About
SVIN is a trio from Copenhagen: Henrik Pultz Melbye on saxophone, EWI, clarinet and keys, Lars Bech Pilgaard on guitars and keys, and Thomas Eiler on drums. Together they make dark, drony noise rock that draws on drone, avant-garde, folklore and ceremonial music. Some of it is moody and dark, some of it more uplifting, and it keeps pushing the boundaries of instrumental music.
The band started in 2008 and released its debut album, Heimat, in 2011. Since then SVIN has released eight albums and played everywhere from the smallest DIY clubs in Serbia to Roskilde Festival, Eurosonic and by:Larm, with tours across Europe, Russia and the Balkans.
From 2019 to 2022, SVIN was part of The Young Artistic Elite, a programme run by the Danish Arts Foundation. The band used those years to work across art forms. In 2019 SVIN wrote a commissioned work for Århus Sinfonietta. It premiered at Aarhus Festuge and was released as the album ELEGI in 2022, credited to SVIN & Århus Sinfonietta.
Introducing SVIN (2022) brought more electronics into the trio’s sound, with guest vocals by Bisse and Marie Eline Hansen. It was recorded by Jens Benz and won Experimental Album of the Year at the Danish Music Awards Jazz 2023.
In 2023 SVIN worked with three dancers on the dance production Monster, performed at Den Fynske Opera. In 2024 the band joined forces with Bisse under the name BISSESVINET and released the album Blodager, where SVIN’s sound meets Bisse’s poetic universe.
The band’s newest work is Carrier, a new piece written with Århus Sinfonietta. The music premiered in September 2025, and the album is due in early 2027.
The albums so far: Heimat (2011), Secretly We Are Gay (2013), SVIN (2014, PonyRec), Missionær (2016, PonyRec), Virgin Cuts (2018, Mom Eat Dad Records), ELEGI (2022, Dacapo Records), Introducing SVIN (2022, Tonzonen) and, as BISSESVINET, Blodager (2024).
Writing in Louder Than War, John Robb put it this way: “Normally bands like this create their genius in the flickering shadows on the underground but SVIN have enough ammunition to go the whole hog and take the dark power onto the main stages.”
Press
Normally bands like this create their genius in the flickering shadows on the underground but SVIN have enough ammunition to go the whole hog and take the dark power onto the main stages.
John Robb, Louder Than War
SVIN at Radio FF stage (Sharpe Festival) was definitely one of the strongest concerts of the whole festival.
Mária Lišková, Musicpress.sk
It took courage, endurance, skill and strength to create Introducing SVIN, which can be highly recommended to anyone with a penchant for NIN, Swans, Einstürzende Neubauten, Rob Zombie, Coil and Neurosis.
Seismograf.dk
Bios
Short bio about 50 words
SVIN is a trio from Copenhagen playing dark, drony noise rock. Since their debut album Heimat in 2011, they have played everywhere from small DIY clubs in Serbia to Roskilde Festival. Their album Introducing SVIN won Experimental Album of the Year at the Danish Music Awards Jazz 2023.
Medium bio about 150 words
SVIN is a trio from Copenhagen: Henrik Pultz Melbye on saxophone, EWI, clarinet and keys, Lars Bech Pilgaard on guitars and keys, and Thomas Eiler on drums. They play dark, drony noise rock. Some of it is moody and dark, some of it more uplifting.
The band started in 2008 and released its debut album, Heimat, in 2011. Since then SVIN has played everywhere from the smallest DIY clubs in Serbia to Roskilde Festival, Eurosonic and by:Larm, and toured across Europe, Russia and the Balkans.
From 2019 to 2022, SVIN was part of the Danish Arts Foundation’s programme The Young Artistic Elite. In 2019 the band wrote music for Århus Sinfonietta. It premiered at Aarhus Festuge and was released as the album ELEGI in 2022.
Introducing SVIN (2022), recorded by Jens Benz, won Experimental Album of the Year at the Danish Music Awards Jazz 2023. It brings more electronics into the trio’s sound, with guest vocals by Bisse and Marie Eline Hansen.
Long bio about 350 words
SVIN is a trio from Copenhagen: Henrik Pultz Melbye on saxophone, EWI, clarinet and keys, Lars Bech Pilgaard on guitars and keys, and Thomas Eiler on drums. Together they make dark, drony noise rock that draws on drone, avant-garde, folklore and ceremonial music. Some of it is moody and dark, some of it more uplifting, and it keeps pushing the boundaries of instrumental music.
The band started in 2008 and released its debut album, Heimat, in 2011. Since then SVIN has released eight albums and played everywhere from the smallest DIY clubs in Serbia to Roskilde Festival, Eurosonic and by:Larm, with tours across Europe, Russia and the Balkans.
From 2019 to 2022, SVIN was part of The Young Artistic Elite, a programme run by the Danish Arts Foundation. The band used those years to work across art forms. In 2019 SVIN wrote a commissioned work for Århus Sinfonietta. It premiered at Aarhus Festuge and was released as the album ELEGI in 2022, credited to SVIN & Århus Sinfonietta.
Introducing SVIN (2022) brought more electronics into the trio’s sound, with guest vocals by Bisse and Marie Eline Hansen. It was recorded by Jens Benz and won Experimental Album of the Year at the Danish Music Awards Jazz 2023.
In 2023 SVIN worked with three dancers on the dance production Monster, performed at Den Fynske Opera. In 2024 the band joined forces with Bisse under the name BISSESVINET and released the album Blodager, where SVIN’s sound meets Bisse’s poetic universe.
The band’s newest work is Carrier, a new piece written with Århus Sinfonietta. The music premiered in September 2025, and the album is due in early 2027.
The albums so far: Heimat (2011), Secretly We Are Gay (2013), SVIN (2014, PonyRec), Missionær (2016, PonyRec), Virgin Cuts (2018, Mom Eat Dad Records), ELEGI (2022, Dacapo Records), Introducing SVIN (2022, Tonzonen) and, as BISSESVINET, Blodager (2024).
Writing in Louder Than War, John Robb put it this way: “Normally bands like this create their genius in the flickering shadows on the underground but SVIN have enough ammunition to go the whole hog and take the dark power onto the main stages.”
