Ophiuco
– Hybrid (Seahorse Recordings)
CD
/ DL
Out
Now
8.5
/ 10
Italian
trip-hop experimentalists release their second album.
It’s eleven
years since the debut album Hypno Queue, and eleven years well worth waiting
for the new Ophiuco album. For fans of
Sneaker Pimps, Massive Attack and Portishead, the band defined as trip-hop have
taken the slow beats of the genre and incorporated other elements of
electronica, jazz and dub to create a beast so fascinating that it has to be
heard to be believed.
Former members
of Drum n Bass act IK14, Marino Peiretti and Paolo Zangara have played
alongside the likes of Nine Inch Nails and Kruder & Dorfmeister. Fine company indeed and it’s easy to see why
they are in demand.
With the added
vocals of Ilaria Nicolini they are a force to be reckoned with and could quite
easily fit into the bracket for fans of Bristol trip-hop. Interesting indeed, but they seem to have
mastered the sound. To quote the band: “We are individuals determined by
history. We are those who wish to express themselves outside of any genres or
schemes, and without boundaries, even though you may become wedged into some
genre in the end”.
Recent single
Pneumatic Psycho Bodhidharma borrows not only its name from the 5th
Century Buddhist monk but also a simple tale of love and endurance. The dark vocals become an extra instrument in
the hypnotic chant like track.
The hypnotic
theme continues as Luca Morselli, Irene Parabita and
Nathalie Rosemarie Carlesso also contribute vocals with several tracks becoming
haunting overtures. Scrowls Of
Intentiones is one such piece. Almost frightening
in its theme, it’s brooding gloom permeates throughout and is beguiling in its
pseudo horror.
Only on Figurato does the album
falter slightly, the track doesn’t seem to gel with the remaining numbers and
losing some of the impetus that has been built up thus far. Trip is a further highlight as its
psychedelic electro-gaze challenges the senses as it seemingly layers several
differing tracks at one given moment.
Transitional Eyes is a beautiful
instrumental which leads into album closer Game Machine, a bizarre mix of repetitive
beat, slurred vocals and sliding guitars.
Full of surprises and simple tunes moulded into a dazzling complexity, Hybrid
is a fascinating album.
Links
Seahorse Recordings
Ophiuco website
Ophiuco on Twitter
Ophiuco on Facebook
Published on Louder Than War 11/01/15 - here
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