Album Review: OphiosG
Ophios always has been something of an outsider among average YouTube poopers. His videos have always been vastly unpredictable, compared to the typical videos of others, and that surreal spontaneity is reflected in his music. (Oh yeah, he produces music too. Probably should have mentioned that.)
This, his latest work, is something of a puzzlement compared to his previous works. Listening to his other songs and CDs I’ve come to expect one thing from Ophios: Frantic, expressionist, drum and bass music. His latest, OphiosG, completely shifts in directions multiples times throughout the CD, from the nostalgic-electro blips of “R1S1S1 Numbers”, to the calming pianos of “R2S1S1 Fnord 3″, to the frenetic breakbeats of “R3S1S2 Depth.”
I would describe the album as akin to driving on a road that’s still under construction. It’s a very smooth ride at first, but every so often you’re interrupted by a deluge of bumps and rough patches, then smoothness again. My one criticism comes from the track “R2S2S1 Fnord 2″, which goes a full 16:40 length of nothing but atmospheric noise of what I can only describe as “Cavern Ambience.”
All in all an enjoyable listening experience for the more open-minded listener. I couldn’t see this album finding radio airplay anywhere, but this is still probably Ophios’s most accessible album yet.
For fans of: Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada
Final Rating: 4 out of 5 - A great listen.
Download it here.
Article by Mr. Vorhias.
April 20th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
My personal favorite from the album is “Fnord 3.” I like it so much I used it in a tennis round.
April 21st, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Actually, I really like Ophios’s stuff, and I’ve been considering vollunteering at a local college radio station called KAOS, and if I do, Ophios will definately get played.
April 21st, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Personally, my tastes are very liberal in terms of enjoyment. Anything that sounds good to me. I’ll listen. I don’t even really pay attention to lyrics or whatnot, I’ll just “absorb” the song. Artists are pretty much meaningless to me in that respect, as well as genres, though I do love insrtumentals best.
Sadly to say, this doesn’t look like something I’ll convince myself to buy. Sorry Ophios. Good luck finding the niche of the niche market.
April 21st, 2008 at 6:38 pm
To Emperor Ing: You do realize he doesn’t sell this, right?
April 21st, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Actually, I noticed that after I posted my message. My bad.
Whoops. maybe I’ll have to do an apologetic download to make up for it…