Low-Fi Backstage with Søren Manscher

Søren’s love for music was born during his childhood, when his father would listen to music from the seventies in the kitchen while cooking. “On the weekends he would wake me and my brother up with Queen’s last album, Made In Heaven, and we’d eat breakfast together listening to the rest of the album. That’s where my interest for guitar began.” Søren remembers.

When experiencing music live and listening to records, Søren is most often impressed by artists who succeed with limited equipment and sparse use of effects. 10 years ago that was Fleetwood Mac, whereas nowadays it would be Big Thief who impressed him. “What I admire the most in both bands is the stripped-down soundscape and the exquisite songs,” he praised. When he listens to songs within the classic western songwriter tradition, he is often hooked by the narrative and frame of the song. Here, Teitur, Joni Mitchell and Bill Callahan are his huge inspirations. Søren’s newest hero is Cassandra Jenkins.

Through his career Søren experimented quite a bit, spanning from noisy indie-rock in English, to superhero rock, to pop music, drum-based electronic music and currently to a more classic songwriter tradition in Danish. Now he writes songs about less explored subjects like hitch-hiking through Denmark, forgiving an ex-girlfriend, dumpster-diving in Gentofte and meeting his childhood best friend.

“I’ve been in a few different bands, but right now I like to switch between being a hired guitar player for others and playing a lot of shows in my own name – both solo and in band constellations. I really love playing live.” he states. 

Søren derives great pleasure from his work now and wants to continue to write songs, record albums and play concerts for different audiences. Lately he has really been enjoying collaborating with different songwriters and producers and seeing what songs these dynamics bring to life. “It’s nice to feel challenged and experience that working with others is also the perfect way of networking in the music industry,” he admits.

Manscher was exposed to Low-Fi through Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, when Karsten Kjems – a host and ambassador for Low-Fi – visited and talked about the concept. It was a great fit with what he wanted to do and what songs he was writing back then. The idea of intimate concerts where he would be able to engage with his audience charmed him. So he decided to join the Low-Fi community and has been a valued member adored by his audience ever since.