Customer Reviews

Wohnton

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My ghod, this is a strange piece of work. Oval is more normally known for their strange deconstructions of sound, building bits and pieces of other smashed-up sounds into weird, often-repetitive tapestries somewhere left of Aphex Twin and right of Carl Stone. But on here, we get the odd 'wrecked CD player' Oval sound along with low-key loungey vocals in German, some drums, and the results are like a weird karaoke lounge tape as mis-filtered through some experimental music lab. Oval can be a little difficult for some, but this is difficult even for Oval. Still, _I_ sort of like it, if only for the weirdness factor present here. But to be sure, this is something of a misfire on Oval's part, and not wholly representative of their otherwise interesting and challenging output. One for the completists, as well as those into 'strange music'.

There are German vocals on a lot of these songs. This album is really nothing like other Oval releases, it is much more melodic. There really aren't any soundscapes at all...this is techno music. There are still a lot of digital cd distortions which are very much like the sounds on Dok and Systemich but, they are sequenced with strong rhythms....it is wierd. I like thier other work alot more.

True, Wohnton is very different from all other Oval albums. Actually, it's not like any other CD I've ever come across. But it's also a very *good* CD!
A bizarre mix of oval glitches with a peculiar (and humorously almost off key) vocalist and some lazy drums. I don't know how to describe much better since I can't think of anything to compare it to.
If you like Oval, I would still recommend this. Just be cautious, because not all of Oval's fans will care about this under-rated release.

Most people picking this up will be familiar w/ Oval's more recent work of sparse code generated rythems, or slightly earlier "skipping disc" collages. Whonton, in my opinion is the best Oval disc to date, but it's so different maybe it shouldn't be considered a true Oval offering. Yes, there is a german crooner. Yes, he quite often is off key. But his crooning strangely works to tie together the otherwise classic disjointed Oval sound into pretty traditional melodies! Try as I might to explain this wonderful disc, you've just got to hear it yourself.

It a shame to see the experimental techno talent of Oval wasted over much of this confusing recording. The only thing less comercially viable then Oval's intrigung conceptual musical styles is the inane German vocals which awkwardly accompany more than two thirds of this discs tracks. Outside of Track #2 file the rest of this album away for extreme Oval fans only.