“I’m talking about those moments when you feel the desire to being close to the other one but you’re having a really hard time letting them know. Music can then function as a bridge between you and another person. I wanted „skin“ to be one of those songs.”

We took the opportunity to ask a few questions to Vienna based solo artist Amir Saidi alias Glimmer of Blooms as we wanted to know a bit more about who is behind this sound that got under our skin.

When people listen to SKIN they should be taken „back to this specific situation you almost forgot about, but which gives you goosebumps each time it comes into your mind.“ What was the situation that gave you goosepumbs and that inspired you to this song?
There are so many good songs out there which are pretty accurate in addressing certain problems. These songs manage to convey feelings and emotions in a way, that couldn’t be expressed by just talking about them. You’d simply talk your feelings to death. Especially when you meet someone for the first few times it can be so hard to articulate what you want say without sounding too cheesy or rude. Actually there are loads of possibilities to come across like an idiot. You also want them to know what you feel without having to verbalize your thoughts. I’m talking about those moments when you feel the desire to being close to the other one but you’re having a really hard time letting them know. Music can then function as a bridge between you and another person. I wanted „skin“ to be one of those songs.

Your music appears to be dreamy. Is being dreamy a main part of who you are?
I guess Glimmer of Blooms brings out the dreamy side of my personality. I wouldn’t say that I’m a dreamy person in general but sometimes I do get lost in my thoughts and can go without talking for hours. I also don’t feel comfortable talking about my feelings with a lot of people in general. So when writing a song it triggers a part of my personality that I am normally pretty good at keeping to myself.

You are a „solo project“. Why did you chose to do everything on your own?
Whenever I tried recording with someone else, like a bassist or pianist, it somehow always happened that I took over and played the instruments to show them how I wanted the song to be like. In the end I realized, that by already knowing what I wanted it was way more efficient recording everything by myself. In case I’d need a female vocalist or I’d reach the point where I wanted someone to play the harp in one of my songs I’d be happy to collaborate though.

Your sound is very international – does Vienna inspire your sound as well?
When I started making music severeal years ago, I did work with other Viennese artists and I also used to dj in clubs and throw my own partys. I was involved in the Viennese music scene, what I liked for quite a long time. At some point I got bored of it though. Vienna is not the biggest city, so the music scene also evolves around certain characters. I just grew out of this I quess and wanted to try something I couldn’t find in Vienna. What I do conceive as inspiring about Vienna is the overall laid back atmosphere.

“At the moment I have the urge to get those songs out of my head and as long as this feeling doesn’t stop, I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

Elie Saab featured the track „Take my Hand“ on his show at Paris Fashion Week S/S 2015. How did this collaboration came about?
I first got in touch with Elie Saab when they wanted to have a track of my other project „Agnostica“ in 2013. Two years later I got an email to my Glimmer of Blooms address, telling me that they’d like to feature „take my hand“. It turned out to be pure coincidence, as they didn’t know I was the same guy they already worked with earlier.

You are currently working on your first album. What can you already reveal about it? Will there be a main theme running like a golden threat through the songs?
Well I don’t have one theme or one story to tell. Even if I did and told you now I’d be too focused on living up to those expectations and forced to tell you that story even if I changed my mind. I’d rather not determine on a specific theme yet. My overall intention is to rather introduce Glimmer of Blooms and create a picture of what the project is about. I’m viewing my first album more like the introduction of a book rather than the first chapter.

Where do you want this musical journey to take you?
I don’t have a ten year plan or a five year plan. In fact I don’t even have a specific one year plan. As long as it makes sense to me producing the Glimmer of Blooms music I’ll be doing it. At the moment I have the urge to get those songs out of my head and as long as this feeling doesn’t stop, I can’t see myself doing anything else. Knowing that there are some people who like my songs feels encouraging as well.

As a child you believed in…
playing the guitar with my tongue like Jimi Hendrix was the coolest thing on earth.

Happiness means…
living my life the way I want it to be. Carefree.