Usando un modo di dire un po’ antiquato potremmo definire Kasper Bjørke come un personaggio a tutto tondo: dj, produttore, speaker radiofonico, discografico, ma soprattutto ambasciatore della scena elettronica danese nel mondo. In questi giorni esce il suo terzo album, “Fool”. Abbiamo colto quest´occasione per sapere qualcosa di piú sui suoi esordi in collaborazione con Tomas Barfod dei Whomadewho, sulla sua cover version di una canzone degli Stones, sul suo vocalist alter-ego e sulla sua amicizia con Trentemøller.
– You started your career together with Tomas Barfod as a duo in Filur. Which are your memories of your beginning in the music business?
We were very young and “innocent” so we were very intrigued by the whole “major label style” with expensive music videos and fancy dinners. We didn’t realize until later that we had to pay back the money from album sales – which resulted in the fact that we didn’t earn any money from sales from Filur until recently.
– Filur seems a kind of on-off project for the both of you since you released music under that moniker for the last ten years. Would you tell us something about it?
Its sort of a playground where we can make pop music and have fun doing it. We only do the Filur project for Denmark now and don’t see it as something for the rest of the world.
– Some remember you for your cover of “Heaven”, a quite obscure Rolling Stones song. How and why did you get to release your version?
My girlfriend, who I just met at the time, introduced me to the song, and I totally got into it – I started Djing out the original version but thought that it could be fun to try and make a version that was a little bit more for the dancefloor.
– Since your second album, “Standing On Top of Utopia”, you collaborate with the vocalist Jacob Bellens. His style is quite peculiar, understated, playful but clever. How did you get to work with him and did you chose him as a kind of vocal alter-ego and a trademark for your music?
I met Jacob through another friend in Copenhagen. He lives in the same neighbourhood as me, so we were always hanging out at the same café´s and one day I just asked him if he wanted to sing on a couple of my songs. After that we became good friends and decided to continue the collaboration on the new album as well. I chose Jacob because I think he is the best Danish male singer and songwriter around. I love his voice and lyrics and as I don’t sing myself, I think its great to have, as you say, someone that kind of represents my music – at least on the vocal tracks.
– Your album “Fool” is divided in two distinct halves, the Hungry Side and the Foolish Side. Can you explain us why and tell something about the making of the record?
I thought that the songs with Jacob was kind of in their own universe and sound. Because he is such a big part of these tracks, he wrote the lyrics and melodies, it made sense to divide these tracks from the rest of the album. which are more instrumental based and experimental tracks. They are maybe also more playful in that sense that I didn’t think about the arrangement in the same way – the singles (with Jacob) are more for the radio and the “Foolish” side is maybe more playful and loose. I made the album during one year… some of the songs I made while being on the road – and then I finished everything in a nice studio in Copenhagen.
– In the album´s track “Bohemian Soul” you collaborate with Laid Back, probably the most succesful danish´ s music export of the 80s. How did you get to meet and work with them?
I have known Tim and John since I started working with music and I have always been a great fan of especially “White Horse” and “Bakerman”. Then I remixed their new songs “Cocaine Cool” and “Get High” – and then asked them if they wanted to try and collaborate on my album. So I went to their studio one day and we basically got the track idea done on that one day. Im really happy with the result and it works great in the clubs.
– Through you label hfn you are often associated to Anders Trentemøller. Did you ever produce something together or will you ever collaborate to any musical project?
I am Trentemøllers manager – so we are quite close in that sense. I speak with him almost every day and handle a lot of his business affairs. And we have remixed each others tracks before. He remixed “Doesn’t Matter” from my first album (In Gumbo / 2007) and I remixed both “Vamp” and “Shades of Marble”.
– Will you tour promoting your new album? As a DJ or Live-Act and will you play in Italy too?
I am Djing quite a lot in the rest of 2012 – but Im trying to cut down on it a bit as the last years have been so hectic with a lot of touring. I decided even before the album was out that I didn’t want to tour live. There are a lot of reasons and also Jacob is really busy touring with his two bands Murder and I Got You On Tape, which makes it quite impossible to find the time. At this time I don’t have any Dj gigs confirmed in Italy… but who knows.
