Stockholm-based Hanna Järver creates beautiful electronic music with a taste of dirt and Budapest. We had a chat with Hanna to have her answer a few questions about her relationship to Budapest, writing in Swedish and sources of inspiration.
Hanna Järver has previously been part of Swedish acts such as Gazebo Gathering and Reversin but just launched her self-titled solo project and the first EP ”Smutsen”. Hanna herself describes her music as ”minimalistic electronica with an edge of dirt”. The lyrics are honest, raw and explosive, mostly dealing with relationships falling apart and it is not hard to find yourself reminiscing about your latest heartbreak while listening to her songs.
GI: You write and perform your music in Swedish, was that an obvious choice for you and in that case, why?
My earlier projects have all been in English. This spring I had some kind of music crisis which resulted in me wanting to do something I hadn’t done before, I decided to write a song in Swedish. It was very exiting and at the same time frightening not knowing what the result would be like. I didn’t know if this was something I was good at. I found out I really enjoyed it and I decided to continue writing, secretly. I discovered my expression in Swedish were a bit different than my English. The dirt from before was still there but the lyrics got a lot more direct and narrative.
GI: While writing and producing “Smutsen”, you spent a lot of time in Budapest. How did that come about and how do you think it affects your musical expression?
Me and Norbert, who is my producer and band member, started dreaming about this trip last spring when we were in Spain for vacation. We wanted to leave Stockholm for a couple of months and be able to focus only on writing and producing. Norbert is Hungarian and has spent a lot of time down here, and I had never been here before and was really curious. That is why we chose to come here.
Budapest is a city that evokes a lot of emotions. The sunny days you stroll around having a beer somewhere looking at some awesome street art, and you feel like you never want to leave. Then clouds surround the city and it all becomes grey and depressing. The architecture is amazing with beautiful details in plenty, but the colors are very discrete and easily becomes one with the grey sky. Sometimes you come across really ugly buildings, leftovers from the communists, which reminds you of Hungary’s harsh history. It has been an emotional journey being here and I think that has characterized my new songs.
GI: Which are the main sources of inspiration for your music?
Inspiration comes out of living. When you´re experiencing, feeling and failing. That is what causes my need to create. It is hard to say what musicians has inspired me most, but here´s three of them: I love the harmonic elegance of James Blake, the simple but still so unerringly lyrics of Christopher Sander and the amazing soundscape and rhythms of Niki and the Dove.
GI: Last but not least, what can we expect from Hanna Järver in the future?
Right now I can´t wait to get out and play around Sweden with my awesome band. That is the first thing happening when we´re back home. Then I will release a single or two, and eventually an album. It´s not over for either Gazebo Gathering or Reversin. We´re recording an EP with Gazebo and there are plans doing it with Reversin as well. But right now my main focus is set on this solo project.
Make sure to catch Hanna Järver on her upcoming tour and listening to the full EP here.