Wynd on Space and Restraint
Photo by Johan Bjørn
Denmark-based singer-songwriter Morten Larsen, aka Wynd, creates folk music that feels deeply personal yet quietly expansive. His work is shaped by restraint, texture, and a deliberate focus on emotional clarity. Following the release of “Go Back,” we spoke with Larsen about the beauty of leaving space within a song and his upcoming single “The Shores.”
UpToHear: Your sound lives somewhere between intimacy and atmosphere. When you’re writing, are you more focused on capturing a feeling, or building the sonic world around it?
Wynd: For me, the atmosphere of a song has to reflect the storytelling in the lyrics. The two are both important in my view but most of the time I tend to be more focused on capturing a feeling, something that can be felt even without having to catch every lyric. On “The Shores,” the lyrics and chorus melody came to me first, and honestly came together quite quickly, whereas building the soundscape was a longer process. I sampled some violin my friend recorded and probably re-recorded the acoustic guitar 5 times, before going back to the original demo recording - it just had more nerve and intimacy, although recorded poorly. I think, because I'm both a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, recording on a simple 4-track helps me focus on the crucial elements of a song and not over-produce it.
UpToHear: Working with a 4-track, how do you decide what belongs in a song and what doesn’t?
Wynd: Initially with this project, using the 4-track cassette recorder to craft my songs was meant as a writing exercise and to challenge myself. I was very inspired by albums with little to no drums and bass on them, like Laura Marling's Patterns in Repeat and Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, so for this song, it made sense to not include them. I do feel like that restraint in the production you mention, is a good reflection of the lyrics. I see the song as someone reflecting on whether to reach out to a past lover, but at the same time is very hesitant to do so. So in this case I felt the simple instrumentation underlined the theme of the tune well.
UpToHear: Your music feels very close and lo-fi, almost as though it’s being performed in the room with us. Is that something you consciously aim for, or something that naturally comes through your process?
Wynd: I appreciate that. That's why I wanted to go back to making folk songs. Having produced for other artists, in many different genres, I think folk has a unique way of drawing people in and creating that intimate, in the room feeling. I also tend to record everything very quiet and close to the mic, so the vocals feel right there in your ear and the guitars are all processed through the same effects, so they feel like they exist in the same space. This song in particular was mostly recorded in one take, so the vocals and guitars are performed live from start to end, which also gives it this vulnerable and personal feel.
UpToHear: Do you think in terms of genre while creating, or is your writing more instinctive and emotion-led?
Wynd: I'd say I'm naturally drawn to genres with lots of organic and acoustic elements, such as indie and folk, but there's no informed decision as I am creating. Of course, when picking up a banjo or a mandolin or a harmonica, as is the case with “The Shores,” the listener will immediately think of genres like folk and singer-songwriter. For me, the drive definitely comes from the emotion I wish to project, more so than trying to fit into a certain genre of playlists on Spotify for example.
Still by Kasper Leegaard
UpToHear: When someone listens to your music, what do you hope they take away from it emotionally or personally?
Wynd: I hope that my music offers a space for the listener to explore their vulnerable emotions, the bittersweet feelings. I feel like there’s a playfulness in my music and definitely hopefulness as well, but I think the emotions, that can be tough to deal with at times, are the most interesting to convey and hopefully I can bring the listener closer to an understanding of themselves. As an artist, I am all about the feeling my music translates to, and how my listeners relate to my songs. While the songs are based on deeply personal emotions my goal is always to create a community and for Wynd to be a project that everyone can be a part of.
UpToHear: This isn't really a question, but we need you to promise us that, no matter what, you’ll never stop utilizing analog gear to create your music.
Wynd: Of course! That's an easy promise. This song, along with my upcoming EP project also titled The Shores, has truly opened my eyes to recording on analog gear and it is something I plan to explore further in the future. I already have my sights on a 10-track Tascam tape recorder :)