by mariah estran
photo by dixi delin
It was a compiled list of band names that would become the great savior for a Swedish indie-group.
Time was counting down, and they needed a peek at the list. A catalog that was the brainchild of their good friend, Dixi. Scrambling to reach the author, lead vocalist Valle inquired, “Dixi, I really need to take a look at your list.” Suddenly, that was it – Dixies List became the title for the trio.
Now, they joke about the confusion the moniker can bring, but they are furthest from the term “Dixieland.” Instead, Valle and Fanny Betnér, plus Alvin Olin, have intertwined their musical tastes. Bringing Swedish punk, pop, and even metal to the table. The product is an organic sound that stems from simply wanting to experiment with music they enjoy.
“I don’t think we thought very much about developing our own sound, it kind of just happened,” Valle explains. “We started the band just because we realized we listened to the same things.”
They met in high school, and when their final year arrived, they agreed to put focus on the band. The unprecedented times of the pandemic kept them on a schedule of consistent rehearsing. Valle describes that time, “I quite enjoyed it in some ways because I feel like that’s when we really grew together as a band. We started to gather creativity and inspiration together.”
As the world began to shut down, the band found refuge through energetic party anthems. Documenting the young adult experience riddled with memorable nights out, even when restricted to apartment buildings. Their single “2:45” is that latest example. “There was a time when we had a friend group that had loads of parties all the time,” Valle shares. “We were drinking a lot and sitting in our apartments – wishing we could be out clubbing or in a bar. The song is basically about getting tired of doing that, and wanting more, something else, something fresh.”
That frantic-filled high is felt through the tracks elevated drum kicks that could fill a dance floor. A crescendo into unignorable angst completed with a cry for the night to end and a metaphor for working through life’s fickle phases.
Valle explaining those conflicting positions, “I am the only one feeling that way – so I’m wanting to go to bed, no one wants to quit the party.”
The visual, directed by Fanny’s girlfriend, Tora Andersson, carries that chaos to the screen. It’s drinks in hand, dancing in the living room, causing a mess until the early morning hours type vibes. “I think you can see the 2000s inspiration,” Fanny says. Adding that the party scenes you would see in movies and indie-music videos was what the track felt like. “She’s also quite inspired by classic Swedish indie-rock, also Swedish alternative culture,” Fanny says on Tora’s video direction. Specifically noting the band Broder Daniel. Their essence brought in through grainy film, documenting a raw, coming-of-age story of Dixies List.
The band was unpacking a new stage of adulthood while observing and reacting to the shifts happening around them. When things became isolating, they were coping with that time, searching for ways to connect when the typical resources were scarce. “As a songwriter, I realized it’s been harder to write songs during the pandemic because you really idolize looking at other people, being outside, being at bars,” Valle says. From one angle, they had elevated their craft by cultivating their sound due to granted time to rehearse. On the other, they had to dig to get those emotions out. “What started the entire concept for the record was during the lockdown,” Valle shares. Laughing, they mention a television series that sparked an idea. “I watched a lot of How I Met Your Mother, and there’s a quote from the series that’s: ‘Nothing good happens after 3 A.M.’”
However, it wasn’t just parties they were pulling from. There was pent-up anxiety from observing the changes in society. A song that originally started as a few guitar chords became a reaction to the unresolved issue of climate change. “The End” is full of poignant proclamations soaked in mid-2000s emo cadence. Fanny simply states, “Just having the feeling of this is the end.”
The three have found a way to express the rollercoaster ways of life, finding that balance of highs and lows. “I basically want listening to us to be like going to a party or coming to our shows should be like, going to a huge house party,” Valle concludes. “But also, it’s important to have the more mellow and slow songs.”
Because at some point, the party ends. But there's a good chance Dixies List is already creating a new tune for the next one.