After delighting us with his warm and soaring single Remember earlier this year, half-Swedish, half-Greek songwriter, musician and producer Plàsi has now returned to deliver his highly anticipated third EP Where I Belong.
Ringing together intricate layers of production with his own beautiful and stunning vocals, this new collection looks to unveil a brighter and more uplifting side to his direction.
So with his new release now available everywhere, we sat down with him to find out more about his latest release and what he has been doing to cope with the recent lockdown.
Hi Plàsi, how are you today?
I’m good thank you! Healthy, and newly moved into Copenhagen, which is still a relatively open place in the world considering the current circumstances. So I can’t complain.
For those that aren’t familiar with your music, how would you best describe your sound?
I used to say it’s somewhere in between singer/songwriter and indie folk. Production wise I like to keep it stripped back and personal for the listener, which I feel characterises the sound I want to create.
And what artists have influenced you the most over the years?
I would say Passenger and Sufjan Stevens. But the list is long, with acts such as Ásgeir, José González and Kings of Convenience just to mention a few more who inspire me. While the complexity of their lyrics and melodies differ, they all personally connect with their listener through intimate production.
You just released your latest EP ‘Where I Belong’. Can you tell us a little bit about how that release came about?
Not long after releasing my latest EP ‘Mystery’ I realised how important music was to me. After attending specialised music programs during my teenage years, I turned my back on it in order to explore other interests. Today music is my life, and it would have been such a pity for my own well being if I hadn’t continued to explore this passion. My new EP ‘Where I Belong’ describes the journey back to this inspiration, and recalls how passions often are already visible at a young age when time doesn’t matter.
And are you proud of how it turned out?
Yes, and especially of the way it got produced! We had an idea with my producers and musicians (Linus & Hannes Hasselberg) to set up a pop up studio in the middle of nature, so took the opportunity to do so during a tour break. The idea became reality in a cottage in the Julian Alps of Slovenia. We wanted to feel as connected to the natural surroundings and I think it affected the sound and emotions we put into the record. I hope it can inspire more people to look inside themselves, and rediscover a passion that often lies closer to you than you think.
The lockdown has affected everyone’s plans right now, but what are you doing to stay productive throughout it and are you still able to work on new music?
I’ve created a rule that I have to go out and walk, bike, or run at least one hour every day. I think I would go completely crazy if I didn’t have that. We’re forced to look deeper into our memories and imaginations to find inspiration, and that has actually been helping me to write some new songs lately.
And finally, if you weren’t a musician, what advice would you give other artists trying to stay productive during this crisis?
Hmm.. I think one thing that can make me unproductive at times is the total absence of social interaction. Probably everyone needs that to a certain extent to feel an internal balance. So make sure to video call the people you care about, and don’t take for granted that everyone is just doing fine. We need each other and our spontaneous expressions more than ever, so we have to adapt to new ways of communication.
Plàsi’s new EP Where I Belong is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it in full below.
