Dive Into the Deep End with Ok Cool
PHOTO BY RYAN KIOLBASSA
Somewhere between a mix of racial tensions rising in the country and a pandemic sweeping the world, the Chicago-based indie rock duo OK Cool managed to find a purpose.
Their first EP, Anomia was released on June 5, 2020. All was finished and ready for OK Cool to take on the world, but then the world stopped. The album release show was canceled and things haven’t been the same since.
“That was the time that the Black Lives Matter movement really started to take off. It was very clear that taking up that online space was needed for more important things that needed to be talked about,” Bridget Stiebris explained, “We threw the EP up on Bandcamp and donated everything to Black Lives Matter Chicago.”
“It was very clear that taking up that online space was needed for more important things that needed to be talked about.”
It all started when Haley Blomquist reached out to a girl who had a guitar in her profile picture, Stiebris, through a Facebook group for musicians. Things didn’t work out at first, but about a year later when she was looking for a drummer, Blomquist remembered that girl who also happened to love Twenty One Pilots and had the guitar in her profile picture.
One would never guess that these two haven’t known each other their whole lives. Laughing at each other's jokes and finishing their thoughts, this pair was meant to be.
The perfect example of this chemistry can be seen in the “Five Finger Exploding Heart Technique” music video. There is just something about these two playing guitar and scooting around Chicago, whether that’s on a scooter or an office chair, that just works.
This single was the first off their upcoming EP, Surrealist. The EP is a mix of indie pop, rock and classic emo sounds that will have you listening on repeat. With Blomquist bringing bass and vocals combined with Stiebris’ vocals and rocking out on guitar and drums, there is something unique and empowering behind their sound. OK Cool is the perfect band to add to the already successful Chicago music scene.
Although things aren’t how they used to be, this time spent in quarantine made the duo slow down and focus on what was next.
“As devastating as it has been for everyone, it was a great time to stop and focus on what we were writing together,” Blomquist explained, “We really hadn’t done much of that before quarantine besides the EP.”
This called for a time of creativity and changing perspectives. Considering what you really want to do with your time and efforts. OK Cool set their priorities straight and set the mood for their new songs.
Inspired by Beach Bunny, Spirit of the BeeHive, and The Front Bottoms, their sound has evolved over the past year. Stiebris and Blomquist fleshed out what they loved and what wasn’t working. The end product is Surrealist.
“As devastating as it has been for everyone, it was a great time to stop and focus on what we were writing together.”
OK Cool previews the EP with their upcoming single, “Divers,” which originated with the bassline. The track is reminiscent of Snail Mail’s sound, but with a heavier rock component. It is refreshing with real lyrics that have a stronger meaning when you listen closely.
This isn’t the only project they are involved with. Things pump up to dance floor anthems with The Weekend Run Club and get serious with Take A Hike Records. The record label originated when The Weekend Run Club was looking to sell merch online and things got tricky. Since then Blomquist and Stiebris have been working hard to put this in motion, to which they’ve already sparked interest from other musicians.
Now is when things start to get fun because they have a platform to sell and the focus returns to the music. Although OK Cool and The Weekend Run Club have different vibes, they truly enjoy making all of this music.
“We’re both in the indie local band scene and it just happens to be like a fruit salad. The bands that are around tend to gravitate towards each other. It’s fun that one band can be kind of dancey and the other could be more emo, I think that is really cool,” Stiebris said.
There are plenty of opportunities for the two to experiment with different sounds, but they are sticking true to who they are. The “Five Finger Exploding Heart Technique” demo actually inspired the sound and vibe of Surrealist. They worked with Roger Humphrey (Twin Peaks) on this EP, who Blomquist had her eye on for a while. It just happened that he was having a quarantine special, so everything fell into place.
Although OK Cool hasn’t been able to be a “normal band” due to a lack of touring, they are looking forward to the future. Including all the fun releasing a new EP brings and the industry slowly coming back.
“I’d love to go on tour. We have never played a show as OK Cool because our first show got canceled. Playing a show together is going to be so fun,” Blomquist expressed, “Bridget has never sang live before so that will be a new adventure in and of itself.”
The five track EP, Surrealist, comes out Friday, March 26. Until then, be on the lookout for the first single off the EP, “Drivers” out this Friday.
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