Bright Flight is a duo based in Oslo, Norway consisting of Michael Pflieger and Karina Okabe Solberg. Their latest release “Teal” combines aspects of electronica and indie rock with traces of triphop and ambient sounds mixed in for good measure.
I caught up with Michael to talk about his early musical experiences, how the project began and the making of their recent recordings.
CMM-What was the first music that really made an impact on you as a kid and what artist or band did you enjoy the most?
Michael-The very first song that made a lasting impression on me was Head Like A Hole by NIN. I was just a kid but it was my first “Woah” moment with music. I thought it was so cool and I had never heard anything like it before. Way cooler than anything my parents had been playing for us. Later on, as a teenager and young adult, bands like Pavement and Silver Jews shaped my music taste and style. David Berman is my favourite songwriter of all time and the world is worse off because he’s gone.
CMM-How did you start crafting your own recordings and developing your sound?
Michael-In my early 20’s I played bass in an Indie band with some pretty cool people. We all lived in a house together and played every night. It sounded like a weird mixture of Joy Division and Malkmus & The Jicks. Fun times! Life was simple. Everyone eventually gets caught up in life and people go their separate ways. I began working enormous amounts of hours and didn’t have time to be in a band but would experiment and record on my own during late night insomnia sessions. Those sessions are what eventually led to the quirky songs I’ve been releasing under Bright Flight.
CMM-You recently released several songs over the last few months. What was the writing and recording process like for these tracks and were there any particular pieces of gear you used to get the sound you were looking for?
Michael-Every song starts with a specific idea or direction that I’m trying to go towards. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it ends up somewhere else entirely. Shortsighted was originally recorded for a charity compilation by Outcast Tape Infirmary. We were given specific guidelines for the songs. They had to be 90 seconds or shorter etc… and it was fun creating something within those parameters. Most of the music is synth based although the newest song Teal is mostly guitar. As I’m stunningly lousy at guitar I tried experimenting and incorporating different sounds into the song. I fed guitar riffs into my sampler and created some interesting layers to help create a vibe. As far as songwriting, I’ve been trying to write songs that tell stories about my personal experiences. I’ve found it easier to use metaphors and analogies when addressing emotional topics. Teal looks back on a car crash and I compare my injuries and scars to an old battlefield map. There’s a reference to Shiny Happy People because I remember hearing it playing over the hospital loudspeaker as I’m being prepped for emergency surgery. (Shiny Happy People is a terrible song to die to!!!) There’s a reference to I Remember Me by Silver Jews which is a song about a guy who gets hit by a truck, buys the truck with his settlement money, and then touches the dent his body had made. Basically, just a lot of thoughts and little reflections that I tape together to try to tell these stories in my own way. I guess it’s my version of therapy.
CMM-If you could do a score for any film director, who would it be and what would the film be about?
Michael-Tough question! How about a dystopian sci-fi horror film (set in space? with aliens?) by Coralie Fargeat. Lots of old school special effects. You could lean into some 80’s inspired synthwave for the soundtrack.
CMM-Anything coming up?
Michael-There’s nothing definitive lined up but there are some background conversations being held regarding a few collaborations with other artists. I’m quite excited about the idea of collaborating and I think it could be very rewarding. Down the road I’d like to put together an album. That’s a project I’ll probably start working towards next year if all goes well.
