OPM: Hybrid Aesthetic

Sweet Freeze – Dance Card EP

Two tracks of gossamer lo-fi art/dream pop reminiscent of the classics, but with a unique identity. I reviewed, and was quite taken by, her last release, and this one follows in the same vein. A little more guitar heavy, perhaps? 

But the same unique, vibe is here, with the ethereal vocals (reminiscent of Kate Bush and Beth Gibbons), spacy atmosphere and sonic patina that prompted me to call it “ghostwave” last time. I still think that’s the best genre descriptor  for this (even tho I made it up for something else) so I am sticking with it. 

–

Brickbats – “Hospital Nap”

Fun hybrid of electro, IDM, and drum and bass. That means some pretty intricate breakbeats, intriguing sound design and a pretty intense vibe. It’s a pretty fertile space – not so frantic or intricate as drum and bass usually is (not to mention the byzantine, puzzlelike beats of one end of the IDM pool), but certainly more driving, and more cerebral, than most electro. Might frustrate genre purists, but likely to appeal to most everyone else who likes any/all of its component genres.

–

Charles Celeste Hutchins – Basic Waveforms EP

A short, focused and effective EP of extremely minimalist experimental electronic music. Three tracks, each named after a simple harmonic waveshape – “Sines,” “Saws,” and “Squares.” Each track a collection of strobing, cascading tones of that waveshape. 

Each track is concise – the longest weighs in at a touch under three minutes, offering a thorough examination of its titular timbre. Falling somewhere between drone and musique concrete, it’s a simple concept executed well.

–

Billy Cheesesteak – “Pizza Boy”

A short, slapstick blast of goofy punk in the finest weirdo rock tradition. Mining the same kind of loopy, possibly drug-addled absurdity as bands like Ween, Devo, or the Butthole Surfers, here you have a song themed around pizza from a musician named after a sandwich. Repetitive lyrics, a sort of almost oompah beat and a simple arrangement get the job done in just about two and a half minutes. It’s been self termed “doink rock” and I feel like that’s an apt descriptor as any. So if you need doink, here it is. 

–

Ursula’s Cartridges – Sleep Deprivation Cities 

Funky, largely upbeat take on vaporwave aesthetics that incorporates a wide range of other styles into the mix. Incorporating elements and samples of electro funk, hip hop. Chemical Brothers-style breaks and beyond, the artist pulls some pretty interesting stuff into the vaporwave space, and it mostly works. 

Things even get weird and experimental at times, still anchored to the overarching aesthetic. Slushy vibes, smeary reverb, and making everything sound like a dying VCR works across a wide variety of styles! Definitely one to check out if you appreciate the Vaporwave Extended Universe.