, who drafted drummer Thomas to share his time between the two bands, and around the same time guitarist Anders was recruited to partner up with Lykke Li as touring band member. Two fruitful collaborations that have now lasted more than a decade and are still ongoing. While Anders and Thomas toured the world, lead singer Peder earned a doctor’s degree in Ethnology.
Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear made a guest appearance on two songs on latest album The Big Sleep (2015), which once again earned the band massive critical acclaim and saw Deportees selling out even larger venues in Sweden. And now comes the five-track EP Re-dreaming. Full album to follow in the autumn.
The Big Sleep was an apocalyptic album, and it makes sense: darker times makes for darker music. But even though the world is still very much a terrifying place, with EP Re-Dreaming Deportees offer something wishful and emotionally engaging. They explain:
“‘Re-dreaming’ is a loving assault on the feeling of a lost future. Not because it’s necessarily a false prophecy, but because it’s a dangerous one.”
Stand by for news of upcoming UK shows.
DEPORTEES ARE:
Peder Stenberg, lead vocal
Anders Stenberg, guitar
Thomas Hedlund, drums
ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY:
The Big Sleep (2015)
Islands & Shores (2011)
Under The Pavement - The Beach (2009)
Damaged Good (2006)
All Prayed Up (2004)
AWARDS:
2 Swedish Grammy Awards ‘Best Rock” for the albums The Big Sleep och Islands & Shores
2 Swedish National Radio P3 Guld Awards for ”Best Pop” for album Under The Pavement, The Beach och ”Best Group” for Islands & Shores
Deportees have had a total of 8 Swedish Grammy nominations + several National Radio P3 Guld nominations.