“For me, Echo Thrills is about warmth, colors, playfulness, positivity, dream states, and groove.” With these words, Oskar Jennefors, the creative head behind the project Echo Thrills, beautifully captures the essence of his musical journey. Through his latest single, “Paradiso,” Jennefors invites listeners to immerse themselves into a shimmering disco realm. And it totally works. The track takes us straight to the dance floor, and the lights around us start bouncing. We start dancing and find ourselves laughing, plunging into the fog and happiness of the disco bustle.
“Music has been a huge part of who I am for as long as I can remember,” he adds, emphasizing the depth of his connection with the art form. In our interview, we delve into the influences behind his Nordic essence, his wonderful six track debut EP ‘Destination Utopia‘, and how his relationship with music changed and deepened over the years.
photography by Filip Älfvåg at Mud Studios
Your journey began in Stockholm. How much of that Nordic essence do you believe finds its way into your music?
That’s a good question, hm… I definitely think the Nordic essence can shine through in my music from time to time, mostly the melancholic vibe, which is a significant part of the Nordic soul. Even though my music, especially on this EP, is quite uplifting, there are still parts that are a bit more melancholic. Also, some of the tracks were written in winter time, which can be a challenging time – to say the least. The cold and darkness often trigger a need for escapism in me, which in turn feeds my imagination. And that’s something that can work as a great tool for creativity.
The name ‘Echo Thrills’ evokes a sense of nostalgia, perhaps mirroring your sound. What led you to choose this name?
Happy you think so! I wish I had a great story to tell about how the name came about, but to be honest it just looked nice and sounded pretty sweet. Aaand, it wasn’t already taken.
Your collaboration with Philipp Landmann has birthed this exciting ‘Destination Utopia’ EP. Can you share a highlight moment from your time working together?
Hard to pick one moment, but one of those moments was when we finally felt that the first single “In a Dream” was 100% ready. We tried out so many different versions, arrangements, and mixes. And at times I could be so frustrated with Phill, because he’s such a perfectionist. But when everything finally fell into place it was so worth it. I really can’t express enough how grateful I am to have had Phill aboard on the creation of this EP. He’s been instrumental in so many ways. A great friend and a great mentor.
“The cold and darkness often trigger a need for escapism in me, which in turn feeds my imagination.”
The idea of “Paradiso” and its utopic club where people completely let go is captivating. If you could invite three artists (past or present) to perform at “Paradiso,” who would they be?
Oh, let me see. Think I would go with CHIC, Moodyman, and Channel Tres. That’s quite a night at Paradiso!
From your time as a DJ to now, how has your relationship with music changed or deepened?
I would say that my relationship with music has both changed and deepened, yet in some ways, it remains the same. Music has been a huge part of who I am for as long as I can remember. From the time I started out DJing in my bedroom as a teenager to getting my first music production program until today has been a continuum of exploring and expressing myself through music. Nothing gives me such a rush as music does, and that’s how it’s always been. For me, my musical development goes hand in hand with my personal development as a human being. When I started to sing a couple of years ago, it provided me with the freedom to express myself in a completely new way. This new dimension gave me so many new aspects in my songwriting. Creating an artist profile, with all the different aspects that come with it, also deepened and broadened my relationship with music.
“I guess it comes down to unconditional love. Unconditional love between each other, in relation to nature, and to the world as a whole.”
I noticed that you have a very distinctive look in your visual presentation and output. What are the main feelings you want to evoke with this aesthetic, and how important is it to you?
In general, I find a lot of aesthetic inspiration from the late 60’s and 1970’s. For me, Echo Thrills is about warmth, colors, playfulness, positivity, dream states, and groove. And that’s what I try to express in the visuals, from styling to colors and grading. Regarding feelings, I hope it evokes sensations of joy or general positivity.
With ‘Destination Utopia’ as a backdrop, can you describe your ultimate vision of a perfect Utopian world?
That’s a big question. To make a possibly long answer short, I guess it comes down to unconditional love. Unconditional love between each other, in relation to nature, and to the world as a whole. A world that values togetherness before personal gains or profit.
For the full ‘Destination Utopia’ experience, visit: platoon.lnk.to/destination-utopia
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