Oval – Systemisch

The problem with the German language (and its philosophical tradition... I'm looking at you, Immanuel Kant) is that it's too easy to wax philosophical about art and to make more complicated what can be described as base instinct. Oval's "manifesto" can be summed up in the following way: "We experiment computers and technology in creating sound and we are going to publish what we like."

In spite of what I just said, what's ultimately appealing about Oval is both the means and the ends of technological experimentation. This album reflects an interest in taking what we would normally consider a "defect" (CD skipping, faulty wiring in the speakers, etc.) and turn it into something musical. In a way, they are a continuation of the musique concrete school of Varese but now it's Macintosh computers instead of reel-to-reel tape machines.

Regardless of Oval calls it, there is something musical about the end results and it's something that I think is forgotten right about the time we hit Ovalcommers. It is sonically harsh at times but not abrasive (like the aforementioned later release). In fact, if you listen to it enough times, you may not react so violent the next time your favourite CD skips. (I've even made a joke of it: every instance of a CD skip, I call it the "Oval remix"). Plus there are interesting appearances of Oval from the obscure (Julien Donkey-Boy) to the bizarre (a male cologne commercial).

So while you may dismiss their "manifesto" as philosophical wankery and the music as mere technological wankery, there is something to it that you can't help but be entranced, or at least aware of different possibilities of hearing and perceiving music.