July 31, 2026 |
Summer is the season for dancing in sweat-soaked festival fields, and few can curate that soundtrack like Olof Dreijer. Returning to solo releases following his tenure in electronic duo The Knife, the artist has been sprinkling dance floors with celestial, joy-fuelled explorations that blend adventurous production with infectious energy.
Dreijer consistently challenges expectations of what dance music can be, and this month, he arrives at Amsterdam’s Dekmantel Festival with a new chapter of his melodic world in tow: Loud Bloom, his long-awaited debut solo album. Founded in 2013, the festival has since earned a reputation as a playground for electronic music, bridging experimental producers and live performers on a club culture-crazed stage.
The Swedish artist’s choice of collaborators on the LP speaks to his eclectic vision, from the sweet, pop-tinted Arabic vocals by Cairo-based performer MaMan on one of the album’s defining singles, Echoed Dafnino, to the thumping beats of Acuyuye spotlighting Colombian MC Diva Cruz. Hypnotic synth patterns, jazzy improvisations and acoustic layers blend together, tossing aside traditional notions of genre and serving up a little something for everybody. “I’m very happy to have arrived at allowing myself to just have fun with my own music again,” says Dreijer on the free-spirited, playfulness that pulses through the record.
Ahead of Dreijer’s electrifying tour stop at Dekmantel in collaboration with Afro-rave artist Toya Delazy, we sat down with the artist to learn more about the creative processes behind the album and which fellow musician he’s most keen to catch at the festival.
1. This project marks your debut solo album – how was this process different to producing music with Karin for The Knife?
Quite different. With The Knife it’s more about finding a shared musical space between us; with my own music, it’s more just jamming, having fun, making dance music. It’s much more based around the groove and the sounds as opposed to The Knife, which is obviously more song/pop based.
2. What inspired this work?
Everything from many years of therapy, realising that it’s okay to just have fun in the studio, to the will to play around more with different ways dance music can groove.
3. How does Sweden influence your sound?
I don’t feel so connected to music in Sweden, but I’m grateful for growing up there with public music school free for everyone, which has had a big impact on music from Sweden.
4. What do you hope listeners will feel when listening to Loud Bloom?
Joy, freedom, inspiration, creativity and curiosity.
5. Why the name Loud Bloom?
Most tracks that aren’t collabs on the album have titles that could be both names of plants and names of people. This concept came about cause my love for making music makes me stay with my tracks a bit too long, and I can’t let go of them, so I thought it’s a bit like I can’t let go of my little babies out in the world, so I thought of the tracks as my little babies. The “Loud” part is what I feel like music and my debut [represent] in some way – even though it’s a soft, loud statement.
6. How has the dance floor shaped the music you’ve chosen to produce?
A lot, of course. I love the dance floor and I always try to make my music as danceable as possible. I’m also interested in how some grooves make you dance and that also steers how I make the groove.
7. If you had to save one track off of Loud Bloom from a burning building, what would it be and why?
It would be Blood Lily, mostly because it sounds fiery, but also I’m very happy with it and it captures a bit of everything.
8. What venue is on your bucket list to play?
Always somewhere warm and with a beach.
9. Your set at Dekmantel is coming up – what do you love the most about Amsterdam’s electronic music scene?
There seems to be a big love for music and different kinds of music there, which I love and, of course, I love that they love techno!
10. Who are three other artists you’re excited to catch at Dekmantel?
Nídia, T.NO and Oscar Mulero/Dasha Rush B2B.
Photography by Bo Bannink. You can catch Olof Dreijer at Dekmantel today at The Nest, 7-8pm.
