(28th July) Bristol born dream-pop outfit Oslo Twins today release their debut EP 'Back To Nothing' via Fascination Street Records - a new label founded by producer Ali Chant (Yard Act, Perfume Genius, Aldous Harding, Katy J Pearson) in partnership with Bristol's Factory Studios.
Led by songwriters Claudia Vulliamy and Eric Davies, completed by Ed Lyness (keys), Will Snelling (bass/guitar) and Luke Brown (drums), over the past 18 months Oslo Twins have taken the London and Bristol live music scenes by storm, supporting acts such as Blondshell, The Comet Is Coming, The Last Dinner Party, Picture Parlour, English Teacher, Folly Group, Do Nothing and Honeyglaze.
The band's debut EP 'Back To Nothing' is subtly influenced by dance, industrial and lo-fi music of the 80s and 90s, adorned with distinctive, hooky pop melodies. The new EP includes previously released singles “Breath”, “Miss Yesterday” and title track “Back to Nothing”, all receiving notable support from BBC 6 Music, So Young Magazine, The Independent, DIY Magazine, Rough Trade, The Line Of Best Fit, amongst others.
The songs on Oslo Twins' debut EP vary in mood from the danceable anthem “Miss Yesterday” to the rhythmic and otherworldly “Basilica”, all connected by a sense of distant places and the tension between unity and isolation.
Recruiting the likes of Harry Furniss from Bingo Fury (cornet) and Tom Connolly (violin) of the band Quade to contribute to the recordings, the 'Back To Nothing' EP showcases Oslo Twins’ distinctive amalgamation of sounds; organ, fiddle and vibraphone all complimenting ethereal and danceable synths and Claudia Vulliamy's vocals which move seamlessly between delicate and intimate sections to more intense and powerful segments.
“We wrote all these tracks in lockdown, confined to our bedrooms and wanting to be anywhere but there,” says Eric.
The EP opens with danceable earworm "Miss Yesterday" - an ode to optimism after difficult times, “Miss Yesterday” evokes anticipation and warmth with its bright, rich instrumentals, trance-like beat and laid-back vocal and lyrical tone.
“It’s a song of joyful nostalgia, filled with hope and affection, and perhaps a darker hint of ‘Let’s just run away from everything, there’s nothing but us, f**k it all’,” says Claudia. The song was written entirely remotely, in strict lockdown; Eric had set up a makeshift mini-studio in his garden shed, and Claudia recorded the demo’s lead vocal, which the band decided to use in the final mix, as a voice note on her phone.
“‘Miss Yesterday’ is ultimately our stab at a pop song, but the lyrics hint at a complex feeling of longing and general confusion that we all experienced around that time. I think ultimately all the songs come from a place of alienation, with ‘Breath’ being the centre of this. Weirdly the track felt nostalgic from the off, even when writing it - hence the name,” says Eric. “It all happened really quickly.”
Title track “Back To Nothing” brings us back to Earth with sorrowful softness. Lyrically suggestive of romantic loss, its steady rhythm and bright legato synths evoke a sense of calm acceptance. The violin courtesy of Tom Connolly adds a melancholic folk depth, before the song arrives as its rich, euphoric climax. “I wouldn’t say it was about longing, but the stage after,” says Eric. “I wrote the lyrics by the River Avon in Bristol on a warm evening. It’s a wistful, reflective song.”
We begin to see the nocturnal side of the Oslo Twins sound with “Breath”, a track with lo-fi, trip-hop and hip-hop influences that is teeming with quiet passion. “‘Breath’ is a song about unrequited love,” says Eric, “an attempt to embody how it feels. But I wrote it after having a panic attack, so it’s about that as well - an expression of panic in the style of a love song. There’s a sort of dry irony about it. I wanted the beat and general feel of the song to sound uneasy and slightly out of control.”
“For us, ‘Breath’ is a very nocturnal song about feeling cut off from the world,” says Claudia. “The track hints toward insomnia and dread, but there is a sense of acceptance too."
In the upbeat, mystical closing track “Basilica”, Oslo Twins utilise bells, organs and a thumping floor tom. With a gothic, sensual tone, and diving into quasi-religious themes, “Basilica” ultimately feels like a lavish dance track (“I see your body moving / Now you are the animal divine”).
“I like to explore the place where decadence flirts with the divine,” says Claudia. “I wrote ‘Basilica’ while thinking about San Miniato al Monte, a church I visited in Florence a few years ago, where the floor and walls are decorated with intricate mediaeval images in black-and-white marble, including demonic-looking little creatures and a zodiac wheel on the floor. The Gregorian chants echoed beautifully, and I found myself imagining a sort of ‘holy rave’, where you could lose yourself in the ambiguous, trippy Christo-pagan aesthetics - like some really wacky Berlin club.”
Oslo Twins' debut EP 'Back To Nothing' is out now, released 28th July via Fascination Street Records.
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