Oscar And The Wolf Belgian arena star releases his eponymous debut EP
OSCAR AND THE WOLF RELEASES EPONYMOUS NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT EP VIA NEON GOLD RECORDS HERE
VIDEO FOR “RUNAWAY” HERE
BILLBOARD PREMIERES “RUNAWAY” HERE + STREAM HERE
“Slinky” – BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens
“…the fast rising star is now bringing his Europe-dominating dark pop stateside” – Billboard
“He’s The Weeknd without the nasty aftertaste, Drake without the crying after sex” – DIY
“Imagine if Lana Del Rey and Fever Ray made songs together” – NYLON
“Blends body quaking beats in surprising configurations, trap inflections and darkly melancholic R&B” – VICE’s Noisey
“What it would sound like if SOHN, Drake and Phoenix had a threesome on a big pile of sequins” – Jezebel
“Add to the list of rule-benders mixing the fringes of modern R&B and electronic music” – Pigeons and Planes
About
Belgian arena star Oscar And The Wolf releases his eponymous debut EP via Neon Gold Records today HERE. Elton John called his music “Fabulous!” and before playing the single “Runaway”, BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens’ introduced it as “slinky…be warned”. The EP make a perfect introduction to US audiences, pairing earlier European hits “Strange Entity” and “The Game” with four brand new selections from his album Infinity, available in Europe today via Play It Again Sam ([PIAS]. In Europe, Max Colombie (= Oscar And The Wolf) plays a short run of shows, including two sold out 20,000+ cap Sportpaleis headlines in Antwerp in October. (For reference only: this is what it looked like when he played at the Sportpaleis 2 years ago).
Max Colombie worked alongside fashion designers Ann Demeulemeester and Dries van Noten for this iconic video for the single “Runaway” HERE. Billboard revealed the single “Runaway” earlier HERE, writing“…the fast rising star is now bringing his Europe-dominating dark pop stateside” ” and asked Max describe his aesthetic style which was answered: “Royal Vampire Porn Director”.
Max says “everything that you desire can ultimately lead to your destruction. Initially bringing the light of affection and devotion, but settling into a sudden unquenchable craving, resulting to ultimate surrender in chaos. Conflict is what feeds life, so light and dark will always need each other, the unbalance however is a treacherous path.”
The songs explore Colombie’s psyche from a personal perspective whilst taking influences from his love of film and TV. Produced by Belgian techno wizard One Track Brain, the idea behind the new track “Runaway” is explained: “Everything that you desire can ultimately lead to your destruction. Initially bringing the light of affection and devotion, but settling into a sudden unquenchable craving, resulting to ultimate surrender in chaos. Conflict is what feeds life, so light and dark will always need each other, the unbalance however is a treacherous path.”
At the heart of Oscar And The Wolf lies a dichotomy. Max Colombie chose this evocative stage name because it captures the two sides of his personality and of his music. “I wanted a name that offered the perfect contrast between darkness and light,” he explains. “Oscar is poetic – it represents the side of me that’s a daydreamer. But the wolf is an animal that howls at the moon, so it symbolises the loneliness that’s inside me.”
A rich contrast permeates all Oscar songs, as he explains, “I never want to make songs that are only sad or only happy”. Initially, The Smiths were a significant influence, but now his R&B-flecked electro-pop noir can be inspired by anything from a Calvin Harris banger to a Connan Mockasin psych jam. “I think of my songs as almost like Disney music for adults. They have lots of sexual and over-the-top elements that maybe aren’t suited to children! But I want to break through the social construction of this idea that there’s music you’re “supposed” to make. I don’t believe in this line between alternative and commercial music – even classical pieces are like pop music to me. And I think there’s a real beauty in the EDM sound.”
In the three years since his debut album emerged, Oscar And The Wolf has risen to superstardom in Belgium, selling out 20,000 capacity arenas and headlining last year’s Pukkelpop festival above Rihanna and LCD Soundsystem. He’s also making waves across Europe headlining arenas from Amsterdam to Istanbul as well as major festivals including a penultimate headline slot before Muse at 2016’s Lowlands festival. Surrounded in a sea of flashing pyrotechnics, Oscar And The Wolf always rises to the occasion. Adored by the fashion world he was also commissioned by globally renowned designer Dries Van Noten to create the soundtrack to 2015’s spring/summer collection at his Paris Fashion Week show.
Oscar and the Wolf – Oscar and the Wolf EP – tracklist:
(EP available on request)
1. The Game
2. Strange Entity
3. Fever
4. Breathing
5. Runaway
6. Honey
Oscar and the Wolf tour dates:
10.12 – Israel, Tel Aviv @ Hangar 11
10.27 – Belgium, Antwerp @ Sportpaleis *SOLD OUT*
10.28 – Belgium, Antwerp @ Sportpaleis *SOLD OUT*
11.15 – UK, London @ XOYO
11.16 – France, Paris @ YoYo
11.17 – The Netherlands, Amsterdam @ AFAS Live
11.30 – Germany, Cologne @ Kantine
12.01 – Germany, Berlin @ Heimathafen
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