Oftiani, a husband and wife indie rock duo from the Rock Capital: Cleveland, Ohio, has released their debut album Off & On. The couple crafts original art rock music — i.e., songs that aspire to be aural artworks achieved through expeditions of melodic, poetic, and rhythmic exploration.
Oftiani’s arsenal leans more toward percussion and wind instruments (like glockenspiel and saxophone) instead of the typical guitars or keyboards common to rock music. Besides shooting for an outcome that is illustrative and emotive, they aim to make music that is relatively unfeigned and unadulterated — reflective of their relationship as not only business partners, but also life partners. The resulting sound of this unconventional approach is a fusion of alternative, folk, and indie rock.
“The entire band” is married to each other; they are high school sweethearts; and they met making music together in marching band. Hence, Oftiani chose Valentine’s Day 2024 as the date for their inaugural releases: album Off & On (with 11 tracks) and single US.
It could be said the band was founded in 1991, when the couple first became an item. Or in 2002, when the married. Or maybe 2005, when they posted an ad online looking for like-minded musicians to form a band. Or perhaps 2021, when they bought their recording equipment. Or 2023, when they officially organized as a Limited Liability Company.
But the reality is that all these dates are accurate — because the road to this premiere was windy and long, with any number of speed bumps and U-turns along the way. The two are now in their late forties — battle-scarred, but strengthened and street-smart. They’ve hence decided to throw caution to the wind and make do with what they have — rather than worry about a utopian archetype.
In addition to being a band, Oftiani LLC is also an autonomous record label and music publisher — meaning the group writes, records, and releases its own songs, making the results genuinely DIY music.
Digital Downloads of the songs are available via Bandcamp, Reverb Nation, Amazon Music, and the iTunes Store. Audio Streams are accessible through the major DSPs — including YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify.
Oftiani’s print-on-demand merchandise is obtainable via both Spreadshop by Spreadshirt and Spring by Amaze; plans include launching a signature line of homemade merch as well if logistics prove to be practicable.
