Bittereinder till the death

What was the recording process like on latest album 'Dans Tot Die Dood'?

Amazing, the most magical we've had. We were isolated in the mountains of Mpumalanga for a week, writing new stuff all day and most nights, really hitting a common creative space a lot faster and more fluently than all our previous bodies of work.

How does this album differ from previous offerings?

The sound is definitely a new development, we're pretty sure that all the songs are going to translate well as live songs, which was also important to us. We wanted to create an album that was fun to perform in its entirety and didn't include any tracks that are lost under the radar if they don't have video or single potential.

Any particularly favourite songs?

At this stage, all of them! Hartseer Gangster became the obvious first single, but The Flood is getting a lot of love from people we've been playing it to, and, personally, I really enjoy a song called Great Track.

Loving the video for Hartseer Gangster. What was the inspiration behind this song and video?

It's a chorus that Peach has been messing around with for a while, which has made us laugh a lot over the past few months - and the whole song just kind of wrote itself when Louis came up with that beat and the chorus just worked. It's a song about being lonely and wondering if you're worth anything.

If you could describe the album as a meal what would it be and why?

The last meal you eat on Death Row. Ha ha, it's an album about death, sort of.

Where are you planning to tour with the new album?

Everywhere that can handle it. All over South Africa, of course, and our plans for Europe and South America in 2016 are also taking shape.

Can we expect the usual Louis Minnaar stamp of excellence on the new album design?

We know of no other way. This time it's some lovely minimal line work, focussed largely on the lyrics and typography.

The band has achieved a fair amount of acclaim and accolades. What have been some of your personal Bittereinder highlights so far?

Definitely playing the Lowlands Festival in NL, all four Oppikoppi sets, playing Melkweg and Paradiso in Amsterdam, all the epic tours and trips we've done together over the past six years, getting to collaborate on stage and in studio with our heroes and friends like Tumi Molekane, HemelBesem, David Kramer, Toast Coetzer, Shane Durrant, Inge Beckmann amongst many, many others. Being in Bittereinder is the best.

What's next?

More videos, a new live set, Park Acoustics, Arcade Empire's Halloween show, I'm hitting quite a few more acoustic Bittereinder shows this year, and then the full band will be touring with the new album all over South Africa in the coming few months. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for show dates and venues.

"Dans Tot Die Dood" is now available for download on iTunes.

www.bittereinder.com