Rising: Oli XL

“I want to make the kind of music where you have no idea how it was made, what it was made with, and if it’s even electronic. I hate synths. You know exactly what you’re getting. With samples, there will always be something extra lying beneath the surface.”

There’s an air of mystery surrounding every aspect of Oli XL. Last September, during a live performance, the Swedish producer placed a nine-year-old lookalike centre stage to tinker with a set of prop controllers as he hid out of sight, triggering a series of sonic arrangements backstage. It’s only very recently that we’ve come to learn more about the self-proclaimed recluse behind the sound design-y pop and club cuts that have landed on PAN, Posh Isolation and his now-defunct W-I label. Since laying the W-I imprint to rest, Oli XL has been crafting anew outlet that’s emerged as a sub-label of Stockholm-based operation YEAR0001. “It’s Bloom. It’s not a label,and it’s not a creative platform. Bloom is Bloom,” he insists.

Rogue Intruder, Soul Enhancer is Bloom’s first release, and above all, Oli XL’s debut album. Released in July, the 11-track record is a collection of nonsensical vocal samples that bend, creak and snap amid momentous melodies. “The entire album is 100 percent samples. I’ve been really into having the melodies feel as though they accidentally form via seemingly unrelated sounds,” he exclaims. Each track embraces a new sonic texture, darting between experimental interludes, bass-heavy rhythms and orchestrated jazz fusion phrases. Oli XL avoids intellectualising his discography, though it’s evident that his sound has evolved since his debut EP 005 / Wish We Could Zone. “I always knew exactly how I wanted my music to sound. It just took me some time to figure out how to get there. With this release, I finally arrived,” he expresses, reflecting on his ever-changing sonic footprint.