Imagine finding an antique chest, worn and bit dusty. Now you open it, and there are pieces of old lace and folk embroideries in one drawer, strange scientific instruments and dried flowers in another, old travel tickets and something small quickly disappearing towards a shadowy corner in the third. That’s how Ödland‘s hard-to-describe music feels to me.
Ödland consists currently of Lorenzo Papace, Alizee Bingollü and Lea Bingollü. They just toured in Germany, but maybe one day it’s possible to hear them also in Helsinki. At least I hope so! Ödland kindly answered my questions, thank you very much for the answers!
How would you categorize or describe Ödland’s music?
Lorenzo: music from Dreamland
Alizée: with some words : toys, piano, violin, voice, ukulele and other little things, travels, sisters and Papace
Léa: Ödland is a travel around a lot of music as romantic or folkloristic musics and European cultures.
Your band originates at Lyon. We at pellavahelma don’t know much about Lyon, unfortunately, except that it is famous for being France’s silk city. Is there some sort of scene for Ödland type of dreamy music? What are your favorite spots in Lyon? What do you recommend for people who would like to visit Lyon?
Lorenzo: Lyon is the place where cinema was born. Please visit the Lumière brothers house, it’s wonderful.
Alizée: Lyon is a sweet city. Just walk, you will see. And if you are in Lyon you should go to HAUTERIVES in Drôme, it’s not far away. In this place, you could find the Palais idéal du facteur Cheval. I’ve been there when I was a child and i’d love to go back… So please if you go, take me with you.
Léa: We love to play in a theatre named Le Nouveau Théâtre du 8ème, we’ve made some big shows there with three claviers and a lot of furniture because there’s a lot of place on the stage and also with smoke…Lyon is a very nice city where life is pleasant. Each area is special, the old part of Lyon, La Croix Rousse, Le Parc de la tête d’or are really beautiful.
Your awesome music videos require massive amounts of work. What’s your motivation behind them?
Lorenzo: To enjoy as much as possible. Some great pleasures require great amount of work.
Alizée: You must speak about the last clip don’t you? I love glue! Besides traveling is my happiness.
Léa: We love to work on the image of Ödland.
What bands do you listen to yourselves? Are there some musicians that are your inspirations?
Lorenzo: I’m more inspired by life, friends, people, travels, cinema, dreams, history and science than by other bands.
Alizée: This year, i love Leonard Cohen.
Léa: I listen to a lot of music but I love a specially a few rock and roll bands like Pink Floyd or The Doors but I might be the only one of the band.
Lorenzo: No you’re not. I even used to like hip hop and electro. But it doesn’t inspire me anymore.
To what extent are the band we see in your music videos the same people as you are in reality? Or more simply, do Bingöllü sisters always dress in charming vintage lace dresses?
Lorenzo: There are differences between Ödland’s people and reality. But really not so much. It’s more like a selection and idealization of some sides of our personalities.
Alizée: (If you want some vintage places in Lyon I know a lot.) When I play theater I am an other and myself in the same time but when i sing I am myself and an other, so… There is always a part of you on a stage, on a dress, on a costume… because you’ve found it yourself or because you just love it, or it smells you.
Léa: It has become very natural to look and dress like that and it’s a pleasure! But if I wore some of my Ödland-dresses in the street, everybody would recognize me and it would be hell!
Is there a certain type of people who are drawn to your music?
Lorenzo: We can’t define ourself in a main genre like Pop or Folk, and we are not doing marketing analysis. So I guess we are playing for each curious people around the world. With Sankta Lucia, we realized that our audience was older than with our first release. It depends of albums I guess.
Alizée: People who are not afraid to combine the past and the present. People who are not afraid of my voice too.
Léa: I think our public is very varied and we like to know that our music can be enjoyed by everybody.
What’s your next project? Do you have plans for a new CD? Do you have other projects besides Ödland?
Lorenzo: We are working on the third album. New instruments, new way for composition, new themes. It’s really exciting. I love Ödland so much that I spend most of my time with this project. But I have other plans in videos and trips.
Alizée: Yes I have other projects. Theater. But I am so excited with our new project with Ödland! A secret.
Léa: Our new album will be different and we are very happy and excited to start it. I hope that I will have my musicology license and I will have to work hard for it.
What do you see around you right now?
Lorenzo: Heat and dreams.
Alizée: Flowers.
Léa: Open doors.
All photos from odland.fr and Ödland’s myspace site. Check out also their Facebook.
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