SINGAPORE — From lost identities to floating fairies in the mountains, welcome to the fantasy-like musical dreamscapes of Singapore band Ootini!, where anything and everything quirky makes sense in their “little odd land of sights and sounds”.

Being the huge movie buffs that they are, the five-member band named themselves after a quote from Star Wars — they’re named after a Jawa’s exclamation (sometimes spelt “utinni!”). In fact, they are such dedicated cinephiles that their debut mini-album, Dreams & Alchemy, is meant to be the soundtrack to a fantasy-like movie created with their unique blend of world music, neo soul, progressive rock and odd-time rhythms.

Thematically, the EP explores topics of existentialism as the main character of their fairytale wakes up in the middle of nowhere with no name and no identity, and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

“Each track or song depicts a scene in a film. Our music is like a soundtrack to a movie that’s not yet made,” said the band’s, Wendy Phua. That said, the band has plans to recreate their musical dream world in the real (and reel) world — by playing their music to a screening of a silent movie.

And it’s not as impossible as it seems. “Lotus Hunt is really like a musical and also quite cinematic. It’s a bit quirky, it’s a bit twisted so I can kind of see that as a Tim Burton film,” said Phua.

And being quirky is something that they willingly embrace — in fact, everyone points to Ootini’s synth guitarist, who goes by the moniker KC, as being the weirdest in the band.

“I guess that applies to all of us because there’s no such thing as a normal creative person. You can’t write this kind of music and be normal. Normal people will listen to Justin Bieber or something,” quipped drummer and tabla player Boey Yinghao.

And you can see just how far from “normal” Ootini! can be when they perform on Nov 2 at Hood Bar And Cafe to launch Dreams & Alchemy. Although Phua said there won’t be anything weird hanging from the ceilings, the crowd can expect the band to be dressed up in a mix of vintage fashion from the 1950s and “sophisticated gothic”. Newly-minted singer Charmaine Pelaez, for example, will dress like someone straight out of The Matrix.

“We want to give audiences a sneak peek into what it might be like at a full length concert in the future, where audiences will walk away from the cinematic experience intrigued, and having their own interpretation about how the movie continues from there,” said Phua.

What: Dreams & Alchemy mini album launch

When: Nov 2, 8.30pm

Where: Hood Bar And Cafe

Tickets: S$15 (includes a complimentary house pour); S$25 (includes the mini-album and a complimentary house pour)

EP Dreams & Alchemy will be sold at:

Yamaha Music Beatspot Plaza Singapura #06-01, 68 Orchard Road, Singapore 238839

Shiin Studio 39B North Canal Road Singapore 059295

Inokii Far East Plaza #03-30, 14 Scotts Road, Singapore 228213