Poptones release new single “Mirror World” featuring Victor Kaas (EYES, LLNN)
New album Pure out September 26th via Happy Metal Records
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Poptones by Rune Gro-Nielsen
Selected press for Poptones and Pure
“This is an album you need to uncork and let breathe, it needs time, there are instant moments, ‘Pure’ is an album that will reward you if you take the time to let it. A fine second album from the Danish band…” – The Organ
Danish experimental rock trio Poptones today release “Mirror World”, the third single from their upcoming album Pure, out 26th September via Happy Metal Records. The track features a blistering guest performance from Victor Kaas, vocalist of Copenhagen hardcore outfits EYES and LLNN.
The first ideas for “Mirror World” were born in 2022 during an improvisation between guitarist Simon Hiemstra and drummer Mads Bertelsen. Since then, the track has grown into one of Poptones’ most aggressive and metal-driven songs to date.
“We wanted to work with explosions, extreme dynamic contrasts and tempo shifts, while drawing inspiration from grunge, dissonant indie and metal,” the band explains. “The song is about racing thoughts and anxiety – about trying to escape your own chaotic mind.”
That intensity is heightened by Kaas’s unmistakable blood-curdling roar, which pushes the track into new territory for the band.
“I wanted to use my most extreme vocal style, to contrast the track as much as possible”, says Kaas. “I actually recorded my parts after a full day in the studio with another project, so my voice came out extra harsh, but I think it did the job.”
The collaboration grew naturally out of their time together at Copenhagen’s Rhythmic Music Conservatory. “I met the guys during my time at RMC and saw them perform numerous times,” Kaas recalls. “I’d also done some vocal training with Simon around the same period, when he was exploring heavier sounds. That may have been what sparked this track.”
Listen to “Mirror World” HERE
Download “Mirror World” HERE
Adding to the track’s raw atmosphere is a distinctive field recording woven into its opening moments. “There’s a metal fence being hit with a stick that you can hear most clearly in the intro,” Simon says. “I recorded it during a class with Nis Bysted at RMC, when we were walking around outside looking for sounds. We found this fence and started hitting it — mostly for fun, but it made a cool noise. I never thought that funny little experiment would end up shaping several songs on the album.”
Mirror World follows the singles Skin of Sea and Say Something Now, further previewing the sonic scope of Pure, Poptones’ second full-length album after 2022’s Between Darkness & Daylight. Written across Copenhagen, India, Italy, and even inside the house where former Danish Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag passed away, the record is a fearless exploration of improvisation and genre-bending.
Recorded with Peter Emil Sloth, mixed by Jens Ramon, and mastered by E.T. Master, Pure also features saxophonist Oscar Alstrup, vibraphonist Rémy Gouffault, guitarist Harald Ingvarsson, and Kaas on “Mirror World”.
Poptones – Mads Bertelsen (vocals/bass), Simon Hiemstra (guitar), and Anders Poulsen (drums) – Formed as teenagers on Denmark’s windswept west coast, Poptones have grown into a band defined by restless musical curiosity and a drive to experiment without boundaries.
Pure album artwork by Marikka Højen
Pure tracklist
Skin of Sea
Say Something Now
This Will Be a Good Day
Asleep
Mirror World (feat. Victor Kaas)
O of Life
Narrow Streets
17 Hours
Thin Air
I Am Here
Hypnagogic State
Eyes Closed
Pure will be available digitally and on vinyl from the 26th of September via Happy Metal Records.