Singer/songwriter Emil Odling formed Blithe in 1990 in the small college town of Umea, Sweden, with guitarist Mattias Norlander, bassist Nils Forsberg, and drummer Johan Nilsson. While most Swedish alternative groups, such as The Cardigans and Komeda (which Norlander also plays for), are guided by a kitschy sixties sensibility, Blithe is more guided by independent guitar rock from America, such as The Pixies, Sebadoh, and Dinosaur Jr. Blithe slowly grew its reputation around Sweden, releasing albums in Sweden in 1992 and 1994.