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SHXCXCHCXSH - OUFOUFOF

Started by alan nagsworth, November 14, 2018, 09:23:33 PM

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alan nagsworth

This is a bit of a premature and crazed thing to suggest, considering how good 2018 has been for new music, but I'm still two tracks away from the end of this album and I'm fairly certain it's one of the best things I've heard all year. Completely mind-bending.

This techno-inspired abstract electronic duo from Sweden has managed to create the most dynamic, perplexing and downright fucking stunning album of their career to date. If you can picture something that sounds as bold and brilliant as Burial, Autechre and Oneohtrix Point Never's "Replicas", I reckon that's the sort of scope this thing has. You can hear a lot of that stuff in here but it has its own dazzling voice. It's equal parts pounding and spacious, presenting a challenging listen which reveals hypnotic beauty within every song.

Their previous album, 2015's "SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs" was also my album of that particular year - owing to it sounding like it came from the furthest reaches of space, or mostly felt like I was in a submarine being attacked by some giant alien sea creature - but I'm honestly astounded with how much they've once again expanded their sound here. The alien has broken into the submarine, the crew has ingested its hallucinogenic ink and this is what they're hearing.

I've tried to keep it varied here with a pretty song, a heavier one, and a much weirder one, respectively.

FOFFOFFO

FUOFUOFU

OFFOFFOF

sevendaughters

this is promising stuff Nags. reminds me of early 90s also-rans Station Rose (who I liked but they never did much). like that slightly broken-down vibe.

Quote from: alan nagsworth on November 14, 2018, 09:23:33 PM
This is a bit of a premature and crazed thing to suggest, considering how good 2018 has been for new music, but I'm still two tracks away from the end of this album and I'm fairly certain it's one of the best things I've heard all year. Completely mind-bending.

This techno-inspired abstract electronic duo from Sweden has managed to create the most dynamic, perplexing and downright fucking stunning album of their career to date. If you can picture something that sounds as bold and brilliant as Burial, Autechre and Oneohtrix Point Never's "Replicas", I reckon that's the sort of scope this thing has. You can hear a lot of that stuff in here but it has its own dazzling voice. It's equal parts pounding and spacious, presenting a challenging listen which reveals hypnotic beauty within every song.

Their previous album, 2015's "SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs" was also my album of that particular year - owing to it sounding like it came from the furthest reaches of space, or mostly felt like I was in a submarine being attacked by some giant alien sea creature - but I'm honestly astounded with how much they've once again expanded their sound here. The alien has broken into the submarine, the crew has ingested its hallucinogenic ink and this is what they're hearing.

I've tried to keep it varied here with a pretty song, a heavier one, and a much weirder one, respectively.

FOFFOFFO

FUOFUOFU

OFFOFFOF

Ooh sounds intriguing. Silly name obviously. Some people might think oneohtrixpointnever is a silly name but to me thats indicative of an idea and pronouncable so its fine by me.

Do u know what? I can't sleep so might check this out now on the Sammy Sly ;) oi oiiiii

alan nagsworth

Had this on my headphones this morning, bah gawd it really is something. I just want to play it on repeat, I dunno how something with basically the same kick drum sequence on every song can be so gripping. But it is, and so much more.

Norton Canes


wosl

Quote from: alan nagsworth on November 15, 2018, 02:37:04 PMI dunno how something with basically the same kick drum sequence on every song can be so gripping.

If you figure it out, let me know, because I've had a go at the three linked to, and so far, they're all falling short of the door.  Depressingly (for me to deal with and for you to hear) I think it must be age.  I can imagine my younger self surrendering to the mesmerism of this, or at least getting a satisfying conceptual hit from this lot's admirably chilly operating position (you can practically see the clouds of breath being expelled among the racks of frozen carcasses) but now I don't seem to be able submit in the same way anymore.  Maybe the drugs would help.  Might do a YT rip and take it out to see if it has a different effect while walking.

wosl


buttgammon

Never heard of them before but really enjoying this - particularly that kick drum sequence, in fact!

Gradual Decline

Fantastic stuff as always. Properly banging, nicely aggressive too.

Shall have to dig S's out again.



Pingers

This is good stuff - cheers for posting it. I gave their Avians album a listen - also very good.

People who like this might also like Nah und Fern by Gas. It's gentler, becomes dub techno at times. Someone once said that you can be in bed listening to this and feel like you're in a club at the same time.

Norton Canes


kittens


Brundle-Fly

Am I missing something?  I've not heard anything even remotely interesting or sonically progressive here.









alan nagsworth

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on November 16, 2018, 02:37:24 AM
Am I missing something?  I've not heard anything even remotely interesting or sonically progressive here.

It helps to acknowledge that at face value, the songs sound extremely repetitive, and that it's not something you can have a quick skim over if you wanna get the facts. Each song moves in waves as elements phase in and out of one another so the best way to listen to it would be without distraction and preferably on some decent gear.

The way the songs shift structurally means that I end up finding myself suddenly focused on one rhythmic pop or crackle and sort of getting lost in it, and then it'll move and something else will grab me. It's a really rich listening experience and I think it's intentionally abrasive as it challenges you to find all of its little treasures.

Gregory Torso

I'm really loving this. It's great headphone music and all the repetitiveness, locked-in micro changes and hissing crackling grooves, I mean Alan put it more eloquently than I could but this

Quote from: alan nagsworth on November 16, 2018, 07:21:31 AM
I end up finding myself suddenly focused on one rhythmic pop or crackle and sort of getting lost in it, and then it'll move and something else will grab me. It's a really rich listening experience and I think it's intentionally abrasive as it challenges you to find all of its little treasures.

This is exactly what I'm getting from it, too. Deep listening. Love it, and thanks for putting this on my give-a-shit radar because honestly the name puts me off ("hey, have you heard of Shex-kex-chuh-checks-shush?") and I'd have dismissed it as some kind of Wire/hipster nonsense probably because I'm cloistered like that, but man this is the shit.

Something about this reminds me of an electronic version of Xinlisupreme.


Gregory Torso

Quote from: alan nagsworth on November 14, 2018, 09:23:33 PM
OFFOFFOF

This one in particular is extremely right up my channel. Fennesz having it large.

popcorn

There's some really interesting stuff in this. Like it's all just bits and pieces just managing to hang onto the edge of a rhythm. It reminds me of metal filings momentarily fashioned into a shape with magnets before falling apart.

Brundle-Fly

Quote from: alan nagsworth on November 16, 2018, 07:21:31 AM
It helps to acknowledge that at face value, the songs sound extremely repetitive, and that it's not something you can have a quick skim over if you wanna get the facts. Each song moves in waves as elements phase in and out of one another so the best way to listen to it would be without distraction and preferably on some decent gear.

The way the songs shift structurally means that I end up finding myself suddenly focused on one rhythmic pop or crackle and sort of getting lost in it, and then it'll move and something else will grab me. It's a really rich listening experience and I think it's intentionally abrasive as it challenges you to find all of its little treasures.

I'll persevere tonight.

alan nagsworth

This thread makes me happy, real glad people are feeling this as much as I am.

I would really recommend checking out their other stuff. This is by far their most confrontational and heavy album to date, but their other stuff is no less deeply captivating. They have a very recognisable style. As I mentioned before, "SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs" was my top album of 2015 for its uncharted deep sea/far reaches of outer space feel, literally sounding like eerie transmissions. "STRGTHS" is similar but slightly more beat-heavy, and arguably just as excellent, and "Linear S Decoded" is a lot more ambient but again it's still very impressive stuff.

Brundle-Fly

This has really grown on me. Especially the second link. I was in a right negative mood last night (beer muffs) and I'm glad I've given it a relisten.

wosl

Quote from: alan nagsworth on November 16, 2018, 03:31:18 PM"SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs"

This is much more up my street.  More body; a larger palette of tones!  I'm going to soak in this for a bit; I think once I've done that I'll be able to better appreciate the leap they've made into this current mode.  The degree to which they've refused to consolidate or whatever in relation to the earlier material, I now start to see, is part of the magic of this new stuff.

Brundle-Fly

Gckjbcbcubewucbucbuwbc

Gah! Lo97494059707

this

alan nagsworth

Quote from: wosl on November 16, 2018, 09:02:54 PM
This is much more up my street.  More body; a larger palette of tones!  I'm going to soak in this for a bit; I think once I've done that I'll be able to better appreciate the leap they've made into this current mode.  The degree to which they've refused to consolidate or whatever in relation to the earlier material, I now start to see, is part of the magic of this new stuff.

Yeah, my way of thinking is that this album is like receiving alien frequencies way down in a submarine, and the new album is a breach on the submarine; the aliens have arrived and it's fucking intense.

Maybe try "STRGTHS" afterwards as it's closer to "SsSsSsSs..." but with more of a thick industrial techno edge.

wosl

Quote from: alan nagsworth on November 16, 2018, 07:21:31 AMIt helps to acknowledge that at face value, the songs sound extremely repetitive, and that it's not something you can have a quick skim over if you wanna get the facts.

I've found myself making the same argument in effect in support of the work of Disappears; their use of monotony, or exploration of variation/inconsistency within apparent monotony (guitary in their case, and with vox, rather than technoid, which means that the muscular and aerobic demands of playing and singing repetitively get factored into the experience), is one of the things I find compelling about their stuff.  Admiring the stubbornness, if you like, of the stance is no small part of the appreciation (at the moment it comprises almost all of the appreciation I'm able to muster for OUFOUFOF.  I hope this changes).

Bazooka

Yes its good headphone music, but threading familiar turf to my ears.

alan nagsworth

Quote from: wosl on November 17, 2018, 03:50:51 PM
I've found myself making the same argument in effect in support of the work of Disappears; their use of monotony, or exploration of variation/inconsistency within apparent monotony (guitary in their case, and with vox, rather than technoid, which means that the muscular and aerobic demands of playing and singing repetitively get factored into the experience), is one of the things I find compelling about their stuff.  Admiring the stubbornness, if you like, of the stance is no small part of the appreciation (at the moment it comprises almost all of the appreciation I'm able to muster for OUFOUFOF.  I hope this changes).

I completely agree. I haven't heard Disappears but I surely will be checking them out now!

Incidentally, have you ever heard Oneida's "Sheets of Easter"? I've harped on about it here plenty of times but I'll reiterate that it's a crucial piece of pounding repetitious music (also performed by a band) and for the reasons I've already mentioned, plus your comments, it's a powerful and transcendent piece of work. The waves of noise, the creeping drum fills, it's a fucking slog at face value but the payoff once you're lost inside it is incredible, and the silence when it ends is deafening:

https://youtu.be/kaYNrfua6ro

non capisco

I dunno what it says about me but I've always found 'Sheets Of Easter' extremely relaxing to listen to, like a hairdryer or a vacuum cleaner.

That sounds like I'm posing going "ooh, I'm well avant garde, me" which really isn't the case. Some of the stuff my mates are clearly getting something out of just sound like a lamb trapped down a well to me, unpleasant and jarring. 'Sheets Of Easter', though. I'm dead in the centre of that thing going "Yeah, this is enveloping me". It's a back to the womb thing. I doubt Oneida conceived that song with the intention of calming someone down but well, there you go.

Gregory Torso

oh God. Yes.

you've got to look into the LIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTGODJESUSLIGHT TAKE ME NOW LIGHT A PORT HOLE SHINES OUT OF MY HEAD LIGHT IT SCREAMS TRUTH AND CLARITY LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT I AM



alan nagsworth

It's the fuckin best yeah. Kind of weird how something so insistent and blunt can make you forget about everything else around you for a full quarter of an hour, but there it is, they made it.  And I absolutely concur that it's relaxing, in fact soothing - which is how I'm starting to feel about this new SHXCXCHCXSH album gradually, especially the last two tracks which are really quite euphoric and beautiful.

chveik