Tripolism are doing their own thing. The club scene in their home city of Copenhagen is currently in thrall to the pummelling futurism of techno, all hard beats and harder crowds. But this is an electronic three-piece who think outside the box, who want to drop the speed and embrace nuance, humour, and soulful feeling. So far, it’s working – debut album ‘Absolute Dope’ landed last year, and since then their profile has ballooned.
Fresh off the return flight from Coachella, the jet-lagged trio (Tomas Høffding, Tomas Barfod, and Jeppe Kjellberg) are in Aarhus to perform Spot Festival, and kindly take time out to chat to Clash. New single ‘Flying Away With You’ is out now, and it’s a ready-made anthem – a pan-generational collaboration with Danish legends WhoMadeWho, the track epitomises the playful ambitions at work within Tripolism.
The collaboration came after “a little bit of flirting on Instagram,” Tomas Barfod jokes. “Some back and forth in our DMs!”
“They sent us the track, and it was already cool – it had that summer feeling. I think they just expected a remix, but we really worked on it, and added our own vocals, too. It totally took them by surprise!”
Aired for the first time during their incredible Coachella sets, the single takes Tripolism to fresh heights. “When we’re in the studio together, it just feels good,” notes Jeppe Kjellberg. “There is always a really good energy. But it’s only when we play the music live, and see the reaction, that we can truly figure it out.”
This cyclical relationship between Tripolism’s studio ambitions and their glorious live sets ensures that they remain in sync with their audience. They’re always working, too – a recent long haul flight to a festival in Mexico saw the group write a new song on the plane, from start to fruition.
“Oh, Mexican crowds are the best!” grins Tomas Høffding. “They greet you with so much energy and love. They want you to win. Some places want you to fail, almost, but those crowds are so passionate about your success.”
“It’s kind of weird,” Jeppe adds. “We play a lot abroad, but not so much in Denmark. That’s why we’re in Spot Festival, but we’re like, hey – we want to show just who we are!”
Sitting slightly out of sync with Copenhagen’s frenetic techno styles, Tripolism opt for something slower, with a headier groove. “Our main concept is, that when we go to the studio we have to feel the music we’re playing,” says Tomas Barfod. “It’s not about being cool or anything. We need to dive deep and enjoy it.”
“None of us are really like dark souls,” Jeppe laughs. “We’re kind of like very light spirits, so that is also reflected in the music.”
Breakout single ‘Dope Dance’ was lauded by Radio 1 legend Pete Tong, and the co-sign clearly means a lot. “20 years ago – when we were all teenagers – listening to Pete Tong was basically the coolest thing alive,” Tomas Høffding explains. “And I guess we’re just kids inside!”
Set for a hectic summer of travelling and recording, Tripolism are making their mark on the global electronic scene. “There’s a special thing that arises in the air when the three of us get together,” Jeppe notes. “It modulates the sound right from the beginning. You hear it, and think: that’s the Tripolism sound.”
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Words: Robin Murray
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