Having a Super Time with Berndsen!
published on August 10, 2010
Back in 2010, I received a CD sampler of music that was all made in Iceland. One of the tracks on that disc that I would grow to love was "Supertime" by the Icelandic artist named David Berndsen, or "The Berndsen" as his instagram account calls him. The soaring synth-pop vibes, strong vocals and un-ironic kitchy 80's aesthetic won me over. Here is the original interview that I did with Berndsen in 2010.
I was recently so impressed with Berndsen’s track “Supertime” from the “Made In Iceland Vol. 3” that I had to purchase his whole album “Lover in the Dark”. The whole album is dark, zany, dance-y and just fun. I liked it so much, I sought to interview this enigmatic Icelandic artist. This is that interview.
How did you get into music?
I started playing guitar when I was 16 years old because I used to listen alot to Guns n´Roses & Black Sabbath at that age, couple of years ago I bought a mbox and started to record some ideas, mostly ambient and dramatic music, then again to get more into recording side of the music so I went to Holland to study Audio Engineering where I got to know a music genius called Hermigervill and we both shared the love for 80´s music and started to make music together.
What were some of your favorite records growing up?
OMD – Architecture & Morality , Ultravox – Vienna , Queen – A Kind of Magic , Duran Duran – Rio , David Bowie – Lets Dance
Had you always been into 80’s sounds like saxophones, synthesizers and overblown guitar?
Haha of course! How can you not like those things? The thing is my dad listened to so much of the 80´s music that those sounds got stuck into my brain and when I got my first synthesizer I thought to myself; “Aha! That’s how music should be!”, and I continued from there.
How did you get hooked up with the “Made in Iceland 3” mix?
Made in Iceland is a collection of twenty songs from as many bands and artists currently operating out of tiny Iceland, And [My Song] ‘Supertime’ is just too good not to be on that mix!
After viewing your music videos (which are great, btw) how important would you say humor is in the production of your music?
I have always found it a bit hard to take myself too seriously with my music so somehow humor got mixed in my music videos haha, its hard to explain it.. but I worked on my music videos with a lot of people so it’s not only me who is so funny! It’s all that people behind the video as well…
The concept for the video “Lover In the Dark” is a perfect fit for the “Depeche Mode video-game music hook” did you have the idea going into the video making process or was it a moment you arrived at?
I would love to make a video game! It would have to be though for a really old system like Nintendo or Commodore 64 haha, Lover the in dark video idea came from Swedish friends of mine Farzad Farzaneh and Viktor Gårdsäter, the whole video is pictures! We spent around 15 hours in a green screen taking around 4000 photographs, I had to stand on one leg in front of the camera all that time, so much fun in Stockholm..love it!
Who are some artists that you admire and why?
David Bowie is one of my favorites! I admire people who have done so much good music and different things from pop to funk. He just does what he wants..which I have always liked, I could see myself doing an ambient jazz album one day or a hip hop album just do any kind of music as long as its good though.
What do you like most about playing your music live?
All the sounds on the Lover in the Dark album are mostly synths, but live I wanted to have it all live! so I got a Guitar player, Synth Player, Saxophone player, Drummer, Bass player, Backing Vocals – its so much fun playing it live and I have mega-energy with the band.
If you were trapped on a desert island with an unlimited power supply, what one instrument would you bring with you?
Only one! haha I would bring a Roland Jupiter 8 Synth!
How long would it take you to organize an outrageous dance party for the natives on that deserted island?
It would take me a couple of minutes! Get the natives to sing and play the drums..while I would go crazy on the Roland Jupiter 8 synth and dance with the girls there of course!
What’s next for Berndsen?
I have been working on ideas for album #2! I want to play my music live for the whole world, find a nice booking agent… do more music videos! Make it in Japan!
I started playing guitar when I was 16 years old because I used to listen alot to Guns n´Roses & Black Sabbath at that age, couple of years ago I bought a mbox and started to record some ideas, mostly ambient and dramatic music, then again to get more into recording side of the music so I went to Holland to study Audio Engineering where I got to know a music genius called Hermigervill and we both shared the love for 80´s music and started to make music together.
What were some of your favorite records growing up?
OMD – Architecture & Morality , Ultravox – Vienna , Queen – A Kind of Magic , Duran Duran – Rio , David Bowie – Lets Dance
Had you always been into 80’s sounds like saxophones, synthesizers and overblown guitar?
Haha of course! How can you not like those things? The thing is my dad listened to so much of the 80´s music that those sounds got stuck into my brain and when I got my first synthesizer I thought to myself; “Aha! That’s how music should be!”, and I continued from there.
How did you get hooked up with the “Made in Iceland 3” mix?
Made in Iceland is a collection of twenty songs from as many bands and artists currently operating out of tiny Iceland, And [My Song] ‘Supertime’ is just too good not to be on that mix!
After viewing your music videos (which are great, btw) how important would you say humor is in the production of your music?
I have always found it a bit hard to take myself too seriously with my music so somehow humor got mixed in my music videos haha, its hard to explain it.. but I worked on my music videos with a lot of people so it’s not only me who is so funny! It’s all that people behind the video as well…
The concept for the video “Lover In the Dark” is a perfect fit for the “Depeche Mode video-game music hook” did you have the idea going into the video making process or was it a moment you arrived at?
I would love to make a video game! It would have to be though for a really old system like Nintendo or Commodore 64 haha, Lover the in dark video idea came from Swedish friends of mine Farzad Farzaneh and Viktor Gårdsäter, the whole video is pictures! We spent around 15 hours in a green screen taking around 4000 photographs, I had to stand on one leg in front of the camera all that time, so much fun in Stockholm..love it!
Who are some artists that you admire and why?
David Bowie is one of my favorites! I admire people who have done so much good music and different things from pop to funk. He just does what he wants..which I have always liked, I could see myself doing an ambient jazz album one day or a hip hop album just do any kind of music as long as its good though.
What do you like most about playing your music live?
All the sounds on the Lover in the Dark album are mostly synths, but live I wanted to have it all live! so I got a Guitar player, Synth Player, Saxophone player, Drummer, Bass player, Backing Vocals – its so much fun playing it live and I have mega-energy with the band.
If you were trapped on a desert island with an unlimited power supply, what one instrument would you bring with you?
Only one! haha I would bring a Roland Jupiter 8 Synth!
How long would it take you to organize an outrageous dance party for the natives on that deserted island?
It would take me a couple of minutes! Get the natives to sing and play the drums..while I would go crazy on the Roland Jupiter 8 synth and dance with the girls there of course!
What’s next for Berndsen?
I have been working on ideas for album #2! I want to play my music live for the whole world, find a nice booking agent… do more music videos! Make it in Japan!