d Emille de Blanche an ov kim do Ev Nikolay
GHLOW is a Swedish-Russian music duo consisting of
GHLOW’s music is simultaneously filled with raw energy and
Emille de Blanche and Nikolay Evdokimov. The band was
carried on darker brooding currents. GHLOW are Supermarket
formed in 2017 following a chance encounter; although
2021’s guest band performing at the opening night, and for that
familiar with each other through moving in similar circles
reason we wanted to hear a bit more about their music and
in Stockholm’s underground art world, it was not until de
connection to the visual arts.
Blanche bumped into Evdokimov on her way to collect supplies for her latest sculptural work that they got talking.
Let’s start with your name. Why GHLOW?
Their ensuing conversations suggested that they were each
It is a word play. Combining the words glow-ghost-low ended up as
looking for a way to move on from their individual pasts as
GHLOW, representing something lingering in the shadows seemed
musicians, they got together and were quickly commis-
to reflect a bit of what we are about.
sioned to work on a film score. Congratulations on your new record release Slash and Burn. It is brimming with energy and listening to it I get senses of both doom and hope. What is the album about – what are you slashing and burning? Emille de Blanche: Thank you! Yeah, it has been such a huge thing for us. We have been trying to catch this cathartic energy that can grow out of frustration and boredom and turning it into this speeding vehicle of sound. Nikolay Evdokimov: We released ‘Slash and Burn’ in April 2021 on the underground label PNKSLM Recordings. It was at the same time great and bittersweet – releasing an album amidst the pandemic and not being able to follow up with live shows and touring. But even so the album has been very well received and we are looking forward to venues opening up again. In general are there any particular topics that you address in the lyrics, or is the rhythm more important? EdB: There is definitely a mixture of both the political and the personal. A lot of times the lyrics are built around just this one line or thought that I have caught somewhere that will not leave me. Is there any specific feeling that you want to convey to your listeners? NE: Just this explosion of energy and sound, like jumping into a pool of water.
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GHLOW, 2021
