Ella Blixt and Robert Kretzschmar are “It’s a Musical”, but in spite of the band name that does not really describe their agenda nor sound. Because if musicals depict an artificial world – “It’s a Musical”, however, are sincere about the real world. But still they are big fun. “It’s a Musical” means pop music in an absolute immediate sense. Two artists, their voices, their instruments. Going forward, turning somersaults.
A few years ago Ella and Robert had gotten to know each other at common concerts with their current projects that time. Both had just moved to Berlin; Ella from Sweden, Malmö and Robert from the German countryside. Until they met, Ella was busy producing music under the name of “Bobby Baby” and Robert played with a duo called “Lady Boy”. Maybe these non-urban backgrounds also led to the distinct DIY spirit of the band; The first tracks they did together were written on an old organ.
In 2008 their debut album ‘The Music Makes Me Sick’ was released on Morr Music and it really underlined and defined their sound; indie pop without guitars, recorded live.
Take the best from Stereolab and St. Etienne, mix it with a bit of the likeable simplicity of lo-fi and add a tad of the interwoven harmony landscapes of a Burt Bacharach or a Karen Carpenter. Trumpets, vibraphones, canonical choirs. “It’s a Musical”, it really is.
What happened since then: The record became a hit in Japan and the band went on extensive touring throughout Europe with Icelandic labelmates Sin Fang and Borko.
Ella started another collaboration with Berlin-based avantgarde-pop-bricoleur F.S. Blumm and under the name of ‘Bobby & Blumm’ the results were released on both Morr Music and the sublabel of this, Sound Of A Handshake in respectively 2008 and 2010. And in a riot girl spirit Ella encourage young girls in both Sweden and Germany to enter the stages within the girls rock camps Popkollo and Ruby Tuesday Rock Camp.
In the meantime Robert joined Masha Qrella’s live band and now, finally, 2012 will see the release of It’s A Musical’s second full length album. It carries their sound forward and it will give another bunch of memorable melodies to the world.
