First Aid Kit: "We’re more confident now" • News • DIY Magazine

Familiar things happened in Omaha, Nebraska last autumn when First Aid Kit headed back into ARC Studios to work on the follow up to 2012’s gorgeous effort ‘The Lion’s Roar’. Mike Mogus returned to production duties for the second time, and long-term collaborator Nate Walcott, also of Bright Eyes, came back to work on the string arrangements. This time, however, the finished product would be for Columbia - a far cry from the band’s Wichita Recordings roots. Did the sisters Söderberg let the pressure get to them? Definitely not, as ‘Stay Gold’ - the band’s third full-length to date - is a true testament to their abilities as a folk-pop band - “whatever that means”.

Those familiar with the First Aid Kit formula won’t find anything ground-breakingly different this time around - there isn’t any wild deviation off path, but they sometimes get the urge to do exactly that. “We just felt this wasn’t the record to [experiment] on,” Johanna explains. “We wanted to continue establishing our style - there’s plenty of time in the future to do those sorts of things.” Klara interjects - “I don’t know if it was really about establishing anything - I think it would be fun to try different sounds, but on this record it didn’t feel like there was any need for it.”

They’re both right. ‘Stay Gold’ is First Aid Kit’s most confident and striking album to date - it’s wide-eyed, youthful, shimmering folk-pop. Having started the band when they were 16 and 14 respectively, Johanna and Klara have gone on to tour for seven years, and the confidence they’ve acquired by doing so really shines through. “I mean, the fact we worked with Mike again really helped too - because we know him so much better, we weren’t as nervous,” says Johanna on the album’s bold stride. “I think we’re more confident now for sure. Having toured the past six or seven years, that’s bound to have helped too… it’s made us more comfortable and is sure to have influenced what we do.”

Read the full interview in the new, free DIY Weekly, available to read online, or download for iPhone, iPad or Android from Monday 9th June.

Tags: First Aid Kit, News