Danish band Little Winter shines through the nordic clouds with sixties-inspired, dreamy single ’Julia,’ the first track taken from their upcoming album Wonderlost.
“Julia” marks the beginning of the Aarhus-based band’s journey towards a new sound aesthetic. Displaying a warm blanket of soothing, poppy melodies, old school tape-fluttery production, and playful choir arrangements, this first taste of the upcoming album is a refreshing contemporary take on the sincere songwriting emanating from the Californian shored added a pinch of Scandinavian melancholy and dreamy 12-string The Byrds-esque guitar riffage.
Both melodically and lyrically, “Julia” encapsulates youth, the adolescent mind and teenage love. Lead singer Nikolai Ryan describes the song as:
“an ode to the first love and the jumble of feelings that it entails. Especially the letting-go part can leave you in a puzzled state of mind for years to come.
The intrinsic tale of “Julia” originates from the story of my first relationship and subsequent break-up, but figuratively it’s about all the Julias out there.”
“Throughout our lives, we all have to part ways with people we used to love and sometimes we think back on what went awry, how the significant other is going in the now, and what would have happened had we stayed together,”
Nikolai adds.
Though “Julia” draws on the metrics of a typical love song, it moreover salutes the warming nostalgia and remembrance of the ever-changing world around us. With a sharp eagle’s view of one’s manoeuvring in a world feeling ever so pulsating and vivid, “Julia” encompasses all this in an anachronistic manner which feels very welcoming to the listener.
“It was very important for us to have these feelings reflected in the sonic universe alongside the adolescent vibes; having the song make you think back on the things you once held dear and subsequently lost and felt somber about, but in the end okay, even elevated,”
bassist Martin Welling reveals.
“As we grow, perspectives change like the rhythm of the world around us. Balancing the fine line of keeping in touch with your past and wilfully forgetting is a fine art, and we wanted to put this
into the spotlight because as the refrain goes: loving is so easy when you’re young,”
he concludes.
The mixing of “Julia” fell into place at the hands of Oslo-based Simen Hallset (lead singer of Norwegian
psych pop darlings Gold Celeste).
“We felt that Simen’s mixing portfolio at large encapsulates what we wanted the Wonderlost LP to emanate, so getting in touch with him felt completely natural, although kind
of scary at first,”
guitarist Alexander Mirz explains;
“To have the lead singer of one of your favourite bands give our music its final touches is pretty surreal to us. But with the blessings of modern technology, we have been able (and as a bonus,
even under Corona-friendly circumstances) to have video meet ups with Simen which have
served as a great foundation for our common understanding of where we could take
the track. It sure is a dream come true!”
Little Winter's music is an homage to the sun-kissed beach vibes of the space age. Mix this with the DIY sounds of today’s indie scene, add dripping synths, and you’ll end up with the colourful cocktail named WONDERLOST. The collection of 12 songs tell a story of feeling lost in a grand, ephemeral world. It all revolves around the inherent motivation behind Little Winter — a testament to the small winters we all endure to find our place in the world.
WONDERLOST is set to release in March 2021 on all streaming platforms and limited 12” gatefold vinyl via Celebration Records.
Little Winter - Julia (single)
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