It Came From The Basement: Øjne

I first discovered the Milano-based screamo band Øjne maybe six years ago. I was still in college, and the heat of my screamo awakening. I was looking for something that fused the chaos of Pageninetynine with the melodic tendencies of Touché Amoré. Øjne’s Prima Che Tutto Bruci fell into my algorithm, and I had found exactly what I was looking for. 

Fast forward to last year and a meme I spent maybe 3 minutes on. I used one of their songs, “Ogni Inverno,” in a video of me cooking pasta with the caption, “Italian Skramz, icookadapasta,” really high brow, I know. Their singer Gian Luca reached out to me to tell me he loved the video, which I was more than elated to hear. This sparked an internet friendship where we would periodically text back and forth, sharing memes, projects we were working on, and music. Around April this year, they announced they were playing New Friends Fest in Toronto. I needed to see if they were touring the states and if they’d be interested in chatting for a bit. Now I can thank Frail Body for helping me see and interview one of my favorite bands of all time. 

August 4th was a sweltering day in Brooklyn. I was working from a nearby cafe, trying to dodge the sun as it moved across the outside patio like a magnifying glass over ants. After I had wrapped up for the day, I slung my backpack on and headed to Gold Sounds. I got there a bit before the band, so I ordered a drink and sat for a few minutes, futzing with my field recorder. 

I stepped back outside as their van rolled up; Gian Luca greeted me warmly as he introduced me to the rest of the band. He had a great energy about him, where you just get excited listening to him talk about the things he’s passionate about. We talked about movies and music over a few beers as the other bands came up to introduce themselves and join the circle. Little by little, the venue started to pack up with screamo enthusiasts and some locals who happened to just stumble onto a moment in skramz history. 

The wind had started when we went back outside, which was a much-needed respite from the overbearing heat. We set up shop on the side of the street in Gold Sounds’ little gazebo-ish drinking area they have. We crowded around the microphone like a group of penguins trying to keep an egg warm in an attempt to protect the sound from the bustling city street and the unpredictable wind. It was an absolute pleasure getting to hang out with the band and pick their brains about the music they’re making and their plans coming down the pipeline. 

Grazie mille Øjne, amo la tua musica, e ritornate a New York presto per favore!