About Blue Foundation

Blue Foundation is a Danish electronic dream pop duo founded in 1999 by singer, multi-instrumentalist, visual artist and producer Tobias Wilner, in a rainy grey Copenhagen - before it became the vibrant city it is today. Inspired by Mark E. Smith’s approach with The Fall, Wilner initially brought together a rotating cast of musicians to fuel creative evolution. Since 2010, the core of the band has centered around Wilner and producer/multi-instrumentalist Bo Rande. They currently split their time between Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, and Copenhagen, Denmark. From the very start, Blue Foundation has stayed true to themselves, producing and recording all their music independently in their own studio. Wilner also creates all the artwork and directs most of the music videos, ensuring a cohesive and deeply personal artistic vision.

Signature Sound & Critical Acclaim

Renowned for their distinctive, cinematic sound, Blue Foundation blends electronic, ambient, shoegaze, and dream pop into lush, hypnotic soundscapes defined by ethereal melodies and haunting vocals. Clash Music dubs their style “blissful, dream-like electronic pop,” while Far Out Magazine calls it “a deeply hypnotic blend of cinematic soundscapes and haunting melodies - a sonic experience that captures raw emotion and timeless mystery.”

Line of Best Fit describes their music as “a celestial escapade, with astral synths buffeted by solar winds and bass fizzing throughout.”

Blue Foundation creates a deep, eerie sound combined with dreamy, catchy melodies that have drawn wide acclaim and attracted hip hop artists, leading to their music being sampled in Lil Durk’s Fly High featuring French Montana, as well as Young Thug’s She Notice. Their evocative music frequently appears in films, TV shows, and commercials, enhancing storytelling with immersive sonic textures.

Brooklyn Vegan highlights their ethereal, moody instrumentals, noting their single Hrönn as a perfect fusion of classical and dream pop.

Live Performances & Tours

Blue Foundation is also known for their strong, captivating live performances and unique mesmerizingc and cinematic visuals, created by Wilner himself, which complement their dreamy and beautiful live sound. The band is known for playing entire concerts without breaks between songs, improvising between tracks as one long sonic journey. They have toured extensively around the world, playing major festivals and intense club shows in cities such as New York, Shanghai, Tokyo, Berlin, and Paris.

Breakthrough & Recognition

Their track Eyes on Fire, written by Tobias Wilner and Kirstine Stubbe Teglbjærg, became an international hit after appearing on the Grammy-nominated soundtrack for the Twilight film series. The song is heralded as more than just a hit — Far Out Magazine calls it “a gateway into the entire Blue Foundation universe,” and Notion Magazine praises how it “captures the raw emotion and connection between the band and their audience,” transforming it into a timeless anthem. Entertainment Weekly describes Eyes on Fire as “haunting” and “atmospheric,” while the track’s ghostly “hoa hoa hoa” vocals have also become emblematic of “cold weather nostalgia,” according to The Independent UK.

Blue Foundation’s reputation for blending ethereal shoegaze and dreamy pop with themes of longing and nostalgia has been cemented in the indie scene, noted by Wonderland Magazine.

Wilner describes the success of Eyes on Fire, for a radio interview, as the upper side of limitation - “Instead of trying to mimic what seemed like a successful choice, it gave us the freedom to be ourselves and follow our own path - to continue searching and evolving our sound.” Blue Foundation’s music has also been featured in major films and TV series including Miami Vice and The Vampire Diaries, further cementing their cinematic influence. Their haunting soundscapes were even chosen for The Measures, a contemporary ballet by Stephen Shropshire performed by the Hong Kong Ballet, showcasing the evocative power of their music in diverse artistic forms.

Collaborations & Recent Work

Blue Foundation’s music continues to resonate widely, having co-written Taurus for Machine Gun Kelly and collaborating with artists like Jonas Bjerre (Mew), DJ Krush, Sun Glitters, Erika Spring (Au Revoir Simone), Findlay Brown, Sonya Kitchell, Kirstine Stubbe Teglbjærg, and Sara Savery.

Their latest album, Close To The Knife, marks a profound evolution in Blue Foundation’s sound and storytelling. Recorded over three years across New York, Shanghai, Copenhagen, and Dalian, the album delves into raw emotions like betrayal, self-destruction, and love’s complexities. The title track, with its ethereal mood reminiscent of Julee Cruise’s Falling from the Twin Peaks soundtrack, unfolds a bittersweet story of unattainable love. From the haunting chimes of The Fall, underscored by subtle drums and bass, to expansive, longing vocals on A Dreamer’s Dream, the album explores deep emotional textures.

New singer Nina features prominently, her soaring vocals adding fresh depth on Ecstasy in Space. Brooklyn-based Scarlet Rae lends a hypnotic quality to Highway Reverie, while tracks like Blinded Light shimmer with minimalist synths. The introspective Voyage to the Stars journeys through celestial self-exploration, contrasting with the heavier, more robust God Machine and the unnerving tension of Shadow of Silence. Copenhagen Mannequin closes the record with thoughtful, glistening guitar riffs. Collaborators Helena Gao, Sonya Kitchell, Xie Yugang, and drummer Federico Ughi also contribute, enriching the album’s layered textures.

Close To The Knife is a serene yet emotionally charged journey, blending dream pop, space pop, and shoegaze into an immersive sonic experience that lingers long after the last note.

Beyond Blue Foundation

Beyond Blue Foundation, Wilner remains deeply active in music. He records and tours with New York United - an experimental ensemble featuring Daniel Carter, Federico Ughi, and Djibril Toure - and co-leads the dream pop/electronic project Tachys with Jonas Bjerre. Wilner also releases music as Bichi, performs with shoegaze band Ghost Society, and composes for film and TV. Rande balances Blue Foundation with roles in acclaimed projects including Mames Babegenush, Choir of Young Believers, and CTM.

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