Aconite
Sam Gracie x multibloom
September/October 2026
Track 1 by Sam Gracie
Music Video
Track 2, the Remix, by multibloom and Sam Gracie
Music Video
Graphic design: Sam Gracie Tillbrook | Original drawing: Alida Withoos “Monkshood in Bloom" circa. 1600s, CC by 4.0 | Photo of drawing: Nasjonalmuseet/Børre Høstland)
Behind the Scenes: Track 1
Behind the Scenes: Visualisers
“Aconite” is a 2026 project by Sam Gracie and multibloom featuring two tracks - one an ethereal, glimmering and shadowy art pop/indie electronic piece, and the other (the Remix) an exhilarating electronic dance music banger. The project initially began as an instrumental, the songs evolving later like two flowers from the same plant.
The collaboration began in late 2025 when Sam Gracie composed an electric guitar melody for multibloom, who built a breathtaking experimental garage experience around the sample, featuring a snapping 2-step drum beat and anthemic synthesisers, all within a uniquely dynamic and elaborate arrangement. multibloom effortlessly bridges strong and heavy drops with reflective, shimmering, ambient breakdowns - the song is equally club-focussed as it is an immersive listen. Dazzlingly complex and intricately technical, the track is infused with emotion too.
It was this emotion - a vibrant unease and fizzing instability - combined with multibloom’s title of “Aconite” that inspired Sam Gracie to write his song, taking the beautiful, yet highly toxic, Aconite flower (Aconitum napellus) as a starting point for the lyrics.
The flower has evolved so that bumblebees can access nectar while the toxic pollen sticks to their fur to be transported to pollinate other flowers as the bees drink more nectar. With this “dangerous interaction” as the central metaphor, the themes are rooted in the archetypal ambivalence of letting go of safety to reach for growth. Feelings of uneasiness are reflected through the contrasting lyrics, performance and production.
A highlight of Sam Gracie’s version is the live-recorded synths - he played the gliding Korg leads and the formidable, distorted Juno chords at the end. He also recorded djembe, cabasa, claves and kalimba for the percussion. Similarly to multibloom’s structure, the piece continuously grows, met with beautiful breakdowns, before blooming into a spectacular ending.
multibloom then, for the final step of his track, selected parts of Sam Gracie’s vocals to entwine with his production; the petals all fell into place.
Both tracks are accompanied by Sam Gracie’s luminous and iridescent, floral, visualisers, which use bold effects and techniques such as compositing and blend modes to merge layers together. These music videos are similar in a way to the project, having stemmed from the same blooming timelapse and artwork sources, while retaining their own distinct identities.
Sam Gracie
