Bristol born outfit Oslo Twins have shared their new single Breath and announce their signing to 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. Read more about Fascination Street Records in their interview with Music Week here.
With lo-fi, dream-pop and trip-hop influences, Oslo Twins’ new single Breath is teeming with quiet passion. Produced, mixed and engineered by Ali Chant, the track signals the release of the band’s debut EP, due for release on Fascination Street Records later this year. Watch the video for Breath via YouTube below.
Held together by a sharp, addictive electronic drum beat, Breath hints toward insomnia and dread, but with a sense of acceptance coming from the gentle and complex rhythms of the track and the softness of the wistful call and response vocals.
The track features Harry Furniss from Bingo Fury (cornet) and Tom Connolly from rising Bristol group Quade (violin), whose instruments bring the track into its progression from its intimate verses to its shimmering, heady ending.
“For us, Breath is a very nocturnal song about feeling cut off from the world,” says vocalist and songwriter Claudia Vulliamy.
Speaking more on the track’s lyrical inspiration, guitarist, keys player, vocalist and songwriter Eric Davies said: “Breath is an attempt to embody how unrequited love feels. 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.”
Over the past year co-writers and band founders Claudia and Eric have been further developing Oslo Twins’ distinctive sound having taken the London and Bristol live music scenes by storm in 2022, releasing their first two singles, The Edge and Circe and supporting acts including The Comet Is Coming, The Last Dinner Party, Folly Group, Do Nothing and Honeyglaze.
“We’ve been focusing more on using alternative instruments and samples, putting the guitar aside for a while,” says Eric. “For Breath, I wanted the beat and general feel of the song to sound uneasy and slightly out of control. I think creating the track was definitely a turning point for me.”
The single is accompanied by a psychedelic and poignant animated music video by Max Mason. “We wanted the video to have a moody, Edward-Hopper-style metropolitan ambience,” says Claudia. “I love how Max has responded to the track. Think Serial Experiments Lain meets Patrick Melrose.”
Formed in Bristol in 2019, Oslo Twins are led by lead songwriters Claudia Vulliamy and Eric Davies, completed by Ed Lyness (keys), Will Snelling (bass/guitar) and Luke Brown (drums). Both melodic and melancholic, the band’s music is subtly influenced by dance, industrial and lo-fi music of the 80s and 90s, but with distinctive, hooky pop melodies aplenty.
Oslo Twins will support Blondshell on May 26th at The Louisiana in Bristol. Oslo Twins’ new single Breath is out now via Fascination Street Records with their debut EP due for release on the label later this year.
Live dates
22 April, Bristol – Crofters Rights (supporting Black Doldrums)
13 May, Bristol – Strange Brew (supporting English Teacher)
26 May, Bristol – The Louisiana (supporting Blondshell)
C'mon why don't you leave a comment here