Different and yet familiar. For her second Album as Blush Always the Leipziger Musician and Songwriter Katja Seiffert casts the strengths of her debut album in a new light. On “An Ode To”, critical self-reflection and emphatic storytelling increasingly take the place of chronic self-doubt, and her indie rock sound effortlessly transitions from rough urgency to catchy alternative pop.
Blush Always makes music out of conviction. With the passionate self-empowerment songs from her debut album “You Deserve Romance,” released in the fall of 2023, she playfully adapted the sound of 90s indie rock for the present day. In doing so, she not only relied on irresistible melodies and captivating intensity but also differentiated her sound from her peers, coming across as an artist whose love for music is greater than the desire to become famous.
With the follow-up “An Ode To ?,” released less than twelve months later, she stays true to herself but subtly shifts the focus. While her last album focused on the pitfalls of romantic love and interpersonal relationships in all their often painful shades, she now asks the question hinted at in the album title: for whom does she actually make music? Highlighting in several songs the role of music plays in her life and the while also questioning her place in the music world.
In the past, she aptly described her approach as “expressive songwriting in emotional situations.” This time, however, it was more important for her to write less from the immediacy of the situation. Instead, she tries to find meanings and solutions, documenting the process retrospectively. The songs are therefore not necessarily more positive but noticeably more reflective. Unlike before, the songs focus less on herself. The realisation that she now draws her inspiration primarily from interactions with others and the joy of writing for and about people in her life guided her in creating her second album.
This new openness is also reflected in the sound of “An Ode To ?,” as many songs now tend more toward extremes. For instance, in the opening track “My Mum’s Birthday,” the powerful grunge intensity of the verses paves the way for the airy lightness of the chorus. Lyrically, the song bridges her own shortcomings with the self-centeredness of the indie scene, where few strive for authentic connections.
In contrast, “Fond Of Her” showcases how much fun Blush Always had in the studio, unabashedly crafting a genuine pop song - complete with an unexpected transposition at the end. “I’ve always wanted to do that, even though I find it completely ridiculous,” She admits. She translates the deceptive euphoria of excessively admiring someone into tones perfectly, enchanting her audience with a playful catchiness that often only shimmered in the background amid the storm of emotions on her debut album.
At the beginning of her career, Blush Always was initially afraid of her songs becoming too pop-oriented. However, she now finds it more bothersome when songwriters consciously avoid making their songs too accessible. “One shouldn't fear pop melodies if they fit naturally or arise organically,” she asserts. “I feel like the urge to write a catchy chorus is part of me, and this time around, I’ve been less critical about it and just allowed it.” Demonstrating her versatility. “Autoimmunity” underscores this sentiment - a gritty punk bonus track that appears on both the LP and CD. It takes her back to her roots as a songwriter, when an autoimmune disease made it challenging for her to play guitar, showcasing her loud, wild and assertive side.
The introspective “Girl In A Band” shines with atmospheric depth, highlighting the immense versatility of the album. Inspired by the recent Berlin appearance of New Zealand indie darling The Beths, the song nostalgically reminisces about Katja’s time in Auckland, where her desire to be on stage arose about ten years ago. It combines gratitude for what has already been achieved and the hope that she won’t lose sight of what’s essential in the future, as she sings: “I hope I don’t forget what it felt like then / When my only wish was to be a girl in a band.”
While many other songs on the album underscore her development in songwriting, especially her ability to create distinct melodies that immediately identify them as Blush Always tracks, “Just Keep Swimming” emerged from a desire to break away from routine.
Inspired by The Sundays and Fiona Apple, she focuses here on storytelling, while musically landing confidently in the pop realm of alternative rock with a short but stunningly catchy chorus. Those reminded by Alanis Morissete wouldn’t be entirely off base, and anyone envisioning the song in the credits of a 2000s romantic comedy understands the intentions Blush Always had with her arrangement perfectly.
The widespread positive feedback on her first album and the wave of enthusiasm she received at the completely sold-out release shows provided a significant boost in confidence just before recording sessions, leaving a mark on “An Ode To ?”. While she had previously valued a certain level of differentiation, she now sought more common ground. “I felt that I no longer needed to prove myself as an artist, and because of that, I was more eager to collaborate with others,” she explains. She promptly invited a whole host of kindred spirits who had shared the stage with her in the past to join her on this journey.
Jakob Amr, whose band Leoniden had supported Blush Always early in her journey, dropped by the studio for a day or two, resulting in the creation of three new songs. With Brockhoff, Blush Always co-wrote “Bigger Picture,” a gentle anthem revolving around friendship and their favorite music. For “Enemy,” which delves into the madness of envy within indie circles, Sophie Lindinger from My Ugly Clementine contributed a verse. The heartwarming “You Are My Favorite Place To Stay” originated from a rough demo by the drummer of Pabst, Tore Knipping, who also handled drums, solo guitar, and backing vocals during the recordings. Additionally, musician Damian Dalla Torre contributed (bass) clarinet compositions to the atmospheric ballad “Lonely Things.”
However, that wasn’t the only change in the creative process. After needing two attempts for “You Deserve Romance,” Blush Always intentionally set a much tighter timeframe this time around. Being deprived of the chance to endlessly scrutinize the results was actually a relief for her. Without spending much energy on a prolonged demo phase as before, she shifted the process of experimenting and refining details directly into the studio, relying more on the magic of the moment.
Blush Always once again found support in Magnus Wichmann, who had previously produced her first EP “Postpone” in 2022 and subsequently her debut album. This time, he was her sole collaborator during the recordings. The urge to challenge herself was simply greater, as she puts it: “I wanted to know what it’s like when more depends on me.” This led to a focus on production finesse rather than brilliant individual instrumental parts on “An Ode To ?,” which is particularly evident in songs like “Song About Drowning,” inspired by Jeff Buckley’s death. This emphasis ensures that the songs’ own radiance shines even more brightly at the forefront.
The result is an album that contains even more of Katja and her vision for Blush Always than her first record - a confident statement of her own ideals as she steadfastly pursues a career where longevity and sustainability hold more value than fleeting success. This album marks a continuation with an uncertain ending - as she sings in “Time if My Life”: “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way.”