This is my conversation with Oddleaf. It took place in April 2025 from their homes near Paris.
Oddleaf was born in the dawn of 2020 when Carina Taurer (Keys) and Mathieu Rossi (Flute/Electronic Flute) decided to create a Progressive Rock project, after a decade of touring the worlds of Early and Medieval Music. They gave life to an entirely new repertoire made of original compositions and were joined in the course of the year 2021 by Clément Curaudeau (Drums), Olivier Orlando (Bass & Guitar) and Olivier Marcaud (Lead vocalist). As he could not stay invested in this project anymore, at the end of 2023 he left the lead singer role to Adeline Gurtner. Her arrival reinforced the feminine presence in the group, contributing to accentuate its singularity.
By mixing a diversity of genres in its music, drawn from Rock, Folk, Medieval and Classical music influences, Oddleaf follows, modestly but not without ambition, the tradition of Progressive Rock, which from the beginning created new, innovative and exciting fusions of styles.
The band proclaims influences picked from the 70’s progressive music scene (King Crimson, Genesis) as well as the contemporary music scene (The Flower Kings, Wobbler, Steven Wilson). Along with a love of the aesthetic of the 70’s timeless timbres of keyboards, in particular Hammond Organ and Mellotron, the band embraces new technologies and sounds embodied by the Electronic Flute – from the Electronic Wind Instrument family.
In turn luminous, tormented, epic or dreamlike, Oddleaf’s music cultivates change and contrast between electric and acoustic sounds, (while remaining energetic yet soft) powerful collective surges and the purity of intimate moments. Above all, it encourages us to dream … it creates vast new worlds… but remains firmly grounded in its time through lyrics expressing burning ecological themes.
After making a few demos in spring 2022, the group successfully began to get some experience on stage, especially when opening for Franck Carducci.
The next big step for Oddleaf is getting its first studio album released. It’s been patiently concocted with love for many months since the first recording sessions in October 2023. When Ideal and Denial Collide, which is made of 4 long compositions of pure prog rock sound, will be our first big musical manifest, and will be available in the midst of fall 2024. So, one thing is for sure… the best is yet to come!
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