Zar Paulo takes over Aarhus with their new album EX_EUROPA

They have written songs in a bunker under a 7-Eleven in Aarhus, hunted for bugs in a damp castle basement and created music in a disused county hospital. Now the Aarhus boys in Zar Paulo are returning home with the album EX_EUROPA and their biggest concerts to date. We spoke to Emil Vammen and Johan Horsmans about the hardships of being half-grown, the joy of friendship and the electric steam that arises when thousands of people let go together.

It all started in high school and college. Five boys, a bunch of instruments and a shared dream. Today, over ten years later, they are the same five friends, but the world around them is different. For Zar Paulo, friendship and music are two sides of the same coin, an inseparable DNA that holds them together when everything else changes shape.

“We have never been friends without being a band, and we have never been a band without being friends,” they say. It is precisely this close connection that is the foundation of their live shows. And in Aarhus they are not just visiting, they are at home. Here the audience is not just spectators, but part of the “secret ingredient” that makes the band work even harder.

A basement full of creeps and creativity

Working on the new album, EX_EUROPA, has taken the band to some rather unique and less than romantic places. Emil suggested moving into Ulstrup Castle, but the dream of a castle idyll was quickly replaced by the reality of a damp basement.

“It was terrible in many ways to be there. It was incredibly humid, and all sorts of animals came in that we had to catch and chase out,” laughs Johan. But in the darkness and the noise from the fans that were supposed to keep the humidity away, they found a distinctive work calm. When the conditions were “down there,” the music became the only anchor. The result is an album that dares to look inward into a world that feels like a trick of the light, an optical illusion where it is difficult to find a foothold.

No checklist, even internally within the band

During the conversation, the conversation turns to how the listener should actually understand the imagery-rich lyrics. Here, the band is very aware that they do not have a list of answers. In fact, it is part of Zar Paulo's DNA that the songs can mean something different to everyone, and even within the band they can strongly disagree about the meaning of a single line.

“For me, it’s a mark of quality when things can be interpreted in multiple ways without being contradictory,” explains Emil. An example is the song Til Tops, where a line about angels breaking their legs is interpreted very differently by Emil and Johan. But they see this very ambiguity as a strength. This means that the songs act as mirrors where you, the listener, can find your own truth, regardless of whether you are 18 or 55 years old.

When habits become values

Where the debut album, Miserable Software, was a dystopian salute to technology, EX_EUROPA delves deeper into human software. It's about being "half-grown". The phase where you're trying to figure out who you are, while your plans are "just something you say" and your visions "melt on your tongue".

The song Paraplyer is a beautiful example of these conflicting feelings. For some, it may be a picture of a generation in constant crisis preparedness, but for Emil the core is more intimate: “It’s a love song that’s about taking worry and sadness in advance. About walking with your umbrella ready, even if the sun is shining, and thus forgetting to enjoy the moment with the one you love.”

The pot with the lid on

In April, there will be two big concerts at Aarhus Congress Center. And if you ask the band about the difference between playing indoors and outdoors, the conversation quickly turns to a pot analogy that perfectly describes their live energy.
“An indoor concert acts like a lid on a pot. The steam can’t escape, and the intensity builds until it all boils over,” they explain. It’s in this mood that Emil plans his next crowdsurf, this time with “even more swing” than the last.

The goal, however, is always the same: that we, who are standing in the hall, leave with the feeling of being connected. That for a few hours we have been part of something bigger, where we have let go of control and set ourselves free.

Home to Le Coq

When the dust has settled in ACC and the last crowdsurfer has been safely put down, you will find them in their natural habitat. “You don’t have to look far to find us down at Le Coq,” they say with a smile. This is where the roots lie. Here they are not pop stars or generational voices, but just the same five friends who started it all ten years ago.

When the big halls are empty and the steam has eased, this is where they land again. Ready for the next chapter, with something new up their sleeve.

The practical:

Zar Paulo concert (Album: EX_EUROPA)

Where the concert will be held: Aarhus Congress Center

Performance dates: April 10th (sold out) – extra concert April 11th (there are still a few tickets left)