nosnow/noalps. Photo: Caroline Spiteri

Theirs is possibly one of the best-coined names a Maltese band has ever come up with, even more so when coupled with the title of their 2007 debut EP, Just Rock.

And yet, despite the deep-rooted Maltese connotation behind the name, nosnow/noalps is one of the few local bands to have almost always featured a non-Maltese member within its ranks. On some level, this possibly also reflects the band’s pronounced inclination towards the international circuit, which it has toured several times in recent years, and the open-ended approach its members have embraced in developing their sound.

Further to its acclaimed 2011 debut album Romantikpolitik, which captured an eclectic collective musical taste in all its glory, the band has been through further changes, even relocating to Denmark for a short period that proved to be a catalyst in propelling the band onwards and upwards.

The result is a brand new EP, Go Go Go Go, whose title is inspired by the hectic schedule the band has had to endure over the past year or so. Things can get quite challenging at times, but in the end this is what we love doing and it’s all worth it,” say frontman Nick Morales and drummer Benji Cachia.

nosnow/noalps are Nick Morales on voice and guitar, Bertram Cachia on bass, Benji Cachia on drums, Sarah Snow on vocals and keyboard and Mai SK on vocals and keyboard.

What has the past year consisted of for nosnow/noalps?

Nick: In April 2013 we moved to Denmark for four months, which is when the current line-up started coming together. We met Mai and started rehearsing with her since Sarah was still in . We played a few shows and wrote new songs, among them N.E.W, the first single off our latest EP, which we recorded when we got back here.

The idea is to keep getting bigger and better gigs, and so far things have been working out well

Just after that, Bertram replaced Alan Portelli on bass and later in the year we went on tour, playing gigs in Copenhagen, England and Italy to promote the single. After that it was back to to finish the Go Go Go Go EP.

Your tendency to go on long tours suggests they are rather important to the band…

Nick: Having played some 20 gigs in Malta, Denmark, England and Italy, the autumn/winter tour was our longest so far. Before that, our longest had been the 11-date acoustic tour promoting the Romantikpolitik album in London, Copenhagen, Paris and Milan.

Touring is very important to us; it’s a big part of what the band is about and without which we could not keep moving forward, as we tend to get a lot of fresh ideas on the road. Of course, the idea is to keep getting bigger and better gigs, and so far things have been working out well.

How do your performances abroad differ from your local gigs?

Benji: As a Maltese band it’s so different to go into a club to play and seeing no one you know. Sometimes there’s a language barrier too, but seeing the people jump around and loving what we are playing regardless is an awesome feeling.

On tour, each day brings with it a different experience, whether it’s flying or driving from one city to the next, doing radio and TV or playing the actual gigs.

The new songs suggest a broader approach in terms of sound and direction.

Nick: The sound on this EP reflects everything the band has been through these past two years. Go Go Go Go is basically the feeling we had throughout this ex-perience, as we were practically on the go all the time, pursuing our targets and making things happen.

Each song represents a different emotion or experience we went through; working hard, partying, even missing our loved ones back home. Musically, I’d say the style jumps from punk rock and ska to alternative rock with a hint of disco, pop and funk.

Benji: The diversity of the tracks was one of the first things the producer commented on, but that’s exactly what we wanted.

What brought on the inclusion of remixes on the EP, and how did you go about picking the artists to remix your music?

Nick: It’s not the first time we’ve tried to bring out a stronger dance element in our music, but the remixes that were done previously were never officially released.

This time, we decided to include two remixes, one by Godzilla Power Hour and the other by Melchior Sultana, which I feel have brought out a very interesting and different angle to our music. We’ve also been getting into DJing ourselves lately, which makes the remixes all the more interesting.

What can you tell us about the EP launch concert this weekend?

Nick: We’ve invited Jane Doe and Berne to perform before us. And since we’ve tapped into the world of remixes, we’ve also brought Kassette on board for after the performance. They’ve been working on another remix of our songs so it’s possible they’ll premiere it on the night.

Benji: This gig will be the first time our fans and friends will get to see the latest line-up perform together, which obviously makes it all the more exciting for us.

What’s next?

Nick: We will be playing our first DJ set at the Trackage Scheme event on July 5, followed by promotional gigs in Italy and Malta. We will also release another song.

nosnow/noalps will launch Go Go Go Go on Friday at Zion, Marsascala. For more information, look up the event page on Facebook.

www.nosnownoalps.com