OZONE PLAYER: INSANE LOGIC (visual power 001)
As we all have noted, Otso is a man with a playful sense of humour. The fact
is also noticeable on his album. No cosmic lyrics or brooding
pseudoclassical elements or Bent Cold Sidewalks here...but highly original
music which suits very well under the title "Insane Logic". The music is
very varied, often within the confines of the same track. So it´s very hard
to give any particular genre names for this stuff. Sometimes it´s Berlin
School, but then it morphs into jazzy gamelan music, only to transform into
an industrial rhythms or dreamy ambience. So this is not an album for faint
hearted, as Otso boldly goes to unexpected territories most of the time.
Which is great IMO. Nice change for the predictability of most of the stuff
around today...and furthermore: The music is most of the time B....Y
ENTERTAINING :)
I think I´ll resort to reviewing the individual tracks now:
1. Whales in the Fog
A very foggy soundscape with some massive chords lurking in the background.
Thoroughly composed track, but very athmospheric indeed. Nicely mysterious
intro for the album. Some hints of microtonality here and there...if Robert
Rich would make theme music for a horror movie, it might sound a bit like
this???
2. Shipping
The most beautiful track of the album. Digital e-piano leads the way and
impressive strings follow in descending chords. I happen to know that this
track was originally composed for a TV documentary about shipbuilding, but
was rejected by the producers! I can easily understand that; the track is
very dark and the descending chords very much bring to mind the image of a
huge ship slowly sinking to the dephts :) One of the highlights of the album
IMO. It´s always admirable when one succeeds making a track that is
beautiful but not sweet! Could have been a bit longer, though...
3. The Reality Dysfunction
Dramatic crossmixing between this and the previous track. This is the part
where the insane logic really starts. Very loose soundscape with
surrealistic feeling. A funny rhythm keeps the thing going. The mid part of
this longish track reminds me of the best bits of Froese´s "Aqua" (I mean
the title track - just the bits that FSOL nicked for their Lifeforms
album...those liquid polyphonic chords). The end of the track reminds me of
Residents! You either like those "nasal" sounding bits or you don´t...
4. Casino Mobile
This is one of the most accessible tracks on the CD. Nice and relaxed jazzy
feeling with vocal samples and piano. The nice KW styled electro percussion
gives a good groove here and there. The latter half of the track is
excellent uptempo section with very original melodies. The style of this
track reminds me a bit of the best moments of David Tieghem and the likes. A
nice one...
5. Minibar
Another "rocker" this one...a familiar track for some of you I guess. A sort
of zappaesque gamelan heavy metal industrial rocker ;) A short one
this...under 3 mins.
6. Insane Logic
A very mellow sequence keeps the music flowing. A very dreamy piece with
nice flanged sounds that remind me of hawaian guitars. Here the unreal
quality of Otso´s ambient material is perhaps the strongest; This could be
described as melting music indeed. A very powerful ambient track. It is easy
just to float away while listening to this one.
7. Praise
More nasal vocal samples and heavy industrial rhythms. Ethnic sounds
interplay with analog effects. This is also a track for those who like
Residents. A nicely deranged track. Perhaps the track that I like the least
on this CD. It´s just that I don´t like those "nasal" vocal samples. So no
praise from me this time :
8. Beam
Another ambient number. Very ominous...simple, but effective. Like TD used
to be on Sorcerer. This one I like too.
9. Warezz
Time for an industrial cruncher. A bit like Shreeve in heavy mode.
Sequencing brings mind the amok runs on Sorcerer once again. But this is
more varied, with some lighter elements thrown in here and there. Would make
a great soundtrack for some modern ballet... Nice contrasts built in, both
rhythmically and melodywise.
10. Process
Another dark ambient track. A very intensive number...it would be easy to
imagine Robert Calvert reciting his poetry on this one. A sort of
claustrophobic laboratory feeling... Very nice track indeed, extremely
cinematic.
11. A Shortcut to Nowhere
This is an uptempo track with rather feverish groove. Strangely Asian sounds
and melodies criss-cross over a catchy pulse, that reminds me of Jarre´s
most rocking sequences. Perhaps the best uptempo track on the album. The
melody is strange, but still very haunting.
12. Transport ?!
A very original intro indeed. At first the right channel is invaded by a
gamelan orchestra. Then the left channel is visited by brisk synth pop
rhythms. The two channels are not synced. Then suddenly everything stops and
someone is offering "Transport, Sir???". Then the both channels start in
sync and the groove gets going. Very effective and original. The track has
very strange gamelan elements in the middle that seque into a malaysian jazz
groove with a nice sequence in the background. A very strange ending for a
strange album.
All in all, a very good choice for anyone who wants to hear something
different for a change. Nevertheless, it´s still e-music and has all the
elements most of us like to hear when buying a new album. But the blend is
this time very unconvential and therefore very refreshing indeed. A great
soundtrack for your "inner cinema" as they say...or do they??? :)
Great work, Otso!
Ami Hassinen