Sharing two new Ottla tunes from their upcoming sophomore album
The band around Bert Dockx transforms into a quartet and announces a new album and tour.
Ottla, a band named after Franz Kafka’s favourite sister, was initially formed by Bert Dockx (Dans Dans, Flying Horseman) for a one-off performance series in 2019. What began as a fleeting experiment swiftly evolved into a full-fledged 6-piece band, leading to the creation of an album and numerous performances. After a temporary hiatus, Ottla resurfaced to support a 2021 improvisation for a monologue by Josse De Pauw. Ottla shed its skin, found new inspiration, and is ready to embark on a new chapter in 2024.
Their second full-length, Vogel (Bird), emerges as a vibrant and diverse exploration of jazz, improv, electro, noise, prog, afro, blues, groove, punk, and krautrock. Ottla has transformed into a quartet, with Bert Dockx, Thomas Jillings, Gerben Brijs, and Louis Evrard engaging in a playful dialogue, showcasing contrasts in strength and color. Ottla's journey is captured in the album, with the spontaneity and dynamics of live performances preserved. The result is an exciting and transformative musical experience.
We asked Bert Dockx to introduce the first two tracks:
“Droomvogel (Dream Bird) is quite dreamy and floaty. It’s a track that appeals to the unconscious. I like the way the electronics are being integrated. The sequence at the beginning might feel slightly jarring at first, but quickly becomes natural. Some of the later loopy parts sound electronic too, but are actually played live. Overall there’s a kind of push / pull between a warm, almost cosy melancholy and a colder, more mechanical feel. It's also a groovy track, good for imaginary dancing.”
“Espejo means mirror. I was thinking of a poem by Borges. The song consists of two, maybe three parts. The music touches on jazz, ambient, psychedelic rock, noise rock, krautrock, punk. It’s an intense and expansive track. I think of it as a voyage from a closed, brightly lit and busy room to a vast, dark, infinite space. There's some juicy interplay between Thomas and me. The ending reflects the beginning, but the mirror image is heavily distorted.”