Jacob and Victor Andersson, brothers from Sweden, are making a name for themselves in the dance music world as ManyFew. With over 3 million streams and counting on Spotify alone, ManyFew’s talent and likeability is unmistakable. Earlier this year, their release, “Where to Go” earned a top spot on Spotify’s esteemed New Music Friday Germany and Switzerland. The song caught the ear of some of the world’s most highly regarded DJs and radio stations including Lost Frequencies, Don Diablo, and Cedric Gervais. Their new song, “How Would You Know,” an up-lifting piano-based song with a tropical vibe, sits at #14 on the club charts.
When asked what sparked the brothers’ decision to embark on a music career together, they both noted that they’ve always loved house music and have been fascinated by music production and DJing; the step to begin working together was a natural one. “When we moved to Stockholm, we started to DJ at events and nightclubs, and we also started to produce some tracks by ourselves later on. We sent them out to local DJs and people in the Stockholm music industry, and we received good support that inspired us to make new records that evolved our sound,” they said.
Many people would have reservations about working with family, but not Jacob and Victor; to them, there are only benefits to their partnership. “Since we know each other so well, we have a very good workflow and we love to work together,” they admitted. Spending additional time together outside of work also enhances their teambuilding and bond. “We also share the same taste in music and that helps a lot when we are producing new tunes.”
With the music industry being a difficult one to break into and establish a place within, it takes a determined mind to believe that, “yes, we can make it.” “It’s our passion for dance music that made us believe in this,” ManyFew acknowledged. “We always strive to become better and work hard to make things happen. We have always been electronic dance music lovers and we started DJing at a very young age. Our parents have always been very supportive.” There are also many successful Swedish DJs and producers, proving to ManyFew that nothing is impossible, even if you’re from a small country.
Their first gig together was 4 years ago in Småland, located in southern Sweden. They played an intimate club, giving them their first opportunity to try out their own tracks in a live setting. “We made notes about how to improve the kick drum and bass. We went to the studio the day after and made the changes we had noted. The club feeling still gives us so much inspiration today,” the brothers stated.
As with any artist working with any medium, inspiration is occasionally in short supply. ManyFew takes inspiration from multiple sources. “This summer, we brought our laptops to a cliff next to the ocean and we sat there producing for hours. Those types of moments are so valuable,” they mused. “We also love to produce new tracks when we are traveling; it could happen on a train, in a plane, or in a hotel room. Vibrant cities are always a big inspiration to us, as well, and we love the summertime; we feel very creative during the summer.”
When creativity hits, a different process is required when two artists have input into the final product; “We do have different roles and that’s good for speeding up the production process. We play around with our sampler machine to get the first vibe,” ManyFew remarked. The brothers often think alike when it comes to production, on the rare occasion taking differing stances. That doesn’t hinder their bond, however. “There is no rivalry at all between us in the studio. We are trying to do everything we can for the song and that’s important to us.”
Technology plays a big role in dance music production and ManyFew uses virtual synthesizers and a drum machine to build some of their sound. With technology constantly evolving, it’s about keeping pace with new methods and integrating new sounds. “Technology will always go forward,” ManyFew said. “We love new technology and think it’s going to improve the workflow in the studio and the live sets. Now you can have a virtual synthesizer in your tablet and record very easily into your laptop. Producing is definitely more accessible nowadays.”
It’s not all about creating original tracks, however. Remixes are a common thread woven into the dance music scene. “We approach remixes the same as original tracks. With a remix however, the vocals are already there, so we start by finding the vocal sections that we want to use and then we create music around that,” the brothers commented. “We think it’s cool to create something different from an original.”
It’s been a busy year so far for ManyFew, with 4 singles released in 2018. “We have a new single coming out this fall with a record label based in NYC. We also have some collaborations that we are working on with Swedish as well as international DJs and producers. We’re heading to Amsterdam this month for ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event), so lots of exciting things are coming up; maybe some surprises, too,” they teased. So, keep your eyes and ears open this fall for the sounds of Jacob and Victor Andersson; the sounds of ManyFew.
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♦ This interview was originally published in Issue 21 of Face the Current Magazine, featured on pages 84-85. Order a print copy or subscribe to print at our SHOP.
