Biography

Ötzi pierces the heart with their dark and passionate style of post-punk. Brooding and aggressive sounds intertwine, via dual vocals, flanged-out guitar, austere bass and tense drumming. Anthemic hooks, worthy of 80s new wave radio hits, are delivered by way of classic analog production, making the songs penetrate even deeper. While nodding to the commanding howls of Siouxsie and the Banshees, the anarcho-punk of Crass, and the laments of early The Cure, Ötzi's realness is what separates them from the pack of stylish bands currently resurrecting dark sounds of the 80s. Ötzi singer and bassist Akiko Sampson states: “We ascribe punk and feminist ethics to our music and our lives, and that’s something that will never change. We’ve fought uphill battles to earn respect as humans and as musicians, and that gives our music a bolder, broader edge. The 'darkness' that's always been found in our music isn’t existential dread or moroseness, it’s a reflection of our perspectives as femmes in an often hostile world. But as we've progressed as a band, we've started to incorporate not just the sounds of the world we live in but also the future world we wish to manifest, which holds more hope, joy, and love.” Since their formation in 2014, Ötzi has toured the world, billing with the likes of The Chameleons, Deerhoof, Modern English, and She Past Away.