In Loki Project, the dark-toned songwriter Lieke Dijkstra reveals herself in a minimalist formula, where the electric guitar, bass, dubbed vocals and worldly instruments such as the Chinese Ghuzeng harp accompany her introspective lyrics. Following in the footsteps of Björk and Melanie De Biasio, Loki evolves in a world of clair-obscur, delivering songs imbued with a sense of timelessness. With her latest single ‘Game of Life’ and ‘Come to my Dream’ she releases a video featuring ceramic masks, marking the debut for her upcoming album in 2024. We had a brief chat before her session at Hidden Gem Studio, where she performed with Gino Bombrini on sounds, Gino Cochise on bass, Jack Julian on keys, and Sem van der Peet on percussion.
I call it Loki project because it's a project. But it's one of many projects. I also do visual arts, but the red line in everything is the music. Loki is the inside of my head. I played for many years in my room with my looper, and I'd play for hours. I've played until I came in sort of like a trance state, and out of there melodies and lyrics would come. Every time I'd hear lyrics or melodies that would captivate me or awaken me from this trance that I've put myself in, I would write it down and make a song out of it. And that's how Loki was made, I think. It's actually a nickname I got from my friends, I didn't want to call myself Lieke. I needed some sort of an alter ego, so I picked Loki, and it happened to be the North mythology, the god that changes shape. And I feel like that. I feel people can change identity, shape, become a stone, become all kinds of things.
How did Loki evolve into the shape we are about to witness here?
I still have my looper but I'm very glad that I get to play these songs with my band, with these amazing artists. They all are also solo artists, but that's what I really like, because they all have a very particular way of playing. And when I play with them I feel like our characters join, that's what makes it like an enriched group of people. We've been playing for quite some time, but it's been since this year that we're really starting to rehearse some songs and make it into a proper live performance. We also want to add more theatrical elements, but then later on.
If you were to describe the sound of Loki, how would you describe it?
Every song is a capsule of itself for me, and it takes me somewhere. I feel that when I play it with people there, then we go there together. And it's different every time where we go. Every song has a certain character, a certain mood, but it always feels different when I play them. People refer to certain type of music when I say soul music, but for me it's soul music. And it's sort of like, dramatical meditation music.
Tijmen de Nooy Photography
How do you feel in this current chapter of your life, in your music, in your art?
I would describe it as challenging, because I need to step over myself, I need to step over my insecurities, I need to step over staying in my room. So I would describe this place as stepping out. A step into tomorrow. I really have to accept that this is what I do and this is what I cannot stop doing. So then I have to do it and... create.
I feel supported and I feel excited and I'm sweating. That's good, healthy, I think. Natural to
create something, then show it and say "yeah, this is me". Of course, that's vulnerable. I like that. In the past, I would not share it. I would keep it and then it would get dusty. So this is a lesson for me to try it, and to share it in all kinds of ways. And this is one way.
What’s in store for Loki in the near future?
So we're recording a live album and we are going to share some new singles that
we recorded last year. And with this, yeah, we really want to work on the live set and make that a whole experience and play. So we hope to, if we record this live set and share some footage and some songs that in the fall, we can do a small tour and play a lot. I feel like if we get to play a lot live, this can really make the band flourish and that we can create our sound with the audience.
Is there a message you’d like to convey in your music?
What I also say in my songs, I just, I don't want to be ashamed of what I feel or who I am. And I hope that in my music I show that I'm myself and that is enough to inspire others. Just try to be yourself. Just be yourself. That's beautiful.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Yeah, we're looking for a booker. We're looking for a booker. We're looking for a booker. We are looking for a booker.
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