The Danish duo Snuggle consists of Vilhelm Tiburtz Strange and Andrea Thuesen, Vilhelm being the former guitarist of Liss and Andrea the current singer of Baby in Vain. With common roots under the label Escho (Iceage, First Hate), the two bands have both released groundbreaking music in their respective genres. Vilhelm and Andrea joined forces on the debut EP Calendula in 2023 and have since proved themselves worthy at various venues. This year they will be playing at Roskilde Festival, the biggest festival in northern Europe.
The match between the two members does not seem obvious at first glance. Liss became known for their catchy vocal melodies coupled with smooth downplayed guitar riffs, whereas the sound of Baby in Vain is much grittier and noisier than the more polished sound of Liss. But although (or because) the two members come from different sides of the musical spectrum, Snuggle ventures into a new sound that departs from that of their previous constellations.
Snuggle continuous in the steps of the pioneers of the 90’s shoegaze and indie-rock scene, the sound being reminiscent of the earlier works of My Bloody Valentine and the heroin-like slacker of Duster, a sound that appears fresh in the current Danish soundscape. Throughout the EP the atmosphere shifts between that of hope and hopelessness, however, the moments where the sound teeters on the uplifting, one is left with a sense of despair looming underneath the surface. With the guitar being the driving instrumental force in each song, one does not doubt that the two members are guitarist at heart. Furthermore, they clearly share an appreciation for creating an atmosphere out of seemingly simple guitar-riffs and chord progressions, something Calendula excels at. The quality of the lyrics is strong throughout the EP, with themes revolving around the overwhelming feeling of love and the sense of feeling lost. The chorus of the song “Game on” captures this sense of being split between the feeling of falling in love, whilst slowly loosing oneself:
“Live it up, play it down, don’t lean into to much
Restless, waiting for the phone to light up, I enjoyed it too much
Weighing me down, hope you don’t see it, so many times I fell too fast”
There is something youthful – at times almost naive – about the lyrics. Like getting a glimpse into someone who is trying to make sense of novel and unpleasant feelings.
Do Snuggle add something new to the sound they so clearly pay homage to? Not necessarily. Listening to Calendula, one could easily be mistaken for thinking the EP belonged in the late 90’s. However, if it did belong in the 90’s it would be among the greats. As a debut record, the EP stands out as more than promising.
