Felix Müller is a Hamburg-born and-based photographer, composer and creative mastermind behind the cinematic soul project The Offline. Müller can trace the origins of The Offline to his travels along the the Atlantic coastline of southern France with an analog camera, capturing beach life. Upon his return to Hamburg, he started writing song as the sonic counterpart to his visuals.
The German-born photographer and composer’s The Offline debut, En Clair-Obscur captured the essence of his trip while evoking a chilled out, summer soundtrack that sonically channeled the likes of Surprise Chef and Robohands.
Müller’s full-length debut, last year’s Timor Litzenberg co-produced La couleur de la mer was inspired by the work of Francois de Roubaix — and saw him creating a soundtrack to an imaginary film. The album’s material evoked images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the ocean’s edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of the imaginary film’s hero. The album experimented with themes and atypical song structures, moving from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism while incorporating psychedelia, retro soul and hip-hop, inspired by and informed by his extensive record collection.
The Hamburg-based artist’s work has received airplay from BBC Radio 6, Rinse FM, Radio FIP and Jazz FM while amassing millions of streams. Building upon a growing profile across Europe, Müller shared “Les Cavaliers” last month. The single continues his collaboration with Chris Hill (drums), Hans-Christian Stephan (flugelhorn) and Kimo Eiserback (flute) on a breezy and cinematic bit of 1970s AM radio soul anchored around a strutting, feel good groove reminiscent of Chicago and the like, wah-wah pedaled guitar and a regal flugelhorn.
“Les Cavaliers” also continued the German-born artist’s ongoing homage to surf spots in southern France, and the song manages to evoke the warm summer breeze, the smell and taste of salt in the air and the laid-back vibe of sun-kissed beach days. “’Les Cavaliers’ pays tribute to the Aquitaine region of France, which has been a big influence on my music,” the German-born artist explains. “The track came about a few days after my debut album was released, capturing a moment of relief to turn the page on one chapter, yet anticipation of what will come.”
Müller’s latest The Offline single “Pour Nael” continues the German artist’s long-held obsession of capturing the essence of the sun-kissed French Atlantic coast — but with a slightly different different message. Anchored around shimmering and jangling guitar, a laid-back yet propulsive rhythm section, twinkling Rhodes and a percussive yet languid flute and horn melody, the remarkably Bob James-like arrangement was written to pay tribute to a fan named Nael, who gave Müller some kind words about the effect of The Offline’s music had on him.
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