After a four-year hiatus, Finnish alternative artist Louie Blue is back with the anticipated third studio album, Blood & Bones, out now via Booa Music.
The record marks a bold creative statement, blending alternative pop, R&B, and rock influences into a sound that is simultaneously nostalgic and refreshingly original in similar vein to Westermann and with some beautiful guitar tones akin to Mk.Gee. Beautifully nuanced, emotionally aware and elegantly experimental yet accessible, the record is a brilliant example of Blue’s potential as an artist.
Louie, who began making waves in Finland’s music scene at just 17 with his debut single ‘Confused’, has spent the last several years refining his vision. Following his previous albums, Notes and Division 8, he sought a project that fully reflected his personal and artistic identity. The result is Blood & Bones, an album he wrote, arranged, produced, and mixed entirely himself, with mastering by Aleksis Raivio.
The album sees Louie leaning into analog textures, recording live instruments on tape in his self-built studio to achieve a warm, imperfect sound. “I wanted the sound to be warm and imperfect – an antidote to today’s hyper-polished pop,” he explains. The record draws from his childhood influences, from The Police and Genesis to Roxy Music and Joni Mitchell, creating a sophisticated retro vibe that merges AOR, soft rock, and subtle fusion elements.
Tracks like sixth cut ‘Alone in My World’ highlight the album’s introspective core. Loungey and atmospheric, the song explores ego-death and self-discovery with layered drums, guitars, and a soaring guitar solo reminiscent of Sting’s 80s sophistication. “The song’s about picking apart beliefs and finding peace within myself,” Louie says.
Lyrically, Blood & Bones is a personal exploration of identity, growth, and artistic truth. Louie reflects, “The songwriting reflects a journey of emotional maturity: accepting hard truths, embracing myself in the present, and consciously stepping away from external pressures to fit in or follow trends.” Themes of love, lust, fleeting romances, and the magic of everyday life run throughout the album, giving it both intimacy and universality.
For Louie, this album represents a turning point. After a creative crisis that led to a shelved record titled Child, he emerged with a project that is, in his words, “unapologetically me”.
Listen below:
No Comment