OSLO TAPES Drop an Experimental New Record

If you are looking for something a little different, outside the box, experimental, gritty, a bit cinematic, endlessly fun, and with that heavy alternative overcoat, then you should check out the new record from OSLO TAPES.

LAST COMET is an album that isn't afraid to take different directions with each track, but still showcases elements of indie, grunge, and art-rock all rolled into one album that certainly takes you on a unique sonic journey.

One of the things I noticed first is the element of that grunge tonality being embedded in the veins of the record. A lot of this is experimentally approached, so that there are no walls or boundaries built around the songwriting. Instead, they branch out and can form these sorts of musical shapes that again, have this sort of alternative and edgy tonality, but there are still hints of pop woven between the lines

The album kicks off with "Inhuman Witch", and it's brilliantly done simply because you hear a lot of classic, 90s-style post-punk influence along with hints of industrial mixed in, right off the bat.

You also get that huge and spacious undertone, which is very consistent throughout the rest of the album as well, even though certain songs have different approaches.

One of the more unique aspects of this track in particular is the percussion or drumming. It's got a unique beat, and I love how the vocals come through in this almost distant and haunting manner.

All of these things add to the depth of the soundscape that is constructed, and you can hear a lot of those staples throughout the rest of the album as well, so this first track is an amazing introduction to the record itself.

"Pyramid Shape" breaks in electronic undertones with amazing synth work that comes through with a bit of a colorful approach, but still that edgy undertone, which helps the song flow forward.

This one is like traveling to another dimension. Still very cinematic, to me, but it also has a bit of a unique drive that I really enjoyed.

Again, the drumming on this track is just amazing. Not a lot of the drumming throughout this record is just standard. Nor is it just sitting in the pocket.

The drumming throughout this record plays a huge hand in how the songs come to fruition and sound as a whole.

I think every element of these performances and instruments is sitting just outside the box so that you have a record that isn't held down to particular genres or boundaries.

From spaciousness and vastness to electronic flow and pop undertone, alternative and art rock, this whole thing just has its own vibe and atmosphere.

"Transpace" is a song that represents some of that pop coating. It's sort of catchy and has a brightness to it, incorporating keys in a rock style setting, and this whole pop-rock overtone that sits really well right in the center of a record.

This is one of the more radio-friendly songs, in my opinion, and I loved the groove and formatting of it.

Then there are tracks like "Astral Path" that demonstrate more of that experimental and grungy tone. A lot of what I'm hearing has to do with sound sculpting in general. The instruments sort of take different shapes, and I think that the people behind this project are really into morphing and sculpting the actual tones and sounds of their instruments so that it's not like what you heard before.

I feel like they wanted to go in those different directions and because they did, they took it into their own hands to create something sonically different.

This is one of my favorites on the record because the drumbeat is awesome, the guitars are sort of augmented and gritty, the vocals are almost whispering and right in your face, up close and personal.

The whole thing has a subtle edginess to it. It's almost scary.

The blending and bending of genres at free will is the name of the game with records like this, and they can pull it off without a hitch.

The album closes with the track called "Lazarus Awaking", which definitely hits a warm spot vocally and lyrically, along with using synths and keys to create more of that atmosphere, but again, in a more vibrant sort of sense.

The beauty of the whole record is that no two songs are really alike, and the whole thing gives you a really impressive sonic presence that at times can feel rambunctious or scattered, but at others feels very well-rounded and welcoming.

This is something that feels like it's all its own. It pulls you in, and it takes you for this ride, and by the time it's all over, you have to snap back to reality.

This is part of the brilliance of it all, and I definitely suggest listening to this record all the way through from start to finish because it's the best way to go.

It's not short. It's a big record, but it's really worth sort of delving into and soaking in all those layers of texture, tone, and songwriting approach.

The whole thing is a little dark and a little edgy, a little bright and a little expansive, but it's a massive amount of fun.

Check this one out now and remember where you heard it first.

FACEBOOK

BANDCAMP

SPOTIFY

INSTAGRAM