Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.10.2012, Síða 27

27 The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 16 — 2012MUSIC
Album
Reviews
The Heavy Experience
Slowscope
2012
facebook.com/theheavyexperience
Calm and commendable.
Supplementary dynamics, such
as a surprise tempo change or
bombastic instances of some
sort, would have made this
Slowcope perfect.
It’s all in the name. Six slow, stripped down instrumental songs. The
scope is that of great space, distance and depth. This is a journey of
cinematic proportions. It could score a film as well as providing the
soundtrack. With my eyes closed, I feel as if I am drifting in space. I
wonder the desert aimlessly, only to congregate with sea creatures that live on
the ocean floor.
‘Slowscope’ is the loner’s music. If you aren’t a loner, The Heavy Experience
helps you feel cool imagining you’re one. That is, if you’re willing to give yourself
to it in peace and quiet. If preoccupied while listening, you will certainly miss out
on the album’s subtle nuances. The album builds on drawn-out transitions, silent
breaks, timing and free-flowing give-and-takes that only a collective soul such as
this five-piece can pull off.
Dial into the improvisational vibe that’s anchored with recurring schemas
and motifs that give each song foundation to build on. But due to the samey
mood and tempo throughout, ‘Slowscope’ must be enjoyed as a whole rather than
in increments, although “Hiatus” and “Elephants” manage to break away to some
extent. With this in mind, featuring more than six songs would have broken the
camel’s back.
- BIRKIR FJALAR VIÐARSSON
Kiasmos
Oléna
Thrown EP
2012
facebook.com/beatmakintroopa
Cool, clean, polished,
electronic music that’s a
little bit distant.
Made In Hurt By Heart
2012
gogoyoko.com/artist/Olena
Painfully familiar
A side project of melancholy orchestral maestro Ólafur Arnalds and
Bloodgroup member Janus Rasmussen, Kiasmos explores the pair’s
shared interest in minimal techno and electronic sounds. Their first
release, ’65,’ had a dry, hard production that hinted at the sounds of Robert Hood
and Jeff Mills, but their latest release has jettisoned a lot of the techno harshness
for a style that’s softer and less aggressive.
The opening track “Thrown” slowly builds a three note bassline and 4/4
rhythm around a trademark Óli Arnalds string signature (plus, do I hear a sample
of a lighter being used for the rhythm track?). It sounds good, but left me a bit cold
and does lack something, a real sense of punch or tension. “Wrecked” though has a
much stronger sense of urgency to it, with some queasy off-centre synth lines and
whipped, blocky beats being thrown in the mix.
While it might not have true dancefloor glory written all over it, ‘Thrown’ is a
decent listen that will easily appeal to fans of the Kompakt label aesthetic.
- BOB CLUNESS
On the surface of things, Reykjavík-based French singer Oléna appears
to fit in well with the myriad of other kooky (in a good way) electronic
artisans that verge on being a dime a dozen in these northern climes. Her
debut album, ‘Made In Hurt By Heart,’ follows a familiar tradition of nice crunchy
beats coupled with tender vocals, thus fitting in well with the aforementioned kooky
electronic ménage. Musically speaking it is possible to appreciate the album, simply
from the perspective that it is possible to appreciate any of Oléna’s very obvious
influences, most notably, Björk. And that is Björk in glaring neon, not in subtle hints
of lavender. Overtones, not undertones.
Herein, unfortunately, lies the rather large problem with the whole thing: it is
altogether devoid of any kind of spirit of its own. It floats along on the debris of its
own derivations, almost to the point where it is uncertain who actually made the
album. This factor alone is enough to detract from any possible enjoyment of the
music, without going into the other more minor problems to be found lyrically and
thematically. All in all, there is sadly a lot being lost here with an album that doesn’t
sound half bad, but loses itself in its own influences.
- BERGRÚN ANNA HALLSTEINSDÓTTIR
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