Oddleaf

French proggers create a flutter with eco-themed debut album

“Many people ask why we are called Oddleaf, and we could not really explain – so we thought we would do a song about it,” says Carina Taurer, the band’s composer and keyboards player.
The explanation comes in the hauntingly intricate //Ethereal Melodies//, signature song from their shimmering debut album, //Where Ideal And Denial Collide//.

Its multi-layered symphonic lushness pays homage to legends like Renaissance, and Camel of whom Austrian-born Taurer and band co-founder, flautist Mathieu Rossi, are fans. They also cite modern bands like Wobbler, Änglagård and Big Big Train as major influences.
Throughout the six interconnected songs, they thread personal, heart-felt ecology and humanist themes.

Taurer elaborates: “When you look at our album cover, you see the World Tree. The introduction song is //The Eternal Tree//. As we are engaged with social matters, we wanted to tell something with the music and lyrics. We did not want the lyrics to be cheesy. We wanted them to convey our message celebrating the majesty of nature while questioning humanity’s place in it.”

After a decade of the duo performing Early and Medieval music throughout Europe, Rossi decided in 2020 it was time to make a prog album.

“I listened to prog when I was a teenager – bands like Genesis and Yes. I never thought I could play prog music as I play the recorder and bagpipes. Then I discovered the electronic flute with its Midi controller full of sensors and thought now’s the time to start a new progressive adventure.”

Having introduced Taurer to prog when they first collaborated, he encouraged her to start playing keyboards again which she studied when younger. She plays piano, mellotron and Hammond organ on the album – and is also proficient on the hurdy-gurdy.
Originally, the album was to feature male vocalist Olivier Marcaud. When he realised prog was not for him, they welcomed Adeline Gurtner and her crystalline voice then rerecorded all the lead and backing vocals.

“We are really happy to have found her, continues Taurer. “It was destiny. She is an Oddleaf, really passionate about her music, and an energy ball.”

Rossi admits that making the album was a long, sometimes difficult process. “We wanted to polish every aspect of it. Since we are a self-promoted band, it takes a long time to learn everything you have to know to produce the music then record it, find an artist to do the cover then pull all that together.”

Drummer Clément Curaudeau then suggested they contact Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow, The Opium Cartel) to master the album which he was happy to do. Rossi is thrilled with the favourable reception to the album. “The response is unbelievable. It’s like we were living in a bubble and suddenly, this is reward for what we were doing.” Having opened shows for fellow French luminaries, Franck Carducci and Lazuli, they are performing at the 2026 Fusion Festival. Rossi adds: “It’s a dream to come to the UK, but maybe you’ll see us sometime in 2025, fingers crossed!”

Prog File

LINE-UP: Adeline Gurtner (lead vocals), Carina Taurer (keys, backing vocals), Clément Curaudeau (drums), Mathieu Rossi (electronic flute, flute, backing vocals)
Olivier Orlando (bass, guitar, backing vocals)

SOUNDS LIKE: Lustrous 70s pastoral prog soundscapes with shimmering vocals including four-part harmonies in a contemporary social setting.

CURRENT RELEASE: //Where Ideal And Denial Collide// is out now.

WEBSITE: www.linktr.ee/oddleaf.official

— Alison Reijman