Life With Snuggle
Life With Snuggle
Made up of Andrea Thuesen and Vilhelm Strange, Snuggle is a Copenhagen-based duo who make dreamy, thoughtful, slightly melancholic music that is the ideal soundtrack to staring out of a bus window as beads of rain drip from the glass, or walking through a quiet park in spring as sunshine filters through trees in early bloom. Not that I have first-hand experience of either of these scenarios… not at all.
Their style has been described as slacker pop and modern shoe gaze. Whatever you want to call them, their music is raw, melodic and marks them out as a major talent emerging from Denmark’s eclectic music scene.
Below, we caught up with Andrea and Vilhelm to find out a bit more about their music, taste and approach to creativity.
Text by Finlay Renwick, Photos by Josefine Seifert
Andrea wears Another T-shirt 3.0, Brown/Navy (explore here). Vilhelm wears Another T-shirt 3.0, Rust Stripe (explore here) & Another Jeans 4.0, Washed Blue (explore here).
What’s your favourite neighbourhood in Copenhagen and why?
Andrea: Hmm most neighbourhoods in the city are undergoing pretty severe gentrification and are kind of similar to each other to be honest. There are still a few gems that stand out ofc. Despite having lived in Copenhagen my whole life I only just recently (for real) discovered Sydhavnen which I’ve grown quite fond of lately. It’s really cozy and kind of villagey, and it still has some of that unspoiled Copenhagen working-class vibe to it. It also has some really nice green areas, like Sydhavnstippen and Karens Minde, with lots of different vegetation and animals.
As for the more city-esque areas, Vesterbro holds a special place in my heart. I was born and raised there, and however posh it’s become, it’s still my favourite neighbourhood to meet for a beer in the sun on Litauens Plads or Sønder Boulevard.
Your sound has been described as shoe gaze and minimalist pop. What kind of feelings are you trying to convey with your music, and how has that evolved since you started the band?
Vilhelm: I think the shoe gaze association mostly comes from people attending our live-shows. Loads of pedals and a lot more guitar-heavy than on the record. We spent a lot of time finetuning our live performances, getting to know the material very well. We want it to be both very minimalist, as I think the music is on the record, but at the same time explosive and chaotic, to fit into this performative situation where we’re only 3 on stage, but we want it to sound huge without all the extra production the record contains. So to answer your question: We want to translate some of the awkwardness and joy in big feelings. Living our modest lives, bringing honesty into the world. And I think that’s what some people get about our music, it’s very minimalist and direct.
What’s a band or musician that changed everything for you?
A: I always loved music and listened to all kinds of different things growing up. But I think the real game-changer for me was seeing my friends’ old band “Catwax Hairmachine” play for the first time when we were teenagers. That’s the first time I thought to myself, “Woah, I want to do that!” and did something about it.
Do you have a uniform on stage? Or any items that have become a go-to?
A: Jeans and a t-shirt. Always Jeans and a t-shirt. Tried wearing a skirt over my jeans at a show once. Not a success. Recently Another Aspects long sleeve tees have become a go to for me. They’re soooo soft. Another go-to is my ancient very worn-out Pearl Jam and Metallica tees, they’re a part of me.
V: My new thing is to wear sweatpants. But something fancy on my feet. Comfy but stylish.
Where’s your favourite place to go for a long lunch?
A: Right next to our rehearsal space on Nørrebro there’s a place called Ali Bageri where they serve affordable wholesome middle eastern food and pastries. The only time I go out for lunch really is when we rehearse and go there for falafel, fatayer and foul. They also have deliciously bad coffee for 10kr a cup.
V: My new favourite spot is Vietnam Rice & Noodle Bar on Nørrebrogade. Go for the Bánh xèo! And they have cheap imported beer and whole coconuts!
What are your earliest memories of music?
V: Singing “Puff the Magic Dragon” while crying in kindergarten.
A: It’s kind of funny because I used to have these sessions with a few of my classmates after school when we were like eigh years old, where they would lie down in a circle around me and I would sing “Puff the Magic Dragon” to them to make them cry.
What’s the secret to collaborating and working well together?
V: Make sure you’re never hungry, and don’t go down on coffee!
Andrea wears Another T-shirt 3.0, Brown/Navy (explore here) & Another Jeans 3.0, Black (explore here). Vilhelm wears Another Denim Jacket 1.0, Brown (explore here) & Another Jeans 4.0, Washed Blue (explore here).
What do you think makes Copenhagen unique as a place to make music? How does the city influence your sound?
V: I think the support from different government institutions and free education helps a lot. It gives a lot of people the opportunity to pursue music and be more experimental and not feel pressured to go a more conventional way. The system is not perfect, and still favours some, but it’s slowly changing (fingers crossed).
Where is your dream venue to play?
A: I’d love to do a headline show at Factory in Manchester. Legendary post-punk nest
What’s your order at the bar?
V: A Pilsner or Negroni.
A: Pilsner or G&T
What’s your favourite song to play in the car?
V: Out on the weekend, Neil Young. For a long time, Harvest was the only CD I had in the car (it’s a 20-year-old Peugeot).
A: We lived in Berlin together for a while and were driving back and forth to Copenhagen quite often for concerts and stuff. We would sing our hearts out to Harvest on repeat all the way
