Odwalla1221

“Part rage part grace.” Hyperlocal presents odwalla1221, uv ac + xname at Cafe OTO, Jun 11

9 June 2017

Festival Hyperlocal presents odwalla1221, uv ac and xname at London’s Cafe OTO on June 11.

The event is the third of a series of monthly events, and features three performances. Los Angeles-based duo ODWALLA 1221 (Chloe Maratta and Flannery Silva), who describe themselves as “part rage and part grace,” build their sounds through looping vocals, electronic drums and samples and they recently released Fawns Are Dirty / Purr Hi (2016) on Thunderzone.

uv ac self-described “crimson clown expiring soon” will also play, along with London-based xname (Eleonora Oreggia) who is a conceptual elecontronic artist who creates live compositions that “transform light and other electromagnetic frequencies in sound waves through self built synthesizers.”

Read a recent interview with Odwalla1221 + visit Festival Hyperlocal website for details.**

  share news item

The Baltimore band formerly known as Odwalla88 on its reinvention as Los Angeles-based band Odwalla1221

19 April 2017

“Odwalla88 is now Odwalla1221,” declares Flannery Silva of the aforementioned Los Angeles-based band’s new name. The change comes with her and her counterpart, Chloe Maratta‘s recent move away from Baltimore, describing it as “an homage to [their] evolution.”

Odwalla1221, ‘Earth Flirt’ (2015) album cover. Courtesy the artists.

Since its inception, Odwalla1221 has garnered a lot of attention from press, galleries, and institutions for their distinct sound, crafty object-making, and unique bond. Maratta and Silva’s embodiment of sisterhood loops like their music, in and out of their life, band, and art-making. Their most recent project is a seven-inch, Fawns Are Dirty/Purr Hi B/W Giggle (Lil Ugly Mane Remix) on on Thunderzone,with earlier ones including 10-track album Earth Flirt (2015) out via Ooga Booga Records, Lily 23 (2014) that was originally a USB drive and Future Butterfly (2013-14) released as a CD.

Their songs are often structured around subtly feminist mantras, a feminism that celebrates female friendship with aesthetic nods to artists like Su Tissue or Poly Styrene. Words become beats and notes, as the two cut their live vocals, running them through a mixer, changing the meaning and offering alternate realities to the original lyric. Odwalla1221 makes an impression, as they’ve managed to create a fresh sound that is singular and a signature. Their music leaves you feeling and wanting something you’ve never had when you thought you’ve already consumed all that is consumable in this content-saturated world.

Odwalla1221 recently performed at Los Angeles’ Globe Theater with Inga Copeland and Fuck You Pay Us, we got in touch with them just before their show to find out what they’ve been obsessed with lately, what their new LA life is like, and what sisterhood means to them.

**How does Baltimore differ from LA?

Flannery Silva: Baltimore nurtured us with a kind community and allowed us space and time to bloom. We have a strong fondness for both places. I love Los Angeles because I’m able to find that same balance of solitude and nourishing outings, while living in a new climate.

Chloe Maratta:  The light pollution in Baltimore is pink.  Skunks and lizards hang out near my house in Los Angeles.

**What does sisterhood mean to you?

FS: Sisterhood is a shared language. Growth together, patience, deep laughter, synced rhythm — my most trustworthy editor. Our bond is rare so we hold on very tight.

CM: To me it means like:  partners, apartments, jobs, and art studios all come and go but we will always have ourselves.  

**Describe the first time you met, if it’s memorable. If not, could you talk a bit about the beginning of Odwalla88 in relation to where it’s at now?

CM: We met at school then we formed a band after school. Since then we have each changed our hairstyles a few times, toured the country and moved across it.

In May and June we will travel to Europe for the first time together for a performance and art show at Schloss in Oslo, and then a European tour afterwards.

**Object-based art seems to crossover into your collaborative work. Could you talk a bit about that process and what you are presenting next week?  

CM: We both like to make things when we are alone and the collaborative work comes when we weave together.

FS: Making merch has always been integral to our band. It comes naturally. We love to design and we have the tools to print ourselves. This past weekend we presented DUCKY Boutique, a temporary shop in Los Angeles, which sold t-shirt dresses, sweatshirts, jewelry, posters and more. Each garment has Odwalla1221 stamped on it — either blatantly or almost illegibly. We wanted to make a chic space to have merch outside of the context of a show.

**How would you describe a show to someone who isn’t there?

FS: A pretty and poignant and complicated 17-minute prayer.

CM: We kinda rock back and forth.

**List your current top five obsessions or interests.

CM:

– ‘200 Nam Nam‘ by Marcelline, Travis Lavasseur, and Corey Hughes. I am dying to see this film.

– ‘Headspace‘ meditation App

– Solter Plastics

– Urban Decay Moondust eyeshadow in ‘Solstice’

-Veggie Combo Plate at Erewohn with brown rice balls, buffalo cauliflower, and garlic bok choy.  

Odwalla1221, ‘Fawns Are Dirty’ (2016) album cover. Courtesy the artists.

FS:

The Plumbing Tree – a play by Bryan Edward Collins & Amanda Horowitz

Bebe Yama

Saint Margaret of Antioch

-Precious Moments Tender Tails

Tommy Wright III**

Odwalla1221 (FKA Odwalla88) are a Los Angeles-based band.

  share news item