Italian progressive atmospheric rock unit Oslo Tapes will release their new album, Staring at the Sun Before Goin’ Blind, on Dec. 1. The record — which is the fourth since the mostly-solo-project of vocalist, multi-instrumentalist Marco Campitelli (who also handled some of the recording here) released its self-titled debut a decade ago — is being issued through a consortium of labels that includes Echodelick Records, Sound Effect Records and Grazil Records, covering North America, Europe and Australia, respectively.

The distributary triumvirate step in for Pelagic Records, which issued Oslo Tapes‘ ØR (review here) in mid-2021. Staring at the Sun Before Goin’ Blind — the title perhaps conveying some measure of pastoralism by knocking the ‘g’ off “going” — is comprised of eight tracks, like its predecessor, and sees Campitelli working in collaboration with producer Amaury Cambuzat, who also mixed, mastered and contributed to the writing and presumably arrangements of the material, which carries subtle currents of pop in its digestible blend of styles from prog and post-heavy rock in drifty opener “Gravity” and the later “Middle Ground,” which swells to a wash that would feel like a culmination were it not for the seven-minute closing title-track two songs later, to the Godflesh-‘n’-chill of side A’s “Ethereal Song,” the turn-of-the-century Reznorian drum and bass perfect-druggery of “Reject Yr Regret” or the periodic dance parties that seem to break out, in either of those two or elsewhere.

It’s a complex listen, provided you want it to be. For those who might dig into details, there’s full-dimensionality to what Campitelli and Amaury have brought here, unto the use of traditional verse and chorus structures to give that overarching complexity a still-accessible bent. But from the very first windchimes in “Gravity,” there’s intricacy corresponding to the abiding mood that gives the entire album its context.

And while one raises an eyebrow at the notion of congratulating a band that’s mostly one person on their record being cohesive — it better be; there’s no one else around to screw it up — and through the beat intensity of “Middle Ground” or the lower chug of maybe-keyboard under the higher frequency melodies of the suitably flowing penultimate cut “Somnambulist’s Daydream” or the actual-dream tonality of “Like a Metamorphosis” that led off side B, Oslo Tapes‘ sense of purpose never wanes. And for being so clearly exploratory in nature, Staring at the Sun Before Goin’ Blind never loses either its fluidity or the solid ground on which it’s offered. The work of someone who knows the sound they want and seems to be in steady pursuit of new ideas and aspects to bring to it.

Shades of New Wave, dance, classic krautrock, psych, prog — a list that could go on depending on the listener — and yet there’s little to disconnect Staring at the Sun Before Goin’ Blind from the central experience of its melody or the thoughtfulness of its composition and arrangements. In addition to some hard-lugging of wood and a solid argument for why you should try not to get tangled in your socks when hanging out the laundry (you’ll see it, don’t worry), the video’s meditative nature is fitting with the song’s likewise patient but not staid movement. I don’t know if I’d call it peaceful, exactly, but neither is it throwing elements at your ears just to see what sticks. Everything has a place.

Please enjoy:

Oslo Tapes, “Deja Neu” video premiere

Marco Campitelli on “Deja Neu”:

“Deja Neu” a track that falls between cinematic and ritual music, built upon ethno-kraut motifs embedded in hypnotic rhythmic figures, in a crescendo of psychedelic ornaments and intensity.

You can imagine to catch the sound between the mitte-europe and the oriental tunes….

On Friday, December 1st, Oslo Tapes returns with the highly anticipated fourth album, ‘Staring at the Sun Before Goin’ Blind’ marking another step in Marco Campitelli’s personal initiatory journey through the realms of post/art/kraut/noise and introspection. The album will be released on vinyl by Echodelick Records (USA) and Sound Effect Records (Greece), while Grazil Records (Austria) will oversee the CD, cassette, and digital versions.

‘Staring at the Sun Before Goin’ Blind’ is the follow-up to the successful third album, ‘ØR’, released in 2021 by the prestigious Pelagic Records, and it is imbued with emotional radiations that fuel disorientation and restlessness. Voices in contrast with metronomic rhythmic patterns, geometries distorted by fluid basslines, and melodic synths that compensate for the voids left by liquid and acidic guitars all contribute to creating a distinctly personal auditory mirage.

The album is produced by Amaury Cambuzat, a historic member of faUSt, and Ulan Bator, who co-authored the songs and arrangements with Campitelli. Using an unspecified number of magnetic tapes and analog machines, he forged the album’s sound through his thirty-year experience in the kraut/avant/rock domain.

Oslo Tapes says: ‹‹ ‘Staring at the Sun Before Goin’ Blind’ is hypothetically a brief period traversed in eight tracks, from the ethereal opening of ‘Gravity’ to the hypnotic ‘Ethereal Song’, the avant-syncretism of ‘Deja Neu’, and the psychedelic and modern deep house vibes of ‘Reject Yr Regret’. It follows the harmonic framework of ‘Like a Metamorphosis’ in a fusion of psychedelic jazz, the post-minimalist fuzz-kraut of ‘Middle Ground’, the distorted and celestial ‘Somnambulist’s Daydream’, and the tribal-kaleidoscopic title track finale. ››

Recommended for fans of God Is An Astronaut, Neu!, Can, Porno For Pyros, Nine Inch Nails, and Angel Of Light. While the Oslo Tapes capsule is in orbit, on board are Mauro Spada on bass and Davide Di Virgilio on drums, Stefano Micolucci on bass and upright bass, Federico Sergente on percussion, Nicola Amici, also known as Kaouenn, on guitars, synths, and percussion. There are also exceptional guests such as Berlin’s Sicker Man from Trialogos on cello and Dahm Majuri Cipolla, the Japanese post-rock band MONO drummer. After being part of the same label as Marco Campitelli, they cultivated a collaboration driven by their shared passion for kraut rock.

TRACKLIST
A1.Gravity
A2.Ethereal Song
A3.Deja Neu
A4. Reject yr Regret
B1.Like a Metamorphosis
B2.Middle Ground
B3.Somnambulist’s Daydream
B4.Staring at the Sun Before Goin’ Blind

CREDITS
Produced, mixed & mastered by Amaury Cambuzat Recorded by Marco Campitelli (Marigold’s Flower Studio) & Amaury Cambuzat (Let Go Ego Sound Studio)
Written by Marco Campitelli & Amaury Cambuzat
Played by Oslo Tapes
PhotosSilvia Verna
ArtworkDruckwelle Design

Oslo Tapes on Facebook

Oslo Tapes on Instagram

Oslo Tapes on Bandcamp

Oslo Tapes on Soundcloud

Oslo Tapes on YouTube

Oslo Tapes website

Echodelick Records on Facebook

Echodelick Records on Instagram

Echodelick Records on Bandcamp

Echodelick Records website

Sound Effect Records on Facebook

Sound Effect Records website

Grazil Records on Facebook

Grazil Records on Instagram

Grazil Records on Bandcamp

Grazil Records website

Grazil Records Linktr.ee

I guess we could go on and on about badass festival lineups — and in a way, it feels very, very good to even think that’s true — but you’ll pardon me if I sort of bow under the spectacle here and just say I’m glad Warhorse are getting another chance to go to Roadburn after 2020 falling apart, and that Tau and the Drones of Praise will play. The latter not the least because it gives me an excuse to revisit their set from earlier this year at Roadburn Redux in putting this post together. I hope they play right before the devastating LLNN, but either way, it’s great that along with the huger acts like Lingua Ignota, Emma Ruth Rundle, Russian Circles, and so on, Roadburn remains committed to forward-thinking artists of such various stripes. See also Oslo Tapes playing the Pelagic showcase with Årabrot headlining.

I don’t know if I’ll get to go to Roadburn next year. The fest would be well within its rights to nix the Weirdo Canyon Dispatch ‘zine after so long and adverse circumstances, and it’s not like they need my review or photos badly enough to warrant having me there, but whatever happens, I love this festival, support its growth and direction, and I always will for as long as it goes. No one knows at this point what April 2022 is going to look like. I’m happy to proceed into the fest’s last announcement of 2021 with some sense of optimism, even if I need to force that a bit.

From the PR wire:

New additions to Roadburn 2022 including second Artist In Residence and label showcase

Roadburn has today announced another 17 artists for the 2022 edition of the festival, which will take place between April 21-24 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers, comments:

“With our last announcement before the end of 2021, we are super proud to have Pelagic involved again in Roadburn after their virtual Redux showcase earlier this year. And we know SLIFT will broaden our psychedelic horizons with three shows as artist-in-residence. Further, we offer this announcement in hope that 2022 will see a full return to international touring for festivals and club shows and we can all be together and celebrate in April. We wish you the happiest of seasons and hope you’re looking forward to Roadburn Festival 2022 as much as we are. Thank you for your continued support, faith and trust.”

French psych trio, SLIFT, have been announced as the second Artist in Residence for the 2022 edition (joining Full of Hell who were announced earlier this year). The band will perform three times over the course of the festival, including a collaborative performance with pioneering French musician, Etienne Jaumet (Zombie Zombie).

Pelagic Records will host a label showcase at the festival highlighting the diverse array of talent found on their roster. The showcase will climax with three interconnected performances courtesy of Lustmord, Lustmord and Karin Park performing cuts from their collaborative album, Alter, and finishing off with Årabrot. The showcase will also feature Year Of No Light, LLNN performing Unmaker, new signings Bruit≤, Oslo Tapes and a solo set from Karin Park.

Psych-heads rejoice – Die Wilde Jagd will perform at Roadburn, following two awe inspiring live performances at Roadburn Redux earlier this year. TAU & the Drones of Praise will also reprise their Redux appearance and make their way to Tilburg for an in-person performance.

Hangman’s Chair will complement their already-announced album set with a collaboration with Regarde Les Hommes Tomber. Originally commissioned by Red Bull and performed only once to date; the two bands have written additional material to extend the performance further into the reaches of their collective imaginations.

Originally scheduled to perform in 2020 Warhorse will finally perform at Roadburn 2022. Huntsmen will kick off their first trip to Europe with a special performance at Roadburn where they’ll play their 2018 album, American Scrap, in full.

London’s Five The Hierophant will make their Roadburn debut, as well as performing a collaborative piece with Wyatt E. and MC Slice titled Atonia.

These artists are added to a line up that already features Ulver, Lingua Ignota, Liturgy, Emma Ruth Rundle, Russian Circles, 40 Watt Sun, Backwash and many more. Click here to view the full line up and below to read more on these newly announced artists.

ÅRABROT
ATONIA: A COLLABORATION BETWEEN WYATT E., FIVE THE HIEROPHANT & MC SLICE
BRUIT ≤,
DIE WILDE JAGD
FIVE THE HIEROPHANT
HANGMAN’S CHAIR X REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER
HUNTSMEN
KARIN PARK
LLNN
LUSTMORD
OSLO TAPES
SLIFT (ARTIST IN RESIDENCE)
TAU & THE DRONES OF PRAISE
URAL UMBO
WARHORSE
YEAR OF NO LIGHT
ZETRA

Weekend tickets, and Friday and Saturday day tickets are sold out. Thursday and Sunday day tickets remain in limited numbers. Tickets and accommodation options are available to view via ticketmaster.nl

https://www.facebook.com/events/964112394348925
https://www.facebook.com/roadburnfestival/
http://www.instagram.com/roadburnfest
http://www.roadburn.com

Tau and the Drones of Praise, ‘Dream Awake’ live stream for Roadburn Redux

Slift, “Lions, Tigers & Bears” live video

Day Three. The kinds of material covered have varied, but it’s been pretty good so far, which as you can probably imagine makes this whole process much, much easier. Today would traditionally be hump day, where we hit and surpass the halfway mark, but since this is a double-size Quarterly Review, we’re only a quarter of the way there. Still a long way to go, but I’ve got decent momentum in my head at this point and I’ve taken steps not to make the workload crushing on any given day (this mostly involved working last weekend, thanks to The Patient Mrs. for the extra time), so I’m not feeling overly rushed either. Which is welcome.

In that spirit, let’s get to it.

Quarterly Review #21-30:

The Vintage Caravan, Monuments

To every sorrowful head who bemoans the state of rock and roll as being dead, who misses big songs, bands unafraid to groove, to engage their audience, to change things up and stay anchored to a vital spirit of the live experience, the answer is The Vintage Caravan. Monuments is the Icelandic trio’s follow-up to 2018’s Gateways (review here) and it opens with a righteous four-song mission-statement salvo from “Whispers” to “Dark Times” before mellowing out in “This One’s for You” and diving into the eight-minute centerpiece “Forgotten” — later answered by the more subdued but likewise proggy closer “Clarity” — before the hard-hitting shuffle renews on side B with “Sharp Teeth,” “Hell” and “Torn in Two” try to outdo each other in has-the-most-swagger and “Said & Done” sneaks in ahead of the finale to walk away with that particular title. Suitably enough. Momentum is almost a detriment to the proceedings, since the songs are worth individual attention, but among the classic tenets here is leave-’em-wanting-more, and The Vintage Caravan do, no question.

The Vintage Caravan on Facebook

Napalm Records website

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Oslo Tapes, ØR

First thing to note? Oslo Tapes are not from Oslo. Or Trondheim, for that matter. Founded by Marco Campitelli in Italy, the band is a work of homage and exploration of ideas born out of a trip to Oslo — blessings and peace upon the narrative — and ØR, which is Norwegian for “confusing,” is their third album. It arrives loaded with textures from electro-krautrock and ’70s space modernized through to-day’s post-heavy, a breathy delivery from Campitelli giving a song like “Kosmik Feels” an almost goth-wave presence while the harder-landing “Bodø Dakar,” which follows, shifts with pointed rhythm into a textured percussion jam in its second half, with ethereal keys still behind. The shimmering psychedelia of “Norwegian Dream” comes paired with “Exotic Dreams” late in the record’s eight-track procession, and while the latter emphasizes Oslo Tapes‘ can-go-anywhere sensibility with horn sounds and vague, drumless motion, the hard dance in closer “Obsession is the Mother of All” really seems to be the moment of summary here. That must’ve been some trip.

Oslo Tapes on Facebook

Pelagic Records on Bandcamp

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Filthy Hippies, Departures

Clocking in at 15 tracks and 77 minutes of deeply varied cosmic fuckery, from the motorik push of “Your Are the Sun” to the ’90s Britgaze stylizations of “Mystified” to the twanging central guitar figure of “The Air is Poison” and onward into the blowout kosmiche echo “Sweet Dreams and Nicotine” and chic the-underground-is-actually-made-of-velvet “Like a Halo” ahead of the Hawkwind-on-ludes “I’m Buggin’ Out,” Filthy Hippies‘ Departures at very least gets points for having the right title. Departs from everything. Reality, itself, you. The whole nine. The good news is the places it goes have a unifying element of grunge laziness woven throughout them, like Filthy Hippies just rolled out of bed and this material just happened — and maybe that’s how it went — and the journey they make, whistling as they go on “Among the Wire” and ending up in the wistful wash of “Empty Spaces” is a joy to follow. Heady. More purposeful than it’s letting on. Not a minor investment, but not a minor reward either.

Filthy Hippies on Facebook

Mongrel Records website

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Dunbarrow, III

Long since in command of their aesthetic, Norway’s Dunbarrow embark on III, their third long-player, with a full realization of their purpose. Recorded by the five-piece in Spring 2020 and left to gestate for a year’s time, it’s having been unearthed is suitable to the classic doom vibe wrought throughout the eight tracks, but Dunbarrow‘s sound is more vintage in structure than production at this point, and the shifting balance between ‘then’ and ‘now’ in what they do imagines what might’ve been if self-titled era Witchcraft had retained its loyalty to the tenets of Sabbath/Pentagram while continuing to grow its songcraft, such that “Worms of Winter” both is and is decidedly not “Snowblind,” while “Lost Forever” embarks on its own roll and “Turn in Your Grave” makes for an organ-laced folkish highlight, fitting in its cult atmosphere and setting up the rawer finish in “Turns to Dust.” This is who Dunbarrow are, and what they do, they do exceedingly well.

Dunbarrow on Facebook

Blues for the Red Sun Records on Facebook

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Djinn, Transmission

The year is 2076. The world’s first Whole Earth parliament has come together to bask in the document Transmission, originating in Gothenburg, Sweden, at the behest of an entity known only as Djinn and respected purveyor Rocket Recordings. It is believed that in fact Transmission and its eight component freak jazz psychedelia tracks were not written at the time of their first release some 55 years earlier, but, as scholars have come to theorize after more than a half-century of rigorous, consistent study, it is a relic of another dimension. Someplace out of place, some time out of time as humanity knows it. So it is that “Creators of Creation” views all from an outsider’s eagle eye, and “Urm the Mad” squees its urgency as if to herald the serenity of “Love Divine” to come, voices echoing up through the surcosmic rift through which Djinn sent along this Transmission. What was their purpose? Why make contact? And what is time for such creatures? Are they us? Are we them? Are we alone? Are we “Orpheus?” Wars have been fought over easier questions.

Djinn on Bandcamp

Rocket Recordings website

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Shevils, Miracle of the Sun

Their third album, Shevils‘ Miracle of the Sun renews the band’s collaboration with producer Marcus Forsgren, which obviously given the sound of the record, was not broken. With a tidy 10 songs in 32 minutes, the Oslo-based four-piece deliver a loyal reading of heavy hardcore riffing minus much of the chestbeating or dudely pretense that one might otherwise encounter. They’ve got it nailed, and the break as “Monsters on TV” squibblies out is a forceful but pleasant turn, especially backed by the pure noise rock of “Scandinavian Death Star.” The band plays back and forth between heft and motion throughout, offering plenty of both in “Wet Soaking Wet” and “Ride the Flashes,” hitting hard but doing more than just hitting at the same time. Topped with fervent shouts, Shevils feels urgent in manner that to my ears recalls West Coast US fare like Akimbo, but is nonetheless the band’s own, ranging into broader soundscapes on “No More You” and anti-shred on “It Never Ends,” the only two cuts here over four minutes long. No time to screw around.

Shevils on Facebook

Shevils on Bandcamp

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Paralyzed, Paralyzed

If they haven’t been yet — and they may have — it’s entirely likely that by the time I’m done writing this sentence some record label or other will have picked up Paralyzed to release their self-titled debut album on vinyl. The Bamberg, Germany-based four-piece bring classic heavy metal thunder to still-Sabbathian doom rock, casting their lot in with the devil early on “Lucifer’s Road (My Baby and Me),” which feels like as much a statement of aesthetic purpose as it does a righteous biker riff. It’s by no means the sum-total of what’s on offer in a more extended piece like “Prophets” or side B’s rumble-and-roll-plus-wah-equals-doom “Mother’s Only Son,” but the brash fare they bring to light on “Green Eyes” and the post-lizard king-turns-Purple spirit of “Golden Days” tie in well with the toss-your-hair-in-the-wind, how’d-that-hole-get-in-my-jeans spirit of the release on the whole. They start instrumental with the eponymous “Paralyzed,” but vocals are a focus point, and as they round out with the rawer “Parallel,” their command of ’70s heavy is all the more evident. They signed yet? Give it another minute, if not.

Paralyzed on Facebook

Paralyzed on Bandcamp

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Black Spirit Crown, Gravity

Admittedly, I’m late to the party on Black Spirit Crown‘s 2020 debut full-length, Gravity, but as one will when in orbit, it’s easy to be pulled in by the record. The Ohio-based two-piece of Dan Simone (vocals, guitar, theremin, dulcimer) and Chris Martin (vocals, keys & programming, bass) — plus guitar spots from Joe Fortunato (Doomstress, ex-Venomin James) — flourish over longform progressive heavy rock pieces like “Doomstar” and “Orb,” both over eight minutes, and the 21:10 closing title-track, which well earns having the album named after it for its consuming balance between aural weight, darkness of atmosphere and tone, and breadth. Before the last several minutes give way to droning noise, “Gravity” counterbalances the metallic underpinning of “Saga” and the rush of the penultimate “Teutates,” its patience singular even among the other longer cuts, balanced in alternating fashion with the shorter. Peppered-in growls make the proceedings less predictable on the whole, and feel like one more strength working in favor of these complex compositions.

Black Spirit Crown on Facebook

Black Spirit Crown on Bandcamp

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Intraveineuse, Chronicles of an Inevitable Outcome

Parisian instrumentalists Intraveineuse make a strong statement with their 32-minute/single-song debut EP, Chronicles of an Inevitable Outcome, the feeling of aftermath — regret? — permeating the goth-doom atmosphere coming through in tectonically-dense riffs as well as the piano that offsets them. France would seem to have a post-Type O Negative standard-bearer in Hangman’s Chair, but to discount Intraveineuse on that basis is to miss out on the flowing, immersive progression the band emit on this already-sold-out tape, working in three distinct movements to find their own place within the style, building momentum gradually until the last payoff cuts itself short, as if to emphasize there’s more to come. Hopefully, anyhow. EP or LP, debuts with this kind of scope are rare and not to be overlooked, and though there are stretches where one can hear where vocals might go, Intraveineuse ably steer “Chronicles of an Inevitable Outcome” through its various parts with natural-sounding fluidity.

Intraveineuse website

Intraveineuse on Bandcamp

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Void Tripper, Dopefiend

Grim, gritty and ghastly, Void Tripper is the debut full-length from Brazil’s Void Tripper, comprised of five tracks marked by the shared/alternating vocals of guitarists Mário Fonteles and Anastácio Júnior. The former gurlges on opener “Devil’s Reject” while the latter complements with a cleaner take on the subsequent “Burning Woods,” setting up the back and forth that plays out in the remaining three tracks, “Hollow,” “Satan & Drugs” and “Comatose.” With the lumbering bass and drums of Jonatas Monte and Gabriel Mota, respectively, as the thickened foundation beneath the riffs, there are shades throughout of Electric Wizard and other acts to be heard, but it’s Sabbath-worshiping sludge one way or the other, and Void Tripper willingly head into that void with a dense fog preceding them and a bleak mood that does nothing if it doesn’t feel suited to our times. Riffy disaffection writ large. You wouldn’t call it groundbreaking, but you’d nod the fuck out.

Void Tripper on Facebook

Abraxas on Facebook

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