“Music can be such a tonic, especially when it is this exhilarating. It is impossible not to be physically moved”- Clash Magazine.

“Balances hypnotic, trance-ready propulsion with melodic vulnerability, creating a slowly unfolding story that exists seamlessly between club energy and emotional depth.”- Notion.

“This one is for fans of the explosive, the unexpected, and the unrelenting”- Earmilk

The core ambition behind ‘This Is Why We Lost’, the highly anticipated second Smag På Dig Selv (SPDS) record, was to create music that can exist within a trance or club-oriented setting, while still carrying a strong melodic and narrative arc.

The Danish trio, comprised of two saxophonists and one drummer, have built an international reputation since 2018 as one of Scandinavia’s most intense and unconventional live acts, blending acoustic instrumentation with techno structures, punk energy, and references to 90s dance culture. Their performances have taken them from major festivals in Europe to SummerStage in Central Park, New York, as well as showcase platforms such as SXSW, The Great Escape, and Eurosonic.

Musically, Oliver Lauridsen (tenor sax), Thorbjørn Øllgaard (baritone and bass sax), and Albert Holberg (drums) are older now and are starting to take their music and their lives more seriously. Stripping away some of the self-ironic titles and musical choices that may have frequented their previous work, the album features the band’s moms, a nod to minimalist composer Kali Malone, and a Palestinian folk song. Different voices, different stories, all finding space together.

Still, there’s a red line running through everything. This time the band have tried to have things less in an arm’s length. The curiosity is the same, but it’s more focused now — more confident, more open. It feels like a step forward, without letting go of where they came from.

Featuring recent singles ‘Like A Word I Never Knew’, which Radio X’s John Kennedy has championed, the Dutch Gabber inspired ‘Vik’s Rawcore’, which features acclaimed Vibraphonist Viktoria Søndergaard and the acoustic techno of ‘Let’s Go!’,Smag På Dig Selv continue to challenge the conventions of instrumental music with ‘This Is Why We Lost’ — merging the openness of jazz with the physicality of electronic music and the raw intensity of underground club culture.

Hypnotic and immersive, the album, which was produced by TMI Tammi, is a melting pot of contradiction, which balances propulsion with vulnerability, inviting listeners into a slowly unfolding, melodic story. ‘This Is Why We Lost’ also takes aim at the recent rise in popularity of right-wing politicians both in the west, the east and in the global south.

“There are many reasons for this, but we think this is the time to consider how it could have happened and what the left wing has done or not done to make this happen”, the band said. “As much as the left wing is good at criticizing the right wing, we should also look inwards and think what we could have done to prevent this”, they further explain.

Clash Magazine said, “Music can be such a tonic, especially when it is this exhilarating. It is impossible not to be physically moved”, in a glowing 9/10 review of the album, whilst Notion Magazine said- “Balances hypnotic, trance-ready propulsion with melodic vulnerability, creating a slowly unfolding story that exists seamlessly between club energy and emotional depth.”

The album release will be supported by an extensive international tour throughout 2026, including dates across Europe and the UK. The live dates currently scheduled are as follows, with more to be announced shortly:

February:

21/2: Nordklang Festival, CH

April:

15/4 Pustervik, Göteborg, SE

16/4 Blaa, Oslo, NO

17/4 Debaser, Stockholm, SE

18/4 Plan B, Malmø, SE

22/4 Lark, Berlin, DE

25/4 Atelier Café, Cluj, RO

26/4 Control Club, Bucharest, RO

29/4 A38, Budapest, HU

May:

6/5 Gazarte Ground Stage, Athens, GR

7/5 Soul Skg, Thessaloniki, GR

16/5 Rough Trade, London, UK

20/5 Hug and Pint, Glasgow, UK

21/5 Voodoo Daddy’s, Norwich, UK

22/5 Shindig, Charlton Park, UK

23/5 Bearded Theory, UK