GALANTIS Releases THE DEVIL'S TAX RETURN: VOLUME 1 EP

Galantis, the dance music project of Swedish producer and songwriter Christian Karlsson, released The Devil's Tax Return, Volume 1 on October 16 via Ninja Tune imprint Counter Records. The six-track collection finds Karlsson reimagining songs that have stayed with him, transforming beloved recordings into something entirely his own. More than remixes or covers, these reinterpretations represent a creative challenge: to take apart songs he loves and rebuild them without losing what made them special in the first place.

Leading the release is 'When You Were Young,' Galantis' reworking of The Killers' era-defining 2006 anthem. Preserving the sweeping melody and emotional intensity of the original, Karlsson introduces a fresh, garage-influenced bass and beat, bringing a new electronic dimension to one of indie rock's most enduring songs.

'It's wild to think it's been 20 years since I first heard this tune. I've always been obsessed with the big arena melody and how The Killers lace that gritty Springsteen DNA into an indie masterpiece,' shares Galantis. 'I wanted to celebrate this by looping my favorite parts while injecting it with a bit of garage-born bass and beat.'

The EP features six reinterpretations selected from a pool of nearly 100 songs Karlsson explored throughout the creative process. Alongside 'When You Were Young,' the collection includes a reimagining of Feist's breakout single '1234,' a new interpretation of Frankie Valli's timeless 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You,' a melancholic take on José González's 'Stay Alive,' a fresh perspective on Paleface ft. Kyla's UK bassline and R&B classic 'Do You Mind,' and a reworking of The War on Drugs' acclaimed indie-rock track 'Red Eyes.'

While the songs span different artists and musical worlds, many share a personal connection to Karlsson's life. With the exception of 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You,' the selections reflect a period when he stepped away from writing and producing for other artists to focus on his own music, around the time he began Miike Snow. The result is a collection rooted in personal nostalgia but driven by a desire to push familiar music into unexpected territory.

'I'd been cooking The Devil's Tax Return for years before it really took shape,' Karlsson explains. 'The biggest challenge was reworking someone else's work. I'm a songwriter and producer, and I'd never really done this before. It's difficult because you either have to beat the original or find a completely new angle that brings something to the song you haven't heard before.'

The project's title reflects that tension. For years, Karlsson felt a stigma around touching another artist's work, particularly songs he already considered classics. Ultimately, it was the challenge itself that drew him in. Rather than create straightforward covers or conventional remixes, he set out to find a new perspective for each song—one that justified its existence while honoring the original.

'I always called it The Devil's Tax Return because, in a way, I'm the devil for messing with a classic,' he says. 'The 'return' is what you get back from me loving the song enough to take that risk. So I judged myself before anyone else could.'

That willingness to take creative risks has long defined Karlsson's career. Under the Bloodshy moniker, alongside production partner Avant (Pontus Winnberg), he co-wrote and produced Britney Spears' GRAMMY Award-winning 'Toxic,' recognized for Best Dance Recording, as well as 'Piece of Me' and 'Radar,' with additional credits for artists including Madonna and Katy Perry. He later co-founded the indie-dance trio Miike Snow, whose platinum-certified singles 'Animal' and 'Genghis Khan' helped establish the group's distinctive blend of alternative songwriting and electronic production.

With The Devil's Tax Return, Volume 1, Karlsson approaches music from a different starting point. Instead of building a song from scratch, he begins with a piece of music that already has an identity, asking where it might go next. The process pushed him to experiment, revisit ideas, and explore production techniques he might not otherwise have pursued. For 'When You Were Young,' the breakthrough came only after numerous attempts, making the finished track a particularly rewarding addition to the collection.

The project also reflects Karlsson's belief that music does not always have to move forward to remain relevant. In an era of seemingly endless new releases, he sees value in revisiting the songs that have shaped generations—and introducing them to listeners who may never have encountered the originals.

'There's such an ocean of new music coming out every day, and I don't think everything we listen to has to be new,' he explains. 'There's so much beautiful music already here that deserves to keep traveling through generations.'

The Devil's Tax Return, Volume 1 is both a celebration of the songs that have stayed with Karlsson and an exploration of what happens when an artist is willing to challenge the boundaries of his own creative process. With six carefully chosen reinterpretations, Galantis offers a fresh perspective on familiar music, honoring the originals while opening the door to something new.

Tracklist

Stay Alive

Do You Mind

Can't Take My Eyes Off You

When You Were Young

1234

Red Eyes

Upcoming Galantis shows

Oct 16 - Realm PDX - Portland, OR

Oct 30 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI

Oct 31 - Escape: Psycho Circus - San Bernardino, CA

Nov 1 - Festival Internacional Santa Lucía - Monterrey, Mexico

Dec 30 - Ductwork - Houston, TX

About Galantis

Galantis is the dance music project of Christian Karlsson (aka Bloodshy, and a member of Miike Snow), who has been at the helm of the project since its debut at the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. With a career spanning more than two decades and touching a wealth of genres, including punk-rock, hip-hop and pop, his collaborations include some of the industry's most iconic names, including Madonna and Britney Spears. He co-wrote and produced Britney's hit 'Toxic,' which earned a GRAMMY Award for Best Dance Recording.

His RIAA gold-certified debut album Pharmacy reached No. 1 on the Billboard Dance album chart on the strength of platinum-certified single 'Peanut Butter Jelly' and 3x platinum certified smash 'Runaway (U & I)' – the latter of which has recently hit one billion streams on Spotify, alongside a GRAMMY nomination for 'Best Dance Recording' – while 2017's sophomore album The Aviary (featuring 2x platinum-certified single 'No Money,' which also boasts one billion Spotify streams) saw a top 10 debut in 23 countries.

The third Galantis album, 2020's Church, featured the chart-topping gold-certified single 'Faith' with country music icon Dolly Parton, which saw a #1 debut on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Chart before quickly reaching #1 on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay Chart where it remained for 5 weeks. Gold-certified collaborative single 'Heartbreak Anthem' with David Guetta & Little Mix proved a global sensation, spending 10 weeks on the Billboard Global 200 chart and 13 consecutive weeks in the top 10 on the UK Official Chart. Galantis followed up with Rx – featuring pop banger 'Lighter' with Guetta and 5 Seconds of Summer which landed No.1 on the US Dance Radio chart.

The Devil's Tax Return cycle kicked off with 'Stay Alive,' an intricate and emotional piece of production that takes something familiar and transforms it into something entirely his own. The artist has received over 11 billion cumulative worldwide streams and over 5 billion video views as the Swedish-born artist continues to evolve.