As the alter ego of Swedish drummer, composer and producer John Eriksson, Hortlax Cobra has already made its mark. In 2012, the Peter Bjorn and John drummer released two albums under the monicker Hortlax Cobra; the debut Night Shift and an ambitious take on Van Halen’s 1984. This year, Hortlax Cobra strikes again; Eriksson plans to release a quartet of two-song singles in 2015 on INGRID, a Swedish artist collective that Peter Bjorn and John started with Andrew Wyatt and Pontus Winnberg of Miike Snow, Lykke Li, Coco Morier, and more. The first release, I’m Still Here/Night Still Young, is a pair of hauntingly beautiful pop tracks featuring singers Ane Brun and Jennie Abrahamson;.

Hometown: Hortlax, Sweden (Hortlax Cobra is named for Eriksson’s hometown and his spirit animal)

Current residence: Green Valley (Gröndal), Stockholm, Sweden

How did Hortlax Cobra start? It's been going on since I was 5 years old, but the form is a little bit different today.

Peter Bjorn and John is a big name. Why create a solo project?

There is still a lot of music and art that doesn't fit the world of PB&J. Within the Hortlax Cobra I can express myself freely, without compromise, and I can twist and change the genre and sound anyway I want. Very nice!

Does Hortlax Cobra affect PB & J as a band?

We all make music on our own but Peter Bjorn & John are actually just finishing our seventh album.

You've worked with Ane Brun and the like. Who else would you love to collaborate with?

I go where the music leads me; then you and I will find out.

Did you grow up in a musical household?

Yes, my father is a guitar teacher and we always went to see all kinds of different concerts when I was a kid, and very early, drums and percussion became my cup of tea.

You’re a classically trained musician, right?

I am a classically trained percussionist and I have worked in symphony orchestras and in a percussion ensemble.

But these days, It's all about rock & roll.

When did you realize you wanted to make music for a living?

At the age of 4 I saw a guy in a crappy rock musical eating a hamburger with fries and a milkshake on stage. I thought that if he was so lucky to do that every night, I needed to get into the music business.

What did you all hope to accomplish with INGRID, the collective?

The goal is to not make money on music, but to make interesting and mind-blowing collaborations and events.

What's your biggest goal for the rest of the year?

I have already accomplished my biggest goal, to make 3 times 10 push-ups.