Friday, October 23, 2009

Review - Armonico Hewa: OOIOO

Posted on 5:11 PM by Clumpy

Rating: 7.4


As somebody who embraced 2006's Taiga for its sheer weirdness and overwhelming spirit, I've always found OOIOO at their most OOIOO when they seem like they couldn't care less about the listener, the critics or anybody else. The band, like its frontwoman Yoshimi P-we (yes, Flaming Lips fans, that Yoshimi) always seemed to be most at home when they filled our eardrums with earsplitting shrieks, eccentric mass vocals and minimalistic grooves that infest your subconscious for years to come (I'm absolutely convinced that "UJA" is on infinite repeat in limbo, how thoroughly that blasted track had and has seized me). My overall impression of Taiga is one of furious noise, because even at its most listenable and exhilarating, even when it sounded like an alien pop album pitch-tweaked and remixed by angry computers, you had to keep your ears on alert for that next SZCWIIIIIII! sound effect to go reverberating through your head. Taiga was a party, but it wasn't a party record.

Well, now it's time for me to recant my old ways; Armonico Hewa may be the record we've been waiting for from this group - a more tightly structured take on the band's previous material, less abrasive, still unpredictable and adventurous, with more than a few beautiful bits. It rarely loses its way, still showcasing the band's ability to fuse alien pop with infectious grooves and furious drumming. The mix is subtler than Taiga's barrage, which always seemed to hurt your ears even in its subdued moments. You'll still see the band's old tricks - hiccup vocals, long, winding guitar drones and sudden twists in individual tracks - though Hewa almost seems to be a concession to fans with its shorter, less tiring tracks, memorable melodies and variety. There are tracks on this album that are downright beautiful, or even hummable - something that may surprise listeners looking for something to bring back the mania after Boredoms started mellowing out and musically documenting alien Bar Mitzvahs or whatever they were doing.

And the band gets their one burst of musical tinnitus out of the way earlier - it's the first eighteen seconds of the album. Future white noise is pretty subdued. Overall it's safe to say that this is a far mellower mix, something that you could listen to on headphones or even loud-ish speakers without wondering too much if you're causing any permanent harm. In a nutshell: OOIOO is starting to show the joys of musical creation while creating something that more than a mother and a few trendy noiserock fans could love. Genre-wise it's still noise, something you'll have to consider with this praise. This brand of noise has always been about finding joy and positive energy in grinding, abrasive sounds and slow progression, something this record continues to do (albeit with the band changing their focus somewhat).

In fact, this record may be the best thing we've heard from this ballpark of musicians since Boredoms released Super æ in 1998 (I'd also say Seadrum, but apparently I'd be in the minority there). This record clearly incorporates the improvisation that made OOIOO what it is, with some added musical flourishes and listenability that might make us smile instead of merely grinning and bearing it.

---Dustin Steinacker

[mp3] OOIOO - "OROKAI"

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