Latvian indie trio Carnival Youth have just released their fourth studio album Good Luck and are currently on their biggest European tour. Led by twins Edgars Kaupers (guitar, vocals) and Emīls Kaupers (drums, vocals), they’ve been together for a few years now, and are making waves in the Baltics and beyond. They took time out from their busy schedule to introduce themselves…
Can you tell me a bit more about the band? How did you begin?
We met Robert when me and Emil switched schools in the eight grade. Each of us had some background of music school and some private lessons, but we never really thought about becoming a band. We had a wonderful opportunity to go to the rehearsal space of our fathers, so after school we would go there and just play around and have fun. And then the first gig happened and naturally the snowball got bigger and bigger and here we are.
Is there a theme to the new album?
In the new album we try to be as honest as ever. Naïve melodies mixed with serious lyrics sometimes create an apocalyptic vibe. Each song has a different source and a different feeling. There is an irony flowing through it all, the melodies contrasting the lyrics. It is about three guys, trying to understand what it means to be human and how the universe works.
Where did the title Good Luck come from?
We were recording the album in Red Bull Studio in Sao Paulo, Brazil and our producer wished us good luck in the next take after we couldn’t get something right. And that’s how it come together, it happened very naturally. And also the name Good Luck could be seen as an ironic phrase.
Can you describe your ‘creative camps?’
Usually we go to the countryside of Latvia and spend the days with ease and no pressure writing new music, every day feels the same. Wake up, eat breakfast, write and record till dinner, watch an episode of a TV series, go back to writing till you fall asleep. It’s great.
What’s next?
Life goes on, we have to survive Good Luck tour first, and then we’ll see.
Check out the tour dates here.