Rising Stars: Sparklings infectious electro helps you dance away the gloom

London-via-Cologne indie-electro troupe SPARKLING create music to make you dance away the gloom – and we all need a bit of that right now.

Much like their moniker, the trio consisting of Levin and Leon Krasel, and Luca Schüten, craft kaleidoscopic synth pop that merges post-punk, electro and krautrock for a thrilling, shimmering adrenaline rush.

Their forthcoming EP This Is My Life/Das Ist Mein Leben/C'est Ma Vie has been produced by dance behemoths Al Doyle from LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip's Joe Goddard.

It evolved after the trio threw themselves into writing as Covid hit. Like with most bands, the lack of live music gave SPARKLING the opportunity to hone and refine their sound.

The result is an effort tailor made for the dance floor and one set to propel SPARKLING to further acclaim in 2022.

Daily Star's Rory McKeown caught up with them to talk about their 2021, their new EP, working with Joe Goddard and Al Doyle, and what we can expect next.

Hi guys. How can you sum up 2021 for SPARKLING?

"It's been a really unpredictable year, as it probably was for most of us. We still have to get use to all the short-term cancellations of shows, which is always sad, because we really love to play live.

"But we also had really exciting and nice times. Recording the an EP in summer with Joe and Al was really fun and we were getting a lot of love for the first single 'C'est Ma Vie' which is amazing in these times."

You’re releasing your new EP This Is My Life/Das Ist Mein Leben/C’est Ma Vie in spring 2022. What was its writing and recording process like?

"We started writing these songs a year ago, after having our debut album out for just a few months before Covid hit and we couldn’t really tour it.

"We were really thirsty to play live in that time so we put all our 'live'-energy in writing the new songs. In the beginning we could only send around ideas and memos, because it was not possible to meet, but later on we made some sessions and went to different places for example to Belgium to a small village.

"We also did a session in a club in our hometown Cologne, which was closed in that time.

"We listened to so much music from different genres like post-punk, rock, pop and electronic music And we really wanted to try out new sounds and write songs which combines all these genres."

It was produced by legends Joe Goddard (Hot Chip) and LCD Soundsystem’s Al Doyle. What did they bring to the table and what did you learn from them?

"They have this amazing selection of wonderful old synthesizers so it was a matter of choosing the right sounds to make our sound as a band even more how what we wanted it to be.

"Their studio is kind of like a wooden spaceship. All the walls are made of wood and it's sparkling and shiny in every corner. We also took a few things we already recorded in our own little studio in Cologne because they had a special vibe. It was really intense and we didn’t see any daylight for five days of recording."

Has your creative process changed since 2019’s debut I Want To See Everything?

"It has changed a little, as we are getting deeper in the production part. But the centre of our process is always us playing together in a room and the energy of the three of us."

Since then, we’ve obviously had to come to terms with a global pandemic. How has it impacted you as a band?

"It brought us closer together. In the beginning it was really disappointing that so many shows and other things we had planned were cancelled, as we had just released our debut album.

"So, it was important for our mental health to talk about this to each other, which brought us even closer together."

What was influencing you during the forthcoming EP’s creation? Either musically or personally.

"The three of us shared the feeling of wanting to break out of old structures, old habits, starting fresh, also after being in lockdown for so long. So, it kind of became the topic of the EP. influenced the EP a lot.

"Musically we are always listening and influenced by a lot of different styles. Most of it coming from the European music landscape like French electro, British post punk and German krautrock but also pop music from all around the world."

You hail from Cologne and then moved to London. How do the two cities compare and how have they molded you as an act?

"We all are born in Cologne like Krautrock. We always feel a deep connection to that genre – the Motoric beat rushes through our veins. Musically we love the straight melodies of electronic music from acts like Kraftwerk. London influences us a lot by their big guitar music scene. We try to connect these two musical influences in our music."

You’ve been backed by the likes of BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music. How important is it to have that support as an emerging band?

"We are really grateful that BBC 6 and 1 are supporting us. That’s really cool! We often meet people on our concerts, who say, that they discovered us on BBC. Thanks Lauren Laverne and Jack Saunders!"

What’s next for Sparkling? Do you have eyes on another LP?

"We will write more songs to dance to."

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