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Otolithen — S.O.D.
(Cuneiform Rune 97, 1997, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 1998-02-01

S.O.D. Cover art

Sabotage Opportunistic Deaf-mutism. Otolithen is the duo of Päd Conca and Dirk Bruinsma (the latter a current member of Blast). Together they offer guitar, electric bass, soprano saxes, effects, a 'home-built string-thing,' various 'foot triggered percussion,' and very few vocals. The amazing thing is that they sound like a full band (well, not just any full band), and I'm told they can pull it all off live as well! What makes this all possible is the foot triggered drums and percussion, which both members play, in effect adding a third member to the lineup — though it's a miracle they can play all these things at once. Drum programs are used to enhance the basic percussion on a few tracks, though one might not know without checking the credits. Their style varies quite a bit throughout the album's fifteen tracks, which generally follow an abstract rock mode in the wake of the Crimson Cow, although the Henry Cow influence is not nearly as strong as in Bruinsma's other band Blast, and his tense and tortured guitar leads might remind some of Roger Trigaux and Present. When Bruinsma picks up the sax, Conca often moves his bass work into Hugh Hopper mode (heavily fuzzed, to fill in some for the absent guitar), and it's at these times when the band hits their avant peaks. A little more 'groove' would have made this one a bit more memorable after the play, but as it is it's quite interesting and challenging enough for diehard explorers.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 14, 1997 releases

Related artist(s): Dirk Bruinsma, Otolithien

More info
http://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/s-o-d

 

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