By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Norwegian folk-pop group Kings of Convenience made their debut nearly nine years ago with an album that declared ``Quiet is the New Loud.''
Since then, Eirik Glambek Boe and Erlend Oye have taken their ``quiet'' sound to a new level with sparse acoustic and melancholic tunes that have been embraced by fans around the world, especially Korea.
In an e-mail interview with The Korea Times, Boe said they believe in creating their sound using as few elements as possible.
Two guitars, two voices and a smattering of piano or viola is all they need to make music. Their minimalist approach is showcased in their first album in five years ― ``Declaration of Dependence.''
``With the new album it just feels like we have moved even further into the territory of our style. We didn't want to change the whole basis of our band. Quiet is still the new loud,'' Boe said.
The album title, Boe said, can apply to different kinds of relationships. ``It seems people are more dependent on the people around them than we usually like to admit. We wanted to play with this phenomenon in the title, and of course it has an autobiographical meaning as well,'' he said.
While fans might complain about the long wait, Kings of Convenience believe five years is how long it takes to complete an album.
``We write songs about important episodes in our lives, and these episodes don't happen all the time, so one just has to wait until the time is ready. In addition to this, we spend a lot of time recording our songs. We play everything live in the studio, so that means there's a lot of trial and error,'' Boe said.
Boe and Oye have known each other since they were 16 years old in Bergen, Norway. They were in a band together in high school, but it took a few years before they formed Kings of Convenience.
Asked how they have stayed together after all these years, Boe said the secret is spending time apart while playing tennis occasionally.
Boe and Oye collaborate when coming up with song ideas, but inspiration comes more organically. ``Inspiration comes when it wants me, not when I want it,'' Boe said.
Kings of Convenience is preparing to return for a concert April 4 at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. The duo is popular for the songs ``Stay Out Of Trouble'' and ``I'd Rather Dance With You,'' which were used for TV commercials in Korea.
Aside from their show, Boe hopes to see more of Seoul this time. ``I'm looking forward to enjoying spring and walking around the city, in the park by that little river (Cheonggye Stream) that has been dug out in the center of Seoul,'' he said.
The concert starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are 88,000 won and 77,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com (1544-1555). For English-language information and reservations, call (02) 563-0595 or email
.