Hailing from the vast and desolate landscapes of Iceland, Bang Gang has established itself beyond the island nation over the course of four albums with its signature moody and melodic ballads. As the brainchild of Barði Jóhannsson, the band has morphed from band to solo vehicle to collaboration and beyond since its full-length debut You in 1998.

After a seven-year absence, Bang Gang has returned with vocal and song-writing duties shared by Jóhannsson and a series of guests like Helen Marnie of Ladytron and more. The new album, the Wolves Are Whispering, navigates personal stories experienced firsthand by both Jóhannsson and those closest to him while unfolding over sonic electronics. 

When you set out to make this new album, did you anticipate it would be seven years between The Wolves Are Whispering and Ghosts from the Past?

The plan was to make a new album quite quickly after Ghosts from the Past. But then we did a Lady & Bird concert with the National Symphony Orchestra of Iceland and a choir where we performed Bang Gang, Keren Ann and Lady & Bird songs. The concert was recorded and released and we also had a huge show in Paris. After that I did a Best of Bang Gang album and got some of my favourite Icelandic bands to make covers of songs from my catalogue. Then we wrote a Lady & Bird opera, a few film scores, theatre work, music for TV series, produced a few artists and suddenly five years had passed. In between, I had always been working little by little on the new album. Worked two days, then a six month break; worked three days, took four months break etc… Last year I had all the songs, so I scheduled to finalize it and mix the album. I think having so much time, you end up with only songs that don’t get dated.

When/how did you know it was done?

When I had almost 20 unfinished songs I liked, I cut it down to 12 and then nine. Since some of the songs were quite long, I was thinking about having it fit on an LP. My goal was to make a warm and fat sound in the producing and mixing process. This is the first Bang Gang album that I mixed myself, so it sounds exactly like I wanted it to sound. There are a lot of details and many cool sounds appearing only once in each track. I think people can find new things with every listen.

 How did you pick your guest vocalists?

My guest vocalists are also co-writers. I basically worked with people that I like personally and musically. People that I feel that we have something common and that can bring some new aspect to the music on the album. I love all of my collaborators on the new album. Also on the last one when I only had Keren Ann and Anthony Gonzales from M83.

Are there any other bands out there that you feel you have a camaraderie with or would call your spirit animal?

There are a few artists I would like to try to work with and maybe in the future I will check them out. I already have a collaboration going on with JB Dunckel (Air) for our project Starwalker. We will have an album out soon and that is my main collaboration now.

 What inspired the lyrics? Are they all based around your own personal experiences? Such as "My Special One" and more…

The lyrics are a combination of my personal experience and also situations from people around me. Mostly myself. The song “My Special One” is the only song that has a direct and one special meaning as it was written on my travels and the lyrics are describing how I felt and how I feel on my travels since I became a father. The other lyrics bring together different situations. I see a scene in my head and write about it. Most of the time, it is a combination of many situations that make a scene that I express with words and music.

What do you want listeners to take away from the album?

I want them to take away exactly what they want. They can like it or not. They can connect with lyrics or music, they can understand the songs how they want. My favourite comments from people are when they tell me that my music has helped them through some hard period in their life, they had good sex listening to it or it gives them something.

How would you describe The Wolves Are Whispering in five words or less:

A Swiss journalist put it nicely : Melancholic Shoegaze Ghost Pop

In regards to Iceland, what would you say is a must-see place for visitors? Which Icelandic lake would you most like to wait by?

I would say that a must-see is Asbyrgi, Jokulsarlon, Vik, around Arnarstapi, Myvatn and so many things. Iceland is amazing. The song “Wait by the Lake” happens in a forest. In Iceland we have a saying: “If you get lost in the forest, you stand up.” Our forests are small. So I would maybe like to wait by some lake in Europe or USA, that you can be trapped in.  But in Iceland, the best is to enjoy the panoramic view and the nothingness.

What's on the horizon for Bang Gang for the rest of 2015?

A release concert in Iceland and some selected concert in Europe and US, then more videos coming and remixes. Finally planning to have less than seven years between this one and the next album. I am full of ideas and eager to work on new Bang Gang songs.