Start Listening To: Langkamer

From the origins of their name to the production of their latest album, Langkamer shares their inspirations, influences, and the creative process behind their indie rock music.

Say hey to Langkamer, an indie rock four-piece from Bristol. We caught up with Josh, talked about the music scene in their home city, Braeburn apples and their second album The Noon And Midnight Manual, out May 18th on Breakfast Records.

For those unfamiliar with your music can you tell us who you are, where you’re from, and something about the music you make?

Hello, Josh here on behalf of the indie rock band ‘Langkamer’. We’re an indie rock band from Bristol. We make indie rock music. In Bristol. 

Can you describe your songwriting process?

We usually start with lyrics at the centre of our songs and work outwards from there, building the music around the words. Occasionally it can be a meticulous and laborious process, but often it’s very lucid and everything comes together very quickly and naturally. 

What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your music?

Our songwriting focuses a lot on the human condition. I think with every song we try to include some new piece of the puzzle. Often it’s a question and often it’s an answer. Sometimes it’s both and sometimes it’s neither. But we like the idea of listeners chewing over our songs for a while. Chewing. Dancing. That sort of thing.  

Can you tell us how Langkamer got started as a band?

Langkamer was born out of the ashes of a very short-lived band called ‘Fuzzy Plums’. 

We’ve read that Langkamer is an anagram of Dan’s secondary school nickname. Do you have any nicknames for each other?

For some reason Dan actually seems to be the only one who has nicknames. And he has so many by this point. We seem to add a new one to the list every few weeks. Currently Mummy Dean and Baby Bean are top of the pile. He very rarely gets called by his actual name these days.

We’re loving your latest album, The Noon and Midnight Manual could you tell us more about how it was produced?

We made this album with our pal and long-time collaborator Tim Rowing-Parker. First we recorded the drums at a studio in South Somerset, laying down the bones of the songs down there. After that we’d rented a cottage on the North Yorkshire Moors and drove up there to finish the recording, spending a week up there together. It was a very relaxed and wholesome process. Lots of jigaws. Lots of nights sat around the fireplace. Tim is just an incredible producer and working with them always feels very easy and intuitive. 

What track(s) from The Noon and Midnight Manual are you most excited to play live?

Almost all of the album we’ve actually been playing live for a long time now already. We wrote the songs a few years back so some audiences might actually recognise a lot of the record. Tracks like ‘Sarah’ and ‘Hatchet’ have been live favourites for a while now.  

Could you tell us about one of your most memorable performances?

One time we were playing in Salisbury at an amazing venue called The Winchester Gate. Before our set we went out to go and find some dinner, and in the town centre a big guy started shouting at us from over the road. Threatening to knock us out and using lots of rude words which I won’t besmirch your fine magazine with. He was three sheets to the wind, with some sort of bee in his bonnet. Well, of course we ignored him and carried on walking and went and had our dinner. A few hours latre when we took to the stage to play, the same guy was stood in the front row grinning from ear to ear. Turned out he’s a big fan of indie rock. 

What gig venues in Bristol are your favourite to go to?

The Louisiana is an absolute gem, and newcomer Strange Brew is lush too. Those are probably the favourites, but we’re spoilt for good venues in Bristol really. Trinity is great for big gigs and Crofters is great for little ones. And I’d be remiss not to mention Exchange, which is run by some of the nicest people in the world. 

If you could be part of any other music scene at any time, any place, when/where would you like to go?

Early primitive drum circles.  I’d like to have been there the first time a Neanderthal hit something with something else and realised it made a nice sound. Stones hit against branches. Branches hit against stones. People clapping and shouting. Imagine the vibes around the fire that night. 

Name an artist you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why?

First heard Nina Simone on that yoghurt advert when I was about 13 and it blew my tiny mind. She is still blowing my tiny mind to this day.

What do you love right now?

Right now, Braeburn apples.

What do you hate right now? 

Living in a fascist dystopia. 

Are there any particular artists or bands that have influenced your music?

If I had to guess I would guess that at the moment Tom would answer ‘Elliot Smith’, Ed would answer ‘Courtney Marie Andrews’ and Bobby Beans would answer ‘Pavement’. 

What’s next in the Langkamer story?

We’re just about to tour France and Britain to promote the new album. Then we’ve not got much of a plan in mind for after that. We’re still trying to figure out what we’re gonna do. Making it up as we go along, really. 

What artists/bands should we be listening to that we’re probably not?

Sluice. Getdown Services. Milo’s Planes. Nudista. Clara Mann. Benefits. Hamburger. Ead Wood. 

Thanks for speaking with us! Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

I’ll just reiterate here that I think Braeburn apples are really lush at this time of year. Thanks x