Introducing OH? with the contemplative sounds of “Seatbelt”
With the release of his inaugural single “Seatbelt”, London-via-Finland’s OH? is finally ready to transport us into his charismatic musical world.
The moody and sulky production for “Seatbelt” is an apt environment for OH?’s witty, insightful lyrics to truly hit home – a vulnerable confession diving into the complexities of relationships and the trouble that ensues when doubts inevitably arise: “If you wanna be safe, you should marry a seatbelt / If you wanna be sound, hook up with a speaker,” OH? solemnly states during the song.
Marrying sprinklings of glistening piano melodies and thudding synth work with indie-pop sensibilities, “Seatbelt” is an exquisite introduction into OH?’s budding universe of genre-bending sounds, which emerge as an enthralling fusion of post-punk new romanticism and epic indie-pop.
Further adding in a deeper personal layer to the release, the single’s artwork was illustrated by the musician’s sister and is characterized by flowers which originally came from their late grandmother’s herbarium. Meanwhile, the artwork’s cyan colour is representative of the frequency in the visible light spectrum that resonates with the key of the song, which is D.
Proving his growing demand within the indie live scene, audiences can catch OH? at two upcoming live shows: he will play The Slaughtered Lamb on June 5 for the “Seatbelt” launch show (tickets available here), as well as a special set at The Cavendish Arms on June 20 (tickets available here).
Speaking about “Seatbelt”, OH? made the following statement: “Primarily inspired by my thoughts and feelings about how fragile our safety is at any given moment in life, ‘Seatbelt’ is an anthem for all of us who feel exhausted by this dark space of an era where we can’t predict what would happen in the future. What else can we do, other than accept that not even astrology or data can tell us what will happen in life? Ultimately, what's left for us to do is to ‘just get up in the morning and do it anyway.’ The lyrics also explore our need to portray a conformist image of ourselves so that we aren’t shunned by others. Since we are not a static personality and the version we try to project is just an illusion, wouldn't we be better off if we just showed our fragile, weird, wonderful selves to each other?”
It’s no accident that the multi-instrumentalist and producer Oskari Halsti’s new solo music project poses a question in its very name. As a musical venture which aims to find balance in opposing forces, OH? marks the start of a new chapter for the prolific Finnish artist.
With his musical roots first forming in the remote, uncharted forests of Nuuksio - an area outside of Helsinki where he grew up – OH?’s music heavily embraces a diverse collective of sounds which are reflected by his environment. The now London-based artist has found more balance in the opposition of his rural early years, versus the chaos of metropolitan life.
Through a wealth of experience gathered by playing in heavy metal bands, jazz ensembles and as part of the Universal Music signed trio Wedding Crashers, Oskari has assembled quite the encyclopaedic musical history. However, while rising as a sought-after producer, Oskari sensed a growing need to channel his creativity into an artist project of his own and relocated to London in 2020. Stepping out of a world where he was a well-known, respected musician and producer, OH? was born in-between the chaos of lockdowns and experimental recording sessions.
A musical persona channelling the post-punk influence of bands like The Smiths or The Clash with the haunting atmospheric synths of Joy Division and the joyful melodies of New Order, OH?’s multi-layered creations are fiercely rebellious. Reflecting a bold, intentional desire to prioritise the music first and then see where it falls on the spectrum, each OH? soundscape is an intricate experimentation, resulting in his unorthodox creations feeling familiar yet excitingly difficult to categorise.
With “Seatbelt” depicting a truly gifted musician finally finding his own lane, this gateway into the diversity of OH?’s sonic universe is a milestone moment – make sure to keep this promising new name on your radar.
