Orange Oak – ‘almost, I thought to myself’
Photo by Caroline Lindholm
Swedish duo Filippa Frisell and Erik Olsson, aka Orange Oak, have released their debut EP, almost, I thought to myself.
Opening this atmospheric collection of indie folk is “garden green eyes,” a song that dips deeply into introspection, with lyrics that reflect on inherited identity and recurring emotional patterns. Beginning with a soft, synthy drone, the track is ultimately brought to life by an acoustic guitar, finger plucked to perfection as the duo offer their first glimpses of their signature vocal harmonies. Frisell and Olsson have been blessed with voices that wonderfully complement one another, and it is extremely rare to hear one without the other. Hints of banjo emerge with a bit of bass, along with ghostly, reverberating swells of lead guitar. We warn you not to be fooled by the minimalist arrangement—upon the arrival of the refrain, “garden green eyes” expands to the far corners of the sonic landscape and we highly recommend listening via headphones.
From there, we get an earful of “love isn’t everything,” which, in comparison to the previous track, is more a realization that love cannot compensate for dishonesty or destructive patterns within a relationship. After a few listens, one thing we’ve noticed is that Orange Oak demonstrates a preoccupation with patterns and self-awareness. Rather than simply pandering to the fans of melancholic indie folk, the duo give us a larger thematic thread about recognizing difficult truths, confronting what lies beneath the surface, and trying to find agency within circumstances that feel bigger than yourself. In “love isn’t everything,” they present this emotionally heavy subject matter without melodrama and, instead, deliver something completely believable and, more importantly, relatable.
The third track, “well, well, well,” was the single that initially brought Orange Oak onto our radar. The song builds from the raw and melancholic plucks of an acoustic guitar, creating a sparse, emotion-laden space for the duo’s meditation on returning to a connection, despite knowing the risks. As controlled vibrato gives way to slowly rising harmonies and a subtle lead guitar, the arrangement expands without sacrificing its intimacy. Even as the song reaches its majestic crescendo, “well, well, well” provides an immersive experience that feels remarkably personal. You can read our full review of “well, well, well” here.
“red sky at night” is a reflection on impending change, danger, and the instinct that something is shifting beneath the surface. Lyrically, there is an almost apocalyptic quality to the track, especially with lines like “Hear the siren, soft and violent,” “Lightning flashes, ash to ashes,” and “Red sky at night, such an omen.” It is within this somber atmosphere that the duo truly win us over, as our preferences tend to lean toward the darker end of the spectrum. That said, this tune is far too beautifully constructed to let its subject matter overshadow the musicianship. Across the acoustic strums, a Lord Huron-esque mellifluous slide guitar takes listeners by the hand and leads them through the murky depths of the lyrical content. Swells of otherworldly keys and a subtle rhythm section provide texture, but Orange Oak has a way of letting you imagine every song as though it’s being performed directly in front of you.
By the time you’ve reached “the alchemist,” the deal has been sealed: you’re a fan. It becomes more clear than ever that Orange Oak are not here to write folky pop bangers or gushy love songs. Instead, they are traversing existential uncertainty and, on this track in particular, desperately searching for meaning amid the transition from youthful possibility into an uncertain adulthood. No matter who you are or where you’ve been, this is a rite of passage. The acoustic guitar work on this tune is next level, with muted plucks that seem to somehow achieve harmonic resonance. In the distance, subtly panning from right to left and back again, an electric guitar provides atmospheric ambience. Deep bass keeps the song grounded, but like every other track on this EP, Frisell and Olsson steal the show with their consistent harmonies.
“wilder life” has all the energy of a rock song without immediately populating itself with a full-band arrangement. Imagine The Head and the Heart-meets-Of Monsters and Men-meets-Manchester Orchestra and that’ll get you halfway there. This is also the first time we hear Olsson’s soloed vocal performance, handling most of the first verse alone. Frisell soon arrives with an additional angelic layer and remains for the track’s duration, bringing with her the rest of the band. In a way, “wilder life” offers listeners a glimpse of the full scope of Orange Oak’s folk rock potential, and whether it’s foreshadowing future releases or just a dynamic way to help close out the EP, we’ll have to wait and see.
Orange Oak concludes almost, I thought to myself with “genom eld & vatten (live),” and although this one is devoid of the studio gloss present throughout the rest of the EP, it is here that Frisell and Olsson remind us why we were drawn to their sound in the first place. The bare recording is hauntingly magical and deliciously intimate, granting listeners access to a lo-fi recording that could very well have been taken from the voice memos of a smartphone. The track also works as further evidence of the duo’s natural talent, delivering an impossible-to-fake performance that is entirely void of any digital wizardry, autotune, or AI.
After seven tracks, almost, I thought to myself feels less like a collection of individual songs and more like a carefully constructed introduction to Orange Oak’s world. Frisell and Olsson have an impressive ability to balance intimacy with atmosphere, and if this debut is any indication of what’s ahead, we cannot wait to see where they take us.
Connect with Orange Oak here: Spotify | TikTok | Facebook | Instagram
almost, I thought to myself is now available everywhere via Nettwerk Music Group.
Catch Orange Oak on tour, with Amistat:
28.10 - Live Music Hall, Innsbruck - AT
29.10 - Conrad Sohm, Dornbirn - AT
30.10- Im Wizemann, Stuttgart - DE
01.11 - Kaufleuten, Zürich, CH
02.11 -Kaufleuten, Zürich, CH
05.11 - Locomotiv Club, Bologna - IT
08.11 - Alhambra, Geneva - CH
09.11 - Transbo Club, Lyon - FR
10.11 - Alhambra, Paris - FR
23.11 - Nalen, Stockholm - SE
-TM