OHMME
Who They Are
OHMME is a duo composed of Chicago musicians Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart. Both have noteworthy careers outside of this project – together, they have worked with other mainstays of the Chicago scene, including Chance the Rapper, Twin Peaks, and Whitney. The collaborations on their resumes are impressive, but OHMME is especially captivating because it places Cunningham and Stewart at the forefront. They are often joined by drummer Matt Carroll, who skillfully rolls with the punches of their malleable, shapeshifting songs. The result is high-energy, boldly experimental rock that makes for an unmissable live set.
Why You Should Listen
I first encountered OHMME as the opening act for Twin Peaks when they played at The Dance, a now-shuttered venue in New York’s East Village, on December 7, 2019. To be clear, The Dance closed before COVID-19 brought life in New York to a halt, although many other venues are now also facing uncertain futures due to the pandemic. For the short tenure it received (only four months), The Dance felt like a truly exciting place, and the venue’s declared mission of “proving Culture could live and thrive again in Manhattan” made its eventual closure feel even more like a punch to the gut. But whatever the state of Downtown nightlife, seeing OHMME perform live on that stage was one of my favorite New York musical experiences of the past year.
Cunningham and Stewart trade the vocal spotlight with ease; melodies ricochet between them in a show of technical skill that is especially delightful live (see below). They also stretch their voices until it is difficult to distinguish the vocals from the wailing guitars that occasionally puncture their songs like bright needles. Above all, their voices are inextricable from one another – the voice of OHMME does not sound like two women harmonizing, although they do this well. Rather, it sounds like something completely new, the sum of two voices becoming a voice in and of itself, and the seams disappearing altogether. The band’s sound moves from hypotonic to jarring; it keeps the listener eagerly following along without ever allowing them to get too comfortable.
Watch OHMME’s NPR Tiny Desk concert to get a feel for their live prowess.
What You Should Listen To
The 2018 album Parts is recommended listening, and the singles “Icon” and “Water” are a good introduction. To sample some older OHMME, head to the 2017 self-titled EP, especially the song “Woman.” The band’s most recent single, “3 2 4 3,” is abrupt in its transitions and conclusion: OHMME at its finest.
Merch
Now more than ever is the time to support OHMME and all artists. You can find their online store here: