Contributing Writer
Audiovisual artist/drummer/composer/producer Aleksander Kostopoulos hails from Bodø, and is known for his work with the Sami pop trio ISÁK. He has collaborated with several other prominent Norwegian artists and has released three albums before now, as well as composing works for contemporary dance and theatre, often in tandem with lighting designers. His own falsetto vocals are featured in his work, and his upcoming LP, ‘Klangre’, is another unique and innovative full-length work by the Scandinavian artist. We caught up with Aleksander to get the lowdown on his forthcoming project…
Aleksander! Thanks for chatting to us at Music Is 4 Lovers, how’s your 2025 going so far?
Hi! Thanks for having me!
For me personally, 2025 has started much like it has in recent years. I usually spend the first months of the year writing new music while also doing some concerts and events here and there. This January and February for example; I’ll be touring Norway’s west coast, performing my audiovisual album project ‘FolaNero’ for middle and high school students. I often plan to spend more time outside the studio during the winter months, but to be honest, I haven’t quite managed that yet.
You’re currently based in Bodø, Norway; we’d love to know more about what you get up to within your local music scene.
I currently live just outside Norway’s capital, Oslo, although I’m originally from Bodø in Northern Norway. I moved south many years ago when I was working as a freelance drummer and needed to expand my network; however, I’ve never fully adapted to life in the south and still feel deeply connected to my roots in the north. For example, I’ll be heading back to Bodø for my album release.
Since I transitioned from being a drummer for others to focusing on my own career as an artist and composer, I’ve also noticed that I’m no longer part of a local community in the same way. My collaborators are spread across Norway, and together we create projects that I then tour with.
Next month, you’re serving up a full length LP on Beatservice Records, ‘Klangre’. Could you tell us about the upcoming record?
A few years ago, I read a research article about my hometown, Bodø, and global warming; it revealed that my city had lost 60 winter days over the past 30 years (by winter days, they meant days with temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius). It was a sobering read, and the researchers predicted that this trend would continue, suggesting that the winter as we know it is already gone.
With this in mind, I created ‘Klangre’, a tribute to our winter.
What’s your number one goal right now as an artist?
I don’t think I really have any goals anymore. Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time figuring out what I want and don’t want, how to achieve this or that, but as I’ve grown older those things have become less and less important. Today, I just feel incredibly lucky to be able to create music and work on projects, with all their ups and downs. I make music for its own sake, and for my own, and I care very little about the noise surrounding it from the outside.
‘Klangre’ is certainly an organic sounding project; do you tend to take inspiration from the natural world as part of your production process?
Yes, this is probably tied to the themes of the album. I create and produce all my music “in the box,” meaning I work entirely in Ableton on my laptop. I also add vocals and record my drums and percussion on top of that. In practical terms, my production process is actually a very “digital” way of doing things; however, the themes I explore and what I care about often revolve around human and natural elements. Maybe that’s what listeners pick up on?
Could you give us some personal highlights from 2024? These don’t have to be related to music 🙂
On the music front, I have to mention the dance performance “Begrenset” (Restricted), for which I had the pleasure of composing the music together with Finnish fiddler Inkeri Laitinen. I absolutely love working with dance and would love to do more of it in the future.
Additionally, I had the privilege of composing new music for the silent film ‘Sherlock Jr.’ by Buster Keaton, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. I performed the music live during a silent film festival in Tromsø, in Northern Norway. On another note, I’m a huge football fan. I’ve been following Real Madrid since I was a little boy, and seeing them win La Liga and the Champions League again was absolutely thrilling!
What else can we expect from Aleksander Kostopoulos in 2025?
As I mentioned earlier, I’m currently working on new music. In August 2025, I’ll premiere my latest work, ‘Fango’, where I compose for myself and three string players from Ensemble Noor. The piece will be performed at the Varanger Festival in Vadsø and will then tour Northern Norway in the fall. “Fango” is about hope and the act of standing firm on unstable ground. Eventually, the piece will culminate in my fifth album.
Follow Aleksander Kostopoulos: Instagram– Soundcloud– Spotify
