A Good Year: The Copenhagen Duo Redefining Scandinavian Sound

Daria Slikker
5 hours ago
4 min read

Copenhagen-based duo A Good Year, formed by Albert Hildebrand and Tobias Laust, is reshaping the edges of Denmark’s alternative scene with their blend of cinematic textures and understated pop. Their sound drifts somewhere between ambient pop, cinematic electronica, and textures songwriting – music that feels as visual as it does melodic. After releasing their soundtrack album Sofina in 2024, a project that began as a soundtrack to one of their own films, the pair have continued to evolve, blending sound and image into something distinct and immersive.

Their breakout collaboration ‘YSL’ with Horse Vision has now surpassed 200,000 streams on Spotify, and their latest single ‘Dealerz’, released at the start of October, marks the beginning of a warmer, more immediate chapter that’s still rooted in their characteristic sense of atmosphere. With most of their listeners based in Copenhagen, followed by growing audiences in London, Brooklyn, LA, and New York, A Good Year is a band to keep an eye (or ear) out for.

In conversation, the duo reflect on their beginnings, the blurred line between film and music, and where they hope this next era will take them.

For those who might be discovering you for the first time, how did A Good Year come together, and what drew you all to start making music in Copenhagen?

We’re based in Copenhagen and met around seven years ago through Tobias’ former band Liss. After a while, we wanted to start a project where the visuals and the music could exist in balance rather than one dictating the other. It actually began with a film we made for the CPH:DOX film festival. Albert was studying in Norway, so we filmed across Denmark and Norway, creating a landscape film with an accompanying soundtrack. From there, we started moving towards more song-based music. We’ve always known what the project is, even if it’s hard to define. It’s both a band and a film project. For now, we’re focusing more on being a band, making music, and collaborating with other artists.

Your debut album Sofina came out earlier last year. How does it feel looking back on that release now? What did it represent for you as a band?

Sofina was very tied to the film and works as a soundtrack album. In that sense, it’s our debut, but it also isn’t. It’s rooted in the visuals and scenes we created, and that connection shaped its sound. The ideas from Sofina have carried into our new singles, but now we’re more focused on traditional songwriting and moving beyond the film.

Your sound feels both rooted in Copenhagen’s alternative music scene and influenced by international styles. How would you describe your musical identity to someone who hasn’t heard you yet?

It’s a mix of a lot of things because our tastes are broad. You can hear that Tobias comes from a more traditional band background, but the sound has become more ambient and textured. We like using field recordings and organic sounds to make the music feel visual – something you can almost see or touch. Vocally, we prefer a collective voice rather than one front vocalist. The voices shift between songs, and we like that sense of movement and collaboration. The same goes for the production in terms of how it’s a blend of analogue and digital, structured and deconstructed.

‘YSL,’ your collaboration with Horse Vision, has become your most streamed track. How did that collaboration come about, and what do you think makes that song connect so strongly with listeners?

We made that track with Johan from Horse Vision, who’s a close friend and collaborator. He lived in Copenhagen for a while but is now based in Stockholm. We’ve worked together for years, and ‘YSL’ came together through that ongoing back-and-forth of sending files between Norway, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. It’s a fully Scandinavian song.

You just released your new single ‘Dealerz’ in October – what inspired that track, and how does it hint at the direction you’re heading next?

‘Dealerz’ connects closely to our next single, which comes out soon. We’re working toward a new album, and this track feels like a warm, nostalgic step in that direction. It took a long time to make since a lot of it happened remotely, sending ideas online. That’s something we’ve been thinking about – the way music now often exists more online than in real life. The next single is also a collaboration, and we’ve been working a lot with other artists both in and outside Copenhagen. The local scene here has really exploded lately.

You’ve built a following not just in Copenhagen, but also in London, New York, LA, and Brooklyn. Do you notice differences in how people respond to your music in different cities?

It’s hard to say, but the music seems to connect with people from very different places. Even though we’re based in Copenhagen, it doesn’t sound tied to one location. Denmark is small, and a lot of artists here have this longing for something bigger or beyond. Our music probably reflects that sense of reaching outward.

What does a good year look like for you right now – creatively, personally, or as a band?

Right now, it’s about finishing the album and hopefully touring. We have a few shows in Denmark and are talking about playing in the UK and France next year. We also want to rethink how we perform live. Since we’re not a traditional indie band with guitars and drums, we’re exploring how to make the live experience more visual. Tobias comes from a background in producing and composing, while Albert is more visual art and filmmaking focused, so the goal is to merge those worlds even more.

Keep up to date with A Good Year on Instagram, and listen to them on Spotify, Apple Music, or SoundCloud.