OPM: Music to Feel Good To

Camp – Commun·e

A fascinating collection of intricate and ever-shifting rhythmic sound sculptures that consistently defy expectations. It’s definitely dance music DNA behind all of this, but someone best call Professor X, because these are mutants. Pulling heavily from the more technical side of IDM (intricately programmed percussion, glitchy/noisy textures), most of these tracks refuse to settle into a comfortable pocket, instead twisting and turning in surprising ways at every opportunity. 

That’s not to say it feels random or unfocused – quite the opposite, it feels like something from a brain far too advanced to be fully human. A few of these do exist in more familiar/comfortable musical space, like the dubbed-out house vibes of “Perspective Morgan,” but even those are full of subtle surprises. Eclectic and intriguing electronic music with little regard for boundaries or expectations, and all the better for it.

(Listened to entire album)

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decibyte – “As We Go” 

Punchy, percussive and smart tech house track that would definitely slay in the club. The sound design and percussion programming, not to mention the production that puts them front and center, are standout features. By necessity that means the harmonic and melodic elements take a bit of a backseat, but they still play an important role. 

Halfway thru, a clever breakdown (featuring a great spoken-word sample from Jamie Hill) offers a great tension-breaker, then the beat filters back in and builds it back up just in time for the DJ to mix into the next track. This one definitely would have caught my ear back in my own clubbing/DJing days; it’s nice to hear stuff like this is still being made. (You can also stream/download it directly from the artist’s website.)

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Hy Vyb – + VYBS VOL 01

Lovely and laidback downtempo chillout tunes that envelop you in a warm sonic embrace. Gauzy soft-focus synths, shards of guitar floating unmoored, tinkling piano, minimal beats and more all come together in a delicate dance to propel you ever-so-gently forward. The vibe is not a million miles removed from something like Ratatat, but far more sonically varied (and interesting) than that band ever was. 

If you could transform a sleepy train ride thru a beautiful countryside while you’re kind of stoned and feeling content into music, this would be it. It’s a shame “easy listening” is already claimed to describe a (wholly different) style of music, because it’s a perfect descriptor here. 

(Listened to tracks 3, 5, 6, 10)

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Raccoon Fink – Beyond an Age of Wonder

Well produced and engaging dungeon synth with a flair for the cinematic. Like the best of that genre, it moves beyond the strict confines of cheap General MIDI keyboard sounds and uber lofi production, while still capturing some of the whimsical charm inherent in those stylistic signifiers.

The use of real(istic) guitars here and there adds an intriguing touch of metal that nods to the genre’s roots, while other tracks incorporate unusual textural samples or rich, synthwavesque arpeggios to spice things up.  And hey, while it’s certainly not the only place it would fit, these tunes would go great as a soundtrack to your next tabletop RPG session. 

(Listened to tracks 4 thru 7)

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anipatok – Various Tracks

An impressive and varied collection of nostalgia-inducing 2-op FM style chiptune. If you lived thru the era where top-notch PC sound meant configuring IRQs on your SoundBlaster card, this is gonna hit you right in the feels. Any of these tracks could have been ripped straight from a PC (or Sega Genesis) game of that era – most leaning more into the adventure/RPG genres than action tracks (with a few exceptions), at least based on my sampling of the offerings here. 

(Funkwhale embed broke the page, so you’ll have to click thru to the site to listen; it’s worth the trip!)

Actually, these are probably a bit more compositionally developed than many of those tunes were, since these aren’t forced to loop endlessly while you search for the final trinket needed to complete a level. Still, they are spiked with all those beloved tricks and effects that made that era of games music so beloved, so really it’s the best of both worlds.

(Listened to “A World of Wonderment” “Find a Dream” “Dub Noise” “RNDBYTE” “Bossz” “Cold Sweat” “Fire Eyes”)