From Brad Shelton Sent Mon, Apr 19th 1999, 19:46
From Brad Shelton Sent Mon, Apr 19th 1999, 19:46
>From: William Van Loo <xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx> > >Some time ago, someone sent out a list of Oval recomendations, along with brief >reviews. I've unfortunately lost that message, and was wondering if someone >could either re-send it if they happen to have saved it, or provide a similar >brief summary of Oval releases. I'm into the style of sound that's on the Oval >remix of Bjork (off the Telegram remix EP). I don't know if it's the post you had in mind, but I submitted some oval thoughts to the list not too long ago. That message is included below. I didn't know Oval had remixed Bjork.. I've got the Telegram CD and don't recall an Oval appearances on there. Maybe it's a vinyl thing? Or maybe I'm just being very forgetful? Brad >From: "Vanheumen, Robert" <xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx> > >i hear a lot about oval lately; what kind of music do they make (i know >it's electronics, but is it like autechre, or more like the chain >reaction guys, or something completely different...)... >and which of their cd's should i buy? You've gotten some really good replies already, let me add another 2 cents. Some folks seem to think of them as gimmicky (CD skipping). I just don't understand that.. The sound of a malfunctioning CD is not equivalent to the textured ambience that Oval creates. IMO it is a creative and musical process to turn the former into the latter. Their ambient (beatless) bits are no different to my mind musically from the more common forms found on records by Woob, Namlook, whoever. Oval is never completely arythmic and chaotic- rather their rythmic experiments can be beautiful. For example, compare Ae's Fold4 Wrap5 to the centerpiece of 94Diskont, do while. For my money Oval's foray into liquid-tempo electronics is more successful (as well as being 4 years ahead of that particular curve). The first CD has vocals and is krautrock-like as someone else already mentioned. This one (Wohnton) might be a bit offputting even for Oval completists. Their second release (Systemisch) is their finest for me. The sound is really warm, and quite structured in places. (The opening track is dubbier than anything on Pole's LP1, fer goodness sake!) No vocals, sound experimentation brought to the foreground. Third (94diskont) is also very good. Unfortunately I've never heard the remixes that accompany the vinyl release. The next (Dok) has a different sound, not as warm. Cooler, bell-type sounds as others have said. This one hasn't yet grabbed me the way Systemisch and 94diskont have, but I'm sure it will at some point. :) For more information on these and other Oval-related releases check out http://pages.ripco.com:8080/~vache/.