OPM: Experiments in Music

Tomoroh Hidari – Depth Sounding

Pretty, spacey, meditative ambient that takes time to reveal itself. Incorporating gentle synth arpeggios, treated field recordings/soundscapes, bits of buzzing noise and other distorted textures, there’s a gentle, almost organic quality to these tracks even when things are clearly and thoroughly synthetic. Even the more rhythmically focused tracks keep things very chill, largely highlighting the stillness with their motion (at least until the final track, which ends up being a dark strain of electro to close things out).

Impressive use of sound design and a constantly shifting sonic atmosphere keep things from ever getting dull. It’s worth setting aside the time it takes to truly sit with these tracks as they unfold – there’s more depth here than is immediately apparent.

(Listened to whole album)

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Cyllhu – Initio Iteneris

Experimental tuning systems and use of a variety of weird samples and instrumental textures makes for some out-there art music. The unusual harmonic spaces and weird arrangements will probably put you in mind of a horror/suspense movie soundtrack, and some of these would definitely work in that context. 

If you can vibe with the basic paradigm, the unusual approach keeps things interesting and full of surprises. It doesn’t hurt that a lot of care clearly went into creating this. Recalls the academic music I’ve dabbled in listening to from time to time, and will certainly offer something new for those who find pop chord progressions tired and unappealing. 

(Listened to tracks 1 thru 3)

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The Assembly Worker – Tales from the Otherhood

This hood is home to some dark and vibey hip-hop/trip hop with impeccable production and incredible atmosphere. The vocal tracks live in that kind of smokey, dank world that Tricky used to populate; the instrumentals get a little more far out, ranging into abstract breakbeats and some funky, experimental downtempo. 

Clocking in at just under 20 minutes, it’s very likely your reaction upon finishing this will be to immediately start it back up. There’s a lot going on here, and it’s all pretty dang interesting – one trip thru isn’t enough to catch it all.

(Listened to the whole album)

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The Both And – C-Pattern Theory

Abstract and experimental electronica that dives deep into sound design and rhythmic programming. It’s working with what I assume is the same intention of early IDM – electronic music for listening, not dancing – and ends up in some similar places, and some less typical. 

Synth pads, cut-up speech, flanging swooshes and sweeping filters accompany off-kilter electro rhythm programming. The results fall somewhere between the early-Warp aesthetic and even earlier electronic acts like Cabaret Voltaire and Yellow Magic Orchestra. In any case, it makes for clean, expressive productions with a slightly funky, old-school sound palette and unique ideas. 

(Listened to tracks 1 thru 8)

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Tommy Mackay – Parcel O Rogues

Whimsical pop songs done in a minimal, almost punk-rock style. The rough-edged guitar-bass-drums arrangements are lean but provide a reasonable vehicle for the songs. The songs themselves are generally lightweight and lighthearted (apart from the occasional veer into vitriol) with a humorous slant. 

Puts me in mind of old Robyn Hitchcock and stuff I’d hear on Dr. Demento shows in the late ‘80s. There are some nice choruses and hooks spread thru these tunes, and the best of them, like “Make Things Easy” and “Ambidextrous Men and Ambidextrous Women” all the pieces come together into genuinely memorable, catchy little unpolished pop gems.

(Listened to the entire album)