Innovators Of Sound: A Look At Norwegian Genre-Melting Indie Rock Band Orions Belte & Their New Single ‘Dearest’

“Imagine a psychedelic trio that’s a little bit blues, funk, and dub, mixed with chaos that is somehow eclectically fused through instrumental music,” is how I first described Orions Belte, only to find that it didn’t come close to encompassing their sound.

Their progressive instrumental style molded with colorful, melodic guitar licks and well balanced grooves prove that they are not reinventing the proverbial wheel, rather building a better mousetrap for instrumental music entirely. 

Where instrumental music stops in making the listener hungry for more, or at least excited about what else to expect, Orions Belte provides something new, noticeable, and interesting.

The eclectic fusion of funk, dub, blues, garage rock, surf, and punk don’t even begin to accurately describe their sound, or the feel. The Norwegian band’s tone shakes the system of instrumental music; through memorable melodies and guitar riffs from the 70’s, the band honors the past as it teaches us a thing or two on what instrumental music can be and it’s quite easy to see why it’s next to impossible to turn it off, there is always something better in the queue.

The trio, which consists of Øyvind Blomstrøm, Chris Holm, and drummer Kim Åge Furuhaug has kept it genuine from the beginning, bonding over their love for instrumental music and within a few days recorded their first album, Mint, which gained them international praise. Mint provides the backdrop to that flawless daydream, invoking the feeling of a care-free summer day. 

The newest single released off their upcoming sophomore album, Villa Amorini, out April 9th, 2021 via Jansen Records evokes the feeling of longing and wishful thinking for someone or something. Riding the wave with the electric guitar into a moody, sentimental melody, “Dearest” gives you the same whimsical and intriguing sound, but uses sparse cuts of vocals to drive the sentiment home, which is used selectively for Orions Belte. It shows new sensorial depths, evolving far past their first album. The single, and upcoming album, is described by the band as “an homage to an era of loud music, club nights, ugly shirts and long afterparties,” and you feel that energy from the very beginning with “Dearest.” 

It doesn’t take much listening to discover why it’s so easy to leave Orions Belte playing on a loop for hours. It’s hard to find a song that doesn’t quite fit the vibe you are trying to create. They effortlessly cater to a wide range of listeners, and their music embodies the beautiful blend of both binaries. Chaotic and calm. Underground pop and psychedelic rock. Improvising based off of a riff, or following and trusting the melody.

The band displays a nuance that much artistry takes years to embrace, which is why they seem to leave you wanting more – and we are curious and waiting!