The Offline - Les Cigales EP

Prolific Hamburg-based composer-producer The Offline (AKA Felix Müller) share’s his brand nee EP ‘Les Cigales’ – the follow up to his acclaimed 2023 debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’.

Watch the trilogy to ‘Les Cigales’

The EP builds upon the psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities established on the previous record, but with a sharp focus on storytelling. Singles ‘Fumée’, ‘Les Amis’ and ‘Un long été chaud’ established the narrative of a love story between two friends, mirroring the story of Gyptis and Protis – the founding myth of Marseilles, whose love broke convention and welcomed the arrival of foreign people on French soil.

Accompanied by a series of music videos that can be watched here, The Offline’s ear for auditory storytelling has been finely honed on this expertly crafted EP, which takes its sonic cues from the structure of film and TV music from the 1960s and 70s, channelling the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and David Axelrod. However, the influences don’t stop here - The Offline’s love for hip-hop shines through too, with subtle nods to the work of MF Doom and The Alchemist. On the record, he shares:

“The EP transports the listener to the Mediterranean coastline of France. As some may know, Hamburg is not known for the best weather, especially the winters with little daylight, cold winds and rain lashing down on your face. Maybe that's why this longing for light, warmth and the sea is always a big part of my music - by composing the songs, I can be in these places."

Early singles ‘Fumée’ and ‘Les Amis’ found support from Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2, as well as various shows across Jazz FM, Rinse FM and NTS in the UK, whilst also being picked up by Radio FIP in France. These tracks perhaps best personify what The Offline’s sound is all about, featuring breezy guitar tones, haunting vibraphone embellishments, and bopping hip-hop shuffles. Title track ‘Les Cigales’ provides an emphatic peak to the record, with crunchy guitar lines giving way to a bold horn fanfare. On the track, The Offline shares:

“Les Cigales is about the sound of crickets that can be heard everywhere in the pine forests of southern France. The track begins with suspenseful accents and moves into a rolling beat with a distorted wah-wah guitar until the melody is finally taken over by the horns. This track was inspired by The Alchemist, and I could imagine Action Bronson or Westside Gunn rapping over it."

The Offline - Les Cigales / En clair-obscur - 12" Vinyl

£22.00

The project follows The Offline’s debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’, released in November 2023, which saw him create his own soundtrack to a film yet to be made. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the seas edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. ‘Les Cigales’ sees him continue to build upon a distinctive sound that moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism, incorporating psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by his extensive record collection.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After returning to his native Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ captured the essence of his journey, and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. His music has seen support from Huey Morgan and Deb Grant (BBCR6), plus Somewhere Soul, Rinse FM, Radio FIP, Jazz FM and more, amassing millions of streams and selling hundreds of records.

The Offline - Les amis

Prolific Hamburg-based composer The Offline returns, inviting listeners to join the cast of his ever-growing Mediterranean Cinematic Universe with new single ‘Les Amis’. The single is the second taster of his forthcoming ‘Les Cigales’ EP, building upon the library-nodding, instrumental hip-hop blend explored on his acclaimed 2023 debut ‘La couleur de la mer’.

Following lead single ‘Fumée’, which established the story of two people on the search for each other, ‘Les Amis’ develops the narrative of ‘Les Cigales’ further, with a romantic theme and scene set by breezy guitar tones and vibraphone embellishments, all held down with a hip-hop shuffle. The track frames growing intimacy between two friends, before taking a tense turn, hinting that all may not be as it seems. Felix shares:

“Les Amis is about the relationship between two friends spending the summer on the Mediterranean. The musical theme, played by a guitar, tells of the intimacy and closeness of the two friends, which develops over the course of the track and changes into tension and an uncertain foreboding towards the end with the use of the wind instruments.”

‘Les Cigales’ takes its’ sonic cues from the structure of film and TV music from the 1960s and 70s, channelling the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and David Axelrod, whilst also sitting somewhere between the washed out, sun-soaked sonics of Surprise Chef and Robohands. As the EP unwinds, its narrative reflects a love story, full of longing, melancholy and drama, connecting with the story of Gyptis and Protis – the founding myth of Marseilles – whose love broke convention and welcomed the arrival of foreign people on French soil.

The Offline - Les Cigales / En clair-obscur - 12" Vinyl

£22.00

The project follows The Offline’s debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’, released in November 2023, which saw him create his own soundtrack to a film yet to be made. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the seas edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. ‘Les Cigales’ sees him continue to build upon a distinctive sound that moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism, incorporating psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by his extensive record collection.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After returning to his native Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ captured the essence of his journey, and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. His music has seen support from Huey Morgan and Deb Grant (BBCR6), plus Somewhere Soul, Rinse FM, Radio FIP, Jazz FM and more, amassing millions of streams and selling hundreds of records.

The Offline Announces new EP Les Cigales + new track 'Fumée' [Vinyl pre-order]

Prolific Hamburg-based composer The Offline returns, inviting listeners to join the cast of his ever-growing Mediterranean Cinematic Universe with new single ‘Fumée’. The single is the first taster of his forthcoming ‘Les Cigales’ EP, which builds upon the library-nodding, instrumental hip-hop blend explored on his acclaimed 2023 debut ‘La couleur de la mer’.

‘Fumée’ introduces part one of the narrative of ‘Les Cigales’, an EP that reflects upon life on the Mediterranean during the summer months. Balanced around alternating light and dark sections, and a captivating Rhodes theme that sits in a different time signature to the rolling drum groove, this purposeful instrumental begins to tell the story of two people on the search for each other, situating the listener in and around Marseille. Felix shares:

"As some may know, Hamburg is not known for the best weather, especially the winters, with little daylight, cold winds and rain lashing down on your face. Maybe that's why this longing for light, warmth and the sea is always a big part of my music - by composing the songs, I can be in these places."

‘Les Cigales’ takes its’ sonic cues from the structure of film and TV music from the 1960s and 70s, channelling the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and David Axelrod, whilst also sitting somewhere between the washed out, sun-soaked sonics of Surprise Chef and Robohands. As the EP unwinds, its narrative reflects a love story, full of longing, melancholy and drama, connecting with the story of Gyptis and Protis – the founding myth of Marseilles – whose love broke convention and welcomed the arrival of foreign people on French soil.

The project follows The Offline’s debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’, released in November 2023, which saw him create his own soundtrack to a film yet to be made. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the seas edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. ‘Les Cigales’ sees him continue to build upon a distinctive sound that moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism, incorporating psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by his extensive record collection.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After returning to his native Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ captured the essence of his journey, and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. His music has seen support from Huey Morgan and Deb Grant (BBCR6), plus Somewhere Soul, Rinse FM, Radio FIP, Jazz FM and more, amassing millions of streams and selling hundreds of records.

The Offline - Les Cigales / En clair-obscur - 12" Vinyl

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The Offline - Les Cavaliers

Cinematic-soul maestro The Offline is back and continuing to brew his signature blend of sunny, cinematic soul on his latest offering, ‘Les Cavaliers’.

Again channelling the spirit of film composers from the 1960s and 70s like Brian Bennet & David Axelrod, ‘Les Cavaliers’ reunites the colourful cast of musical characters found on ‘La couleur de la mer’, including Chris Hill (Drums), Hans-Christian Stephan (Flugelhorn) and Kimo Eiserbeck (Flute). A continuation of The Offline’s ongoing homage to surf spots in the south of France, the playful tune captures the warm summer breeze, the taste of salt in the air, and the laid-back atmosphere that so often comes with the sun beating down on a glorious coastal day. On the track, The Offline shares:

“Les Cavaliers pays tribute to the Aquitaine region of France, which has been a big influence on my music. The track came about a few days after my debut album was released, capturing a moment of relief to turn the page on one chapter, yet anticipation of what will come.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. 

The Offline - La couleur de la mer - 12" Vinyl

£22.00

Format: Select Format Vinyl

Add to cart

The Offline - La couleur de la mer [Out now on digital + 12" vinyl)

Take an adventure into the world of the finest cinematic soul around, and dive deep into The Offline’s debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. 

The Offline - Le motard [New single + Music Video]

Hamburg’s finest is back with another cinematic soulful cup of goodness, spiced with a dose of funk throughout on his new single ‘Le motard’.

Watch the music video + order his debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’ on digital and 12” vinyl below.

Based around an urgent shuffle and Khruangbin-esque guitar parts, ‘Le motard’ comes as a near centre-piece of ‘La couleur de la mer’, taking the energy of the album up a notch as listeners enter the second act of the soundtrack. An infectious bassline forms a tight rhythmic unit with the kit, opening up space for a boisterous horn section, again taking influence from the dark, jazz-tinged hip-hop sampling of the likes of MF Doom and Madlib.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Timor Litzenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix, Brian Bennet & David Axelrod, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the seas edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack. Sonically sitting somewhere between the washed out, sun-soaked sonics of Surprise Chef and Robohands, his music has seen support from BBC Radio 6 and Jazz FM, whilst amassing well over one million streams on his debut EP.

The Offline drops Permanent Vacation-inspired music video to ‘Un bout de chemin'

The Offline just dropped the Permanent Vacation-inspired music video to his latest single ‘Un bout de chemin’. Landing ashore, The Offline wanders around Hamburg’s infamous St. Pauli district, where he’s confronted by a gambling deadline as he searches for a better place.⁠

Watch the music video + order his debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’ on digital and 12” vinyl below.

Following debut EP ‘En clair-obscur’ and a series of singles earlier this year cementing his place as a rising voice in the world of cinematic soul & funk, The Offline continues to showcase music from his forthcoming debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’, with ‘Un bout de chemin’.

Based around a soulful cello ostinato, rising string & synth melodies and rhythmic, funk-inspired guitar parts, ‘Un bout de chemin’s’ rolling rhythms represent the journey The Offline transports the listener on over the course of his soundtrack-worthy debut record. Influenced by the work of film composer Francois de Roubaix, The Offline employed cellist Martin Bentz of the Kaiser Quartet (Chilly Gonzales, Jarvis Cocker) to add strings into the mix, adding a further cinematic edge to the music.

“Un bout de chemin, which means something like a bit of a journey, felt right for the rolling rhythm and the driven cello, but also in terms of the dramatic structure of the track. For me it felt like someone is pursuing a goal and this track tells a part of the journey. The name came about when I had the order of the album ready.”

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack.

The Offline unleashes villainous theme, 'Cap Camarat'

Returning with another cinematic gem, The Offline reveals ‘Cap Camarat’, the second album from his forthcoming debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’.

Watch the music video + order the LP below.

Dramatic horns and decorative flutes open proceedings, picking up the story where lead single ‘La mission commence’ left off. The Offline sets an off-kilter tone, with the composition creeping along, painting a mysterious picture of fog-swept, silhouetted manors, and sailing boats off the coast of Cap Camarat. It continues the records’ cinematic journey, blending MF Doom-style spectacle with delicate arranging.

“Cap Camarat was one of the last tracks I wrote for the album. I guess it started off with a drum groove from an old funk record as a foundation, then we added guitar and bass and all other instruments while playing along the beat. After the demo was set every instrument was recorded again in different studios.”

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack.

The Offline announces his debut album with new single 'La mission commence'

Hamburg’s finest cinematic soul artist ‘The Offline’ announces debut album with lead single ‘La mission commence’.

Watch the music video + order the LP below.

Following his debut EP ‘En clair-obscur’ and a series of singles earlier this year cementing his place as a rising voice in the world of cinematic soul & funk, ‘The Offline’ shares the lead single from forthcoming debut album ‘La couleur de la mer’ - ‘La mission commence’.

A track characterised by contrasts, playful horn melodies and soulful guitar lines develops with a rising intensity, balanced with dramatic, stomping beats that wouldn’t go amiss in MF Doom’s discography. The rich array of instrumentation, from Fender Rhodes through to a brass section, creates a symphony of sound that places the track as a movement within an album self-styled as ‘the soundtrack to a movie that has never been shot.”

“I used repetitive patterns in the song to immediately capture the listener's attention and create a sense of intrigue, building anticipation and welcoming people into the screening of the movie to which this is a part of the soundtrack.”

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set really early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack.

Hamburg's finest instrumental cinematic soul project, The Offline is back with 'Cap de l'Homy',

The Offline continues his fusion of jazz, funk, surf and soul on 'Cap de l'Homy', an ode to a famous surf spot along the shores of the French Atlantic.

Acting as the perfect soundtrack to the arrival of Spring, ‘Cap de l’Homy’ is based around a sunny chord progression and melodies that invoke a sense of longing and nostalgia. It’s another soulfully visual tune from an artist determined to paint pictures in the minds of his listeners. The Offline came to life, when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing the beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs to match the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals and soon recognized that he needed to build a group of musicians. With Carl-Michael “Grabi” Grabinger on drums, Sebastian Schütze on bass and the brass section with Hans-Christian Stephan and Kimo Eiserbeck, he found highly skilled instrumentalists to help the tracks come to life.

Listen to ‘Cap de l’Homy’ everywhere