ODDARRANG - Hypermetros
Edition EDN1135
Olavi Louhivuori: drums, synths; Osmo Ikonen: ‘cello, synths; Ilmari Pohjola: trombone, synths; Lasse Sakara: guitar; Lass Lindgren: bass, synths
Recorded December 2018 by Tuukka Tervo at Finnvox Studios, Helsinki
The opening few bars, with twangy guitar and mournful trombone, might lead you to anticipate a set that took elements of Folk or even Country & Western and gently stirred these into a melting pot of different musical styles. But towards the end of this track, some pummelling drums kick in (quite low in the mix, but enough to propel the tune in a different direction) and the music slowly builds into something quite different. For me, one of the more interesting avenues that rock music has travelled along has been called ‘post-rock’ (or ‘math-rock’). In these related genres, the rhythms of rock (typically well-defined 4/4 beats) are complemented by either rhythmic variation (like some of the earlier prog-rock experimentalists) and the ways in which instruments are used to layer sounds and create textures and sound-scapes (rather than solely for power chords and riffs, as Simon Reynolds pointed out in his definition of the term ‘post-rock’). While there seem to fewer bands at the moment using either of these terms (I guess the heyday was the ‘90s, with Tortoise, Do Make Say Think, Explosions in the Sky, Godspeed! You Black Emperor etc.), I am impressed by the way that Oddarrang have taken the elements of these styles and, over the past 15 years, created a sound that is very much their own. In this respect, the trombone and ‘cello are used to great effect, creating a rich palette of sounds that owe as much to contemporary classical as rock. And a set of sounds that I can’t think of anyone using. On this set, they have shifted back a little from their 2016 ‘Agartha’ album, and moved to a collection that has strong, simple musical themes. In this set, there are 5 pieces and a suite consisting of 3 shortish (sub 4 minute) pieces. Each of the pieces on the set builds rhythmic intensity while also combining the unusual combination of instruments (often subtly distorted through effects) to merge the musical themes (some of which repeat across the pieces, to create a sense of unity and purpose). The over-riding experience is not unlike being pounded by breaking waves while standing in the sea; there is an intense ebb and flow, a pummelling of rhythms, but a sense of joy and optimism that comes from this.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Edition EDN1135
Olavi Louhivuori: drums, synths; Osmo Ikonen: ‘cello, synths; Ilmari Pohjola: trombone, synths; Lasse Sakara: guitar; Lass Lindgren: bass, synths
Recorded December 2018 by Tuukka Tervo at Finnvox Studios, Helsinki
The opening few bars, with twangy guitar and mournful trombone, might lead you to anticipate a set that took elements of Folk or even Country & Western and gently stirred these into a melting pot of different musical styles. But towards the end of this track, some pummelling drums kick in (quite low in the mix, but enough to propel the tune in a different direction) and the music slowly builds into something quite different. For me, one of the more interesting avenues that rock music has travelled along has been called ‘post-rock’ (or ‘math-rock’). In these related genres, the rhythms of rock (typically well-defined 4/4 beats) are complemented by either rhythmic variation (like some of the earlier prog-rock experimentalists) and the ways in which instruments are used to layer sounds and create textures and sound-scapes (rather than solely for power chords and riffs, as Simon Reynolds pointed out in his definition of the term ‘post-rock’). While there seem to fewer bands at the moment using either of these terms (I guess the heyday was the ‘90s, with Tortoise, Do Make Say Think, Explosions in the Sky, Godspeed! You Black Emperor etc.), I am impressed by the way that Oddarrang have taken the elements of these styles and, over the past 15 years, created a sound that is very much their own. In this respect, the trombone and ‘cello are used to great effect, creating a rich palette of sounds that owe as much to contemporary classical as rock. And a set of sounds that I can’t think of anyone using. On this set, they have shifted back a little from their 2016 ‘Agartha’ album, and moved to a collection that has strong, simple musical themes. In this set, there are 5 pieces and a suite consisting of 3 shortish (sub 4 minute) pieces. Each of the pieces on the set builds rhythmic intensity while also combining the unusual combination of instruments (often subtly distorted through effects) to merge the musical themes (some of which repeat across the pieces, to create a sense of unity and purpose). The over-riding experience is not unlike being pounded by breaking waves while standing in the sea; there is an intense ebb and flow, a pummelling of rhythms, but a sense of joy and optimism that comes from this.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
