Malummí are back with their sophomore album ‘The Universe Is Black,’ out via Irascible Records.

The new record is an eclectic fusion of minimalist, experimentally grunge-tinged indie rock and warm folk pop, exploring different forms of relationships: to the self, to others, to society. Fierce and blissful at the same time, Malummí’s new album is set to get under your skin.

Shaped by Malummí’s own personal experience, the album addresses the topics of different forms of relationships, self-love, mental health, rebirth, and vitality. ‘The Universe Is Black’ also critically examines social constructs in a patriarchal, white society. Over the ten tracks, Malummí creates immersive soundscapes with musical and lyrical depth.

“Music was always a big part of my life”

Your latest album was recently released. Are you excited about it? How much time and effort went into recording ‘The Universe Is Black’?

OMG! Yes so excited, it is unreal how fast time has passed. It’s already out now. In March 2023 we had our first studio day. More and more frequently, we kept on recording, mixing and producing until everything was eventually finished, in June.

Would you be able to draw some comparison to your debut album, ‘Blood’ and on that note, what would be some of the main differences when it comes to music.

Without ‘Blood,’ ‘The Universe Is Black’ would not exist, for many reasons. Thanks to the live experience, our language had the chance to develop: it became louder and harder…more electric, more analogue, less electronic. It gives the feeling of being in a more awake state. If you listen closely, you can still hear the soft dreamer-like colors from Blood, underlying everything.

Do you feel that your latest album is more intimate, more personal as you’re sharing topics of relationships, self-love, mental health…

Yes and no. I was already sharing all these things in the first album, in a more hidden manner. I have changed as a person. Because of that, I found new ways to verbalize these topics with a more direct and concrete language.

<a href="https://malummi.bandcamp.com/album/the-universe-is-black">The Universe Is Black by Malummí</a>

Would love it if you could talk a bit about your musical background and how you first got interested in music and what led you to where you are today.

Music was always a big part of my life. As a very young kid, my parents sent me to violin lessons, which definitely wasn’t my calling. I then switched to cello, before deciding to take a little break from music. Finally, I realized I really just wanted to sing. I played in underground bands and sang Bossa nova for some years, until I started studying for a Jazz voice Bachelor in Basel. Now that I’ve finished my masters in Zurich…singing is my job and couldn’t be happier about it!

Where was the album recorded and what was the process like?

The album was recorded in the Tiny Horses Studio in Basel, by Giovanni Vicari.

Giovanni is the guitarist of the band, which made the whole experience very smooth and exciting. He played all the instruments except drums (and cello, which I took away from the dust), produced and mixed everything. It is a very cozy place, where I felt understood and taken care of, musically and humanly.

Would love it if you could share some commentary about the tracks featured on ‘The Universe Is Black’.

As a songwriter, I try to create a world of sounds and pictures in which the listeners can get to explore new sides of themselves. Because of that, I avoid explaining my own interpretations, in order to let the people be free to recognize and understand the songs in their own way.