Swedish band Zimmer Grandioso’s signature style of music is an eclectic blend of feeling and memory, sure to conjure wistful visions of the past and eager dreams for the future. Their third EP following “Zimmer Style II” and “Zimmer Style IV” breaks the mold, lifting the band’s sound to new heights while staying true to its core. “The Lonesome Foghorn Blows” is out now, and it’s set a clear course for Zimmer Grandioso’s imminent debut album.

Recently, the band was nice enough to respond to a few questions I had about their current goings on.

YY: Zimmer Grandioso has a sound that “dares to move in several directions at once.” Was the band’s signature sound carefully curated over time, or was it always there? Where do you believe such a layered sound comes from?

ZG: I think it was always pretty much there and we wanted to start the band with a clear idea of what kind of music we wanted to write. Obviously that changes a bit over time, but the core is still there. All of us write songs too, which of course creates a fun and special dynamic.

Your third EP represents “joy and melancholy on either side of the dinner table.” How can we expect to hear these emotions mingle together and with others on “The Lonesome Foghorn Blows,” or would you rather leave that up to each individual listener?

It's always, or at least partly, up to the individual listener to decide. But again, different songwriters and different moods create different vibes. So the fact that it's both joy and melancholy can be heard easily between the different tracks. Go with the flow!

The band seems more interested in capturing a feeling or a moment in time than writing music for music’s sake. Where does most of the inspiration for your music come from?

I'd say everything comes from a feeling and trying not to think too much. The band was formed on one of those very rare, perfect Swedish summer days, and for at least some of us that feeling remains.

Similarly, the name itself – “The Lonesome Foghorn Blows” – paints such a clear picture as to what you might be getting into before listening. At the very least, the name creates a feeling. How much thought is put into the names of songs, EPs, or this upcoming album?

As mentioned, we try not to think too much about those things. We don't wanna get hold up in a long process of coming up with "the perfect name" or anything like that. You hear something you like or you read something which you find interesting and more often than not you end up with, "Ah, that's a great title for the next song or record.” The new EP title is picked from the first season of “Twin Peaks.” I challenge you to find where it's spoken!

Why isn’t this EP called “Zimmer Style VI?”

Sometimes things just gotta go. And who knows what the next record will be called? We might go back to Zimmer Style in the future.

What is your personal favorite track on this EP, and why?

Oh, I really can't say. They all play a special role on the EP and that's just the way I like it. It's up to the listener to find a personal favorite!

What’s the plan for Zimmernight? Will it look like a traditional record release show, or is there more in store?

It's a release show but it's also just a grand party with friends and nice people. We got four other top acts playing and we might bring in some karaoke late at night. Who knows?

I understand the band is currently in the process of putting together your debut album. What can you share about your process for this album?

It's gonna be a good ride. We have a bunch of songs already and we're gonna end up with many more. I guess the aim is to create an album which people will recognize, but also to mix in some new cool stuff. It's a good thing, to develop and do new things, to try out different settings and instruments.

“The Lonesome Foghorn Blows” is “starting to approach the core of Zimmer Grandioso.” Will the album take you one step further? How?

Possibly. And once you reach the core, where do you go? Probably away from it, to find your way back once again further down the road. But overall I think we're becoming more and more secure in our songwriting and things are getting easier and easier. We know each other's strengths and qualities, so as long as everyone steps up and writes about two songs each, everything is gonna work out just fine.