Norwegian artist Fig Tape’s debut album ‘Forcefed Serenity’ blends punk, alt-pop, and experimental sounds in a world full of information and climate uncertainty.

Stream: “Forcefed Serenity” – Fig Tape

As a title, ‘Forcefed Serenity’ immediately raises questions.

It’s contradictory, slightly unsettling and yet… strangely relatable. And it’s exactly the kind of tension Fig Tape – AKA Oslo-based artist Elias Melkersen – was chasing on his debut album, which was released in October.

But the title didn’t appear right away. He struggled to find something that fit the album’s themes until he stumbled upon it during a session with fellow Norwegian artist Bearson.

“It perfectly explained my vision and the whole theme for the project,” he says.

Across ten tracks, Forcefed Serenity digs into the challenge of finding quiet among the constant noise of the digital age, as well as climate anxiety – a subject he feels more artists should use their platforms to highlight.

The album is a smorgasbord of sounds that reflects some of his influences: ’90s and ’00s indie, rock, alt-pop, and the trip-hop he’s been drawn to lately. Collaborations with Bearson and Alvah draw depth to the music without overshadowing Melkersen’s voice.

That sound didn’t emerge overnight. Growing up around music – his dad played in a rock band – helped shape his own style. Years of experimentation led him to a sound that feels distinctly his, and this debut serves as a strong introduction to the rising indie artist.”

“I feel like this album opened something new for me,” he says. “I’m excited to see where it takes me.”

Atwood Magazine caught up with Fig Tape to talk about the making of Forcefed Serenity, the themes behind its sound, and the questions driving his creative process.

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A CONVERSATION WITH FIG TAPE

Fig Tape: Thank you! I would say the debut album is an introduction to me as an artist, my sound and taste. Sonically, the project is a blend between genres and styles I’ve been listening to since I was a kid. I’ve always been a big fan of the ’90s and ’00s indie scene, and I guess the project is heavily influenced by that. I love weird sounds with a lot of texture, washed out guitars and live drums, so I tried to include that. To summarize it, I would say the project is describing me as an artist, while raising questions about the current state of affairs.

Fig Tape: The title for the album was something that I actually was struggling trying to find. I had a certain theme in mind but it was kind of hard to come up with something that sounded interesting. The title came when I did the session on the title track with Bearson, and it perfectly explained my vision and the whole theme for the project.

Fig Tape: I would certainly say that picking up the guitar was one of the best parts about creating the album. Also to record live drums and use them on seven out of ten songs. It was also really fun to start playing the unreleased songs live together with my band.

Fig Tape: I’m not sure if it’s directly therapeutic, but it’s more of an underlying desire to shed light on these issues. It’s something that I think of a lot, so writing about it comes naturally without thinking too much of it. The climate part is something that I think more artists should use their voices to raise awareness about.

Fig Tape: The problem for me is that I feel kinda apathetic when it comes to soaking in information these days. The sensory overload kind of numbs you, but at the same time, in stressful times, I use the sensory overload as a weird relief to block out the stressful thoughts. It is very weird. I try to use the phone less, and think of it more as a tool I use for work. I’ve had periods this year where I’m so fed up with all the information that it’s not even that interesting to check it at all. Being out in nature also helps a lot, and hanging out in the studio.

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“Poison” is another attention-grabber. Was there a certain moment that inspired that song?

Fig Tape: “Poison” came together pretty quick after a trip abroad last summer. I was really inspired because I had found so many new artists and bands over those weeks. I also wanted to combine organic sounds with a “jungle-inspired” drum groove.

Which track on Forcefed Serenity do you feel most personally connected to, and why?

Fig Tape: This changes all the time, but right now I would say I feel most personally connected to the last song, “Things to Come.” It’s the first song that I did that ended up on the project, and the first demo goes back to 2023. The song was quite different back then, but the guitar chords and tone stuck with me. I really like it because it opens up about the love of a person, and believing in a brighter future.

Collaborations with artists like Bearson and Alvah bring unique vibes. How do you usually decide who to work with?

Fig Tape: Both Bearson and Alvah are super talented and they inspire me a lot. I’ve known them both for many years now and I am so happy to include them on my project. I tend to collaborate with people that I get inspired by, both as a person and a musician, and if they have a certain sound or a taste that I enjoy I just feel that we’re meant to make something good. I feel like I share a lot of the same influences with the people that I’ve worked with on this project.

What’s the most unexpected reaction you’ve gotten from a fan about your music?

Fig Tape: I remember one of the best reactions that I’ve gotten was on a song that I produced for another artist. Instead of saying ‘’nice song’’, this person said: ‘’I can hear that it’s you that made this. I don’t know what it is, but everything you work on has a certain sound to it.’’ That reaction made me really happy, and it’s been something that’s been following me ever since. It’s so beautiful when the listeners pay attention to the details in the production and see some kind of pattern in the music that I’m unaware of when I work on it.

If you could collaborate with any – alive or not – who would it be and why?

Fig Tape: Working with Blood Orange would be amazing. I’ve always been a big fan of his stuff. Caroline Polachek and Thom Yorke are also honorable mentions. I also grew up listening a lot to David Bowie, and making music with him was always a huge dream.

You blend a lot of genres like indie pop, punk and shoegaze. Do you have a favorite style to work in or a genre you want to explore more?

Fig Tape: I feel like my sound is a big blend of different genres that I’ve been listening to and exploring ever since I started making music. My dad used to play in a rock band so I grew up listening to a lot of similar stuff. I would say that indie-punk, rock, and alt-pop are genres that I’m the most influenced by when I make music. Recently I’ve been listening a lot to trip-hop which has been really hot the last few years. I don’t think there is a certain genre that I would like to explore more, but rather ways of working, or using certain sounds or instruments to get new inspiration and perspectives.

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 © Sam Su

Forcefed Serenity

an album by Fig Tape

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