I wouldn’t have been surprised to read the PR as ‘iDie’ by Pixar. There’s something of both San Jose and Hollywood about this hi-tech song by oona, which is producer/songwriter Olli Suominen's latest production – “a vehicle for a new pop-oriented sound, an expression of a different kind of music, as well as an idea that plays with different concepts of identity and gender.”
Olli tells us of the new project: "Within the story I've created around the character "oona", she is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) developed by the NSA (National Security Agency) for the purpose of monitoring citizens who become sentient. Her struggling to come to terms with her identity, the discomfort she feels regarding her [lack of a] physical body, as well as her going against her programmed 'purpose' is something that directly parallels my own real life struggles. In regards to the music, in this project I'm exploring two of my favourite things: weird sound design and pop music. ‘oona’ is a passion project, and personally I don't care about success or an audience."
Well that’s certainly well out of left field and has shades of ‘Blade Runner’ as well I suppose. It’s an odd song that will find an audience although few will be over 30, a sort of electronic, revolutionary R&B number. You won’t be able to dance to it. That’s really all there is to say. You either like this variety of experimentation or you don’t. I’m non-committal.
Find oona on Twitter.