The Radiohead guitarist invites you to take an ice bath with his spherical, spiritual floating music.
Blue Morpho is a butterfly native to South America. It belongs to the noble butterfly family and its wings shimmer metallic. It is threatened by deforestation of the rainforests. Radiohead’s guitarist Ed O’Brien named his second solo album after him because his belief in healing through natural experiences was at some point shaken by the disappearance of certain species of the plant and animal kingdom.
O’Brien deals with his personal sensitivities on a total of seven tracks on BLUE MORPHO. His struggles with addictions and depression became a particular topic during the pandemic, which he is now also turning to musically. How does that sound? Spherical, I would say. And complex. Like you’re fumbling around in your head, looking for love and answers. And yes – you can hear a certain Radiohead vibe. The pleading, the urgent takes up space.
The whole thing was produced by Paul Epworth, who is known for his work for Adele and Coldplay. An exciting combination that, however, gave rise to surprising things: liquefied sounds and spiritual moments. O’Brien privately studies the teachings of the Dutch athlete and philosopher Wim Hof. I find it windy for many reasons, but those looking for support sometimes accidentally cling to rotten trees. “Sweet Spot” I like it best. It has something of the Beach Boys’ finest phase. Listening to the rest of the album in the bathtub is certainly not a mistake if you want to lose yourself in interesting thoughts. Wim Hof recommends ice baths. This could be difficult within your own four walls. As far as I’m concerned, you can take a cold shower instead.
