Oakman: Putting Their Best Feet Forward
It appears that OAKMAN have been on an upward trajectory since their original formation back in 2016. After the release of three hard-hitting EPs in almost a decade, it is evidently clear that this band have well and truly earned their spot in the industry. After successful tours with industry heavyweights such as ENTER SHIKARI, OAKMAN appear to be eternally grateful to be where they are today.
Vocalist Marine Lanzillotta sees this touring experience as one of the standouts so far in the band’s career. “It was really cool. And it was a long time ago now. It was in 2019. We had the chance to open for them for shows in France and the guys are really really really nice and really kind and it was a crazy experience, because we are all very fun and we have been huge fans of ENTER SHIKARI since we were 12 years old. So it was really cool – very impressive, as well.”
OAKMAN have been very focused on writing music in the last couple of years, providing hard-hitting yet surprisingly optimistic efforts. Their 2022 EP SCP manages to encapsulate these feelings completely. However, it wasn’t until the arrival of their debut full-length release, Violent Oblivion, that their music reached a real turning point. Lanzillotta explains how she felt it was the right time to release a longer record at this point in time. “We actually wanted to make an album for a very long time. When we got signed with our label, we wanted to go ahead and make the first album, but they wanted to try an EP first, so we released a third EP. After that, we were very happy to finally come up with an album. So yeah, it was the right time to write an album – not really in our life, because we went through a lot of stuff those past two years, but I mean, we can decide when is the right time. We had to write an album and it had to be the right time.”
The French indie rock trio have completely come into their own with the accompaniment of slick synth heavy production similar of that of THE 1975 and a clever song writing style. Lanzillotta discusses the inspiration for this unique yet convincing musical style, and it is much more personal that initially anticipated. “I think it’s just natural because I’m a very optimistic person, but very melancholic on the inside at the same time. I like making like, joyful sounds and sometimes groovy instrumentals, but in the lyrics having a touch of melancholia and sadness, because it’s a part of who I am. I just smile all the time, even when I’m not okay. I always talk about deep stuff. I smile every time because I’m not feeling comfortable, or I don’t want to seem dramatic, too dramatic. So yeah, maybe it’s just because it’s part of who I am and it’s just natural.”
Lanzillotta describes the recording process of Violent Oblivion and one inspiration in particular originates much closer to home. “All the recording process was at my place in France, because I’m actually in Newcastle right now. I live half of the month in Newcastle and the other in Lyon in France. In this case, it was in France and with Geremia [Gayaud, bass] we started to write for two months together. We made a lot demos and after that we started to record all the parts properly. We went in the studio with our friend Bertrand Poncet from CHUNK! NO, CAPTAIN CHUNK! to co-produce the song and to add the last like ear candy and the last part of each of the songs. I have loved CHUNK! NO, CAPTAIN CHUNK! since I was in high school, but they are very different from what I write musically, but in a way they can be an influence because I really love them, how they make things and how they grow. They grew up as a French band and in some ways they inspire me in different aspects.”
Curse is a standout track on Violent Oblivion and for a reason. Its punchy, vibrant production is accompanied with dark lyrical undertones, certainly making it one to remember. Lanzillotta explains what inspired the deeply personal lyricism for this single. “We wanted that song to be a second part of our song Murder that we released on our third EP. In that song, I would like to express the pain after you had a trauma in your life, what is the after? How do you live with that trauma after and so the song talks about that and we wanted something very simple in the music video. It was one of the last singles and we don’t really have any budget anymore, so we wanted something very simple that would represent and that would fit the song as well as possible. We shot the music video with our friend Aurélien Mariat and it was in our local rehearsal room. It was just like friends making a music video with not a big budget, but trying to express the lyrics through the video. We did the best that we could.”
However, OAKMAN‘s writing and recording process is not just helping to heal personal traumas. The band are also determined to prove their worth in very much a male dominated industry. It is evident that OAKMAN want to make their mark and become potentially inspirational to younger fans in particular. “It’s very important, because when I started to play music and learnt guitar, there was not a girl in the landscape. I’m like determined, I’m a determinate person. So I was like, okay, there’s just some boys around but I don’t give a fuck. I’m a girl. But it’s very important for other girls at a young age to see a frontwoman on stage and just to understand that girls can do the same things that boys. It’s very important, because sometimes I can forget myself. That’s the only people I saw in this industry, sometimes it’s just men and I’m like, why there’s always just men? I just want to see girls. I just want to see women and now we can see more women on stage and it’s very cool. It’s very important and it’s going to change little by little, but this is going to change.”
OAKMAN are still optimistically humble and grateful to be where they are, despite their personal struggles – admirable to say the least. From touring with ENTER SHIKARI to being advocates for female-fronted musicians everywhere, this is definitely just the start for OAKMAN and we are so excited to see what comes next!
Violent Oblivion is out now via Rude Records.
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