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Student demonstrators in the rainy weather protesting outside of Coffman Memorial Union on Tuesday.
Photos from April 23 protests
Published April 23, 2024

Deer in headlights

Swedish electro-pop-on-sedatives duo discuss their origins, organic inspirations and the ethos of life with A&E.

 

What: The Deer Tracks

 

When: Tuesday, 9 p.m.

 

Where: 7th St. Entry, 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis

 

Cost: $8 advance, $10 door

 

Age: 18+

 

When Sweden natives David Lehnberg and Elin Lindfors started making music together, they had no idea it would evolve into what it is today — a world-renowned experimental band on a national tour.

Atmospheric electronica outfit The Deer Tracks was born out of a quest for sweetened vocals and an ineffable connection of their spirits. David was mesmerized by Elin’s voice at a performance with her old band and felt compelled to create music with her.

“David asked me to come sing backup vocals for him so I went to the studio and we started recording and we kept on recording,” Lindfors said. “There was a connection that I felt right away, so I kept going [to the studio].”

The duo’s stage name functions as an homage to the woodland creature, originating from a shared theory about the allegorical interpretation of the inscrutability of a deer’s gaze.

“When a deer comes out of the woods and looks at you, it’s very intense, but you can’t read anything off of their eyes,” Lehnberg said. “So we’re thinking if you follow their tracks you’ll discover something — like treasure or something magical.”

The duo’s casual acceptance of the surreal and intrinsic value for the gifts from nature permeate its music, ostensibly in the band’s ethereal trilogy “The Archer,” its latest recorded effort.

Released in three separate albums, accompanied by a prologue of five tracks, “The Archer” shifts between trance-like melodies and heavily synthesized pop textures. Lindfors’ dreamy vocals soar above enigmatic sound-scapes in tracks like “Road To” and “Lazarus,” both notable for their quixotic blends.

The two artists recorded the trilogy in a number of peculiar places — a remote cabin in Sweden; an island’s lighthouse; and an old factory — discovering the variety of organic elements to be the inspiration for their sound.

“We feel very connected to nature and the universe, and we want to be in different places just to experience different things,” Lehnberg said. “If you record everything at the same place every time, it’s going to sound the same.”

Sonically, The Deer Tracks thrive from the fusion of Lehnberg’s electronic prowess and Lindfors’ haunting vocals; however, that union wouldn’t be as intertwined without their holistic — and somewhat vague — spiritual beliefs.

“I think we are all connected, and everything we do is out of love or out of lack of love,” Lehnberg said. “And I believe in the self: myself.”

“For me,” Lindfors said, “I believe in myself, and I believe that everyone has the tools to be everything they want to be.”

“If you find inner peace and harmony you can do anything.”

The intergalactic haze and otherworldly, organic vitality of the duo hits Minneapolis on Tuesday at the Entry. Realists encouraged to apply; surrealists and dream weavers, no applications necessary.

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