Mads and Alex met when they joined the same band at age 16. The last ones standing, with the same drive for music they stuck it out when the band fell apart and began their own project. Later joined by Mette with her addictive voice, energy and shared vision, Off Bloom take inspiration from the Glasgow electronic scene as well as the 70s Krautrock sound and its breakdown of traditional song structures. Not afraid to reference their favourite pop music, the trio share production duties and always endeavour to stay curious!
With a sound that’s a little bit MØ and quite a lot awesome, Off Bloom caused a proper stir in the music industry after they played a showcase in an East London basement venue a couple of months back and impressed big time. Somebody obviously managed to snap them up as they just shot this impressive music video in Morocco with director Nadia Marquard Otzen, dipping in and out of a Berber carnival and choreographing their own dance moves. “Those guys in the video shooting guns, they weren’t a part of the shoot – they were for real just running around shooting in the air every other second,” the band explain. “So if you see us look a little scared from time to time during the video, it might be the shock from hearing gun shots!” Get stuck into Falcon Eye and get to know Off Bloom via these fun facts.
1. Mads met their Mette on an acting course back in 2012…
“Mette had and voice and an energy that reminded me of Janis Joplin. Filled with soul, nature and power. I asked her to be a part of a concert Alex and I did and she fucking nailed it. The vibe was there, we were just a band, we ate the audience. It felt like we were a three headed dragon. As it still does.”
2. The trio live in Copenhagen, where they are surrounded by creatives…
“The best thing about it is our friends because they are the only reason we are here. Not only our music friends, but actors, historians, economists etc. The journey we are on – all of us together – feels just as exciting from a non music point of view. There are so many things going on in the world right now. And we are responding creatively with music and artwork and lyrics that are inspired by the conversations we have with our friends, who respond in a more academic way. We are all here to learn from each other. So that we can understand each other better. The worst thing about it is that the weather is soooooo grey.”
3. The first album Mette ever owned was by the Backstreet Boys…
“I think I won it in a competition on the local library actually and I loved I Want It That Way and the attitude in Backstreets Back ALRIGHT de de de de de… ALRIGHT! Genius.”
4. Off Bloom is not just a band name, Off Bloom is a way of life…
“It is basically a statement for us, constantly reminding us of the fact that we should never try to follow the current trends. On the contrary we should be ‘off the bloom’, trying to create and build our own trend, our own way. There is no home for us elsewhere. We think we should all be building new movements and new trends together, instead of moaning about the ones that already exist. And also it’s because Mads’ favourite song is In Bloom by Nirvana.”
5. They have quality inspirations…
“The LuckyMe crew, from the Glasgow electronic scene was a huge discovery for us. In 2009 when Hudson Mohawke released Butter, it felt like he also changed the electronic music scene and sound for ever. Which he did. All pop music today is influenced by him big time! Other than these newer experimental electronic producers we have always been extremely fascinated by 70s Krautrock and bands like Neu, Can, Michael Rother, Brian Eno… They broke down the structures of music with the fact that they had no intro, no verse, no bridge, no chorus, no middle eight.
Just good sounding music all the way through, constantly evolving like an organism, slowly but steadily. And then the third thing is just fucking beautiful pop melodies. Talking everything from Rihanna to the Beatles to Bowie or Blur to Britney and throwing meaningful weird lyrics on that. We were interested in combining these somewhat eclectic inspirations into something different and new-sounding. One of the main things for us in our process is to be constantly curious and constantly listening to music. Everyday inspiration comes out of us listening to music old and new with no genre specifications. We are here to learn.”
6. Like a lot of Scandi artists we’ve spoken to recently, they reckon their music would soundtrack the Norwegian TV show Skam…
“It’s a badass brutally honest youth series about being a young human with all the anger, stupidity, ecstasy, jealousy and horniness that entails.”
7. Falcon Eye was sort of named after Hudson Mohawke and Sinjin Hawke…
“The name was there from the beginning of the song – before we even put words on anything. Mads and Alex were really into two amazing dudes at that point who had the coolest names: Hudson Mohawke and Sinjin Hawke – so the instrumental was called Hawk Eye in the beginning, but changed to Falcon to make it our own thing. (The first line is still ‘always near the hawk/that you’re living like’.) And then the lyrics were inspired by the thought of having that chaotic nature energy with you all the time like a totem.”
8. The mysterious symbol shown throughout the video is their band logo…
“It’s basically an abstract hand. We always wear that logo on our clothes. It represents a reaching out to everybody. In these times with alternative facts, racism and xenophobia, which is all based on the fear of one another, we want to believe that we can stand together and share our ideas. A hope of union through culture and through people. We wanna create a community that is totally open and non exclusive – the only thing you have to do while wearing it is to keep being interested in other people and be open to learn from them. Especially if they think differently.”
9. Their last single Love To Hate was brilliant. Off Bloom love to hate a lot of things…
“But mainly we have huge self loathing. All of us.”
10. Off Bloom have a very busy diary…
“We are playing in Oslo in a minute at by:Larm and after that supporting LANY and Dua Lipa which is gonna be really fun. And we are just constantly finishing off new tracks, which is one of the beautiful things about being a band where we can do everything ourselves and then have our friends help us if we get stuck. Instead of – as many others – always needing a producer or songwriter. The big plan is just to keep on making music. And taking over the world with our passion… and to keep on learning about music and people so we can go out in the world and give a fuck. Instead of being too afraid to give a fuck. Let’s please all give a fuck!”
Credits
Text Francesca Dunn