Oscar interview: Album two is sounding way more grown up

Oscar on mending broken hearts, diggin' up original wax and more ahead of his upcoming tour dates.

Ben Smith

Last updated: 15th Sep 2016

Image: Oscar

If ever you're ever in need of a happy moment, a twist of the rubix cube that is Oscar Scheller's debut album will brighten up your day.

Cut and Paste, released back in May, is a self-produced patchwork of hook-heavy delights that snapshot nuances of wading through life in your twenties.

He's a melodic whizz and natural song-writer, managing to draw optimism from the melancholy scribed in its liner notes - threading 90s britpop to boom-bap.

Oscar's knack for a gangsta beat is matched by a deep baritone voice, making him one of the most distinct acts ripping up the circuit at present. He heads out on tour with main gal and the equally unique Girli this month - including dates in Sheffield and Manchester.

Hey Oscar! First up we love the album, how’s festival season been treating it?

Festival season has been treating it really well! It’s nice to see there’s always a row of people at the front who know all words. Pretty mad feeling that.

The ‘Cut and Paste’ tour is just around the corner and you’re sharing it with Girli. What can we expect from you guys on snapchat?

You can expect a lot of backstage antics, bad/good karaoke, skanking, general stupidity and not giving a shit about being embarrassed!

Cut and Paste’ plays out as a real feel-good record for us, we love blaring ‘Sometimes’ in the office. What were your creative intentions when making it?

Exactly that. To make people feel good!! To mend broken hearts and to help people feel less alone and to share a thought with somebody. Also to reflect on my own life and to make sense of everything that’s happened. It’s what makes music so special after all. That healing quality it can have.

We definitely need more songs like ‘Breaking My Phone’ in the world, any nuances of modern day life grabbed your attention for song inspiration recently?

Yes it’s always happening to me. From the supermarket to the bus stop, to a text that someone has sent. It’s whether the song survives the cut or not or is interesting enough to fully see through.

We hear you’re a big record collector, what is your greatest find and what delights have you dug out recently?

I love to buy records, it’s a bit of an addiction, although any collector will tell you that. My greatest find so far has been an original copy of GZA ‘Liquids Swords’ which I actually bought for a friend. Recently I’ve found originals of Alton Ellis ‘Sunday Coming’ and Richard Hell and The Voidoids ‘Blank Generation’.

There’s a lot going on in the world of Oscar, could you tell us about some of your on-going projects and how album number two will differ from your debut?

There is a lot going on and sometimes I get so excited but then realise I can’t do it all at once and then get frustrated. I’m currently designing a lot of the clothes I wear on stage.

I’ve always been a real believer of customisation. If they don't make it how you want, then you can. So, been doing a lot of sewing and painting and printing.

I have some musical side projects too, just for good measure. Album two is sounding way more grown up and even more diverse stylistically. I think I’m really illustrating just how eclectic I can be.