Olof Dreijer (known from the electronic duo The Knife) comes to Parkteatret during Oslo World to perform his solo debut Loud Bloom.
Over the past 20 years, producer, DJ and musician Olof Dreijer has pushed the boundaries of electronic music together with his sister in the legendary Swedish duo The Knife. After several years of collaborations and production work, including remixes for Björk & Rosalía and Röyksopp & Robyn, we are now entering a new era. His solo project has been described as an emotional explosion of colour and rhythm, inspired by contemporary club music and in constant evolution.
The album Loud Bloom explores the tension between music made for pure pleasure and Dreijer’s persistent pursuit of something new. You might recognise a Chicago house beat or a classic drum-machine hit here and there, but at every turn these familiar tropes are transformed into new forms. The result is a sound that is both clear and direct, yet wild around the edges – always infused with heart and soul.
The music reflects a desire to challenge the white, male, Western homogeneity that dominates the music industry. This has led Dreijer to collaborate with artists such as South Africa’s Toya DeLazy, Colombia’s Diva Cruz and Cairo-based Sudanese vocalist MaMan, all of whom can be heard on the album. Although Loud Bloom is, at its core, a manifestation of joy, every step is informed by Dreijer’s personal politics and his commitment to causes including anti-racism and the rights of asylum seekers. Through costumes and luminous acrylic abstractions, he also affirms his queer position in opposition to the male-dominated worlds of electronic music and beyond.
