ALBUM REVIEW: Oscillations – Oh Hiroshima
There’s always been something unique about Scandinavia. It could be a result of the bleak and unpredictable weather, or the ever more beautiful and perilous landscape, but whatever the root cause, some of the most forward thinking and intoxicating music of modern times has emanated from these icy shores. With more metal bands per capita than any other region of the planet, the scope of musical output is vast, and the latest triumph sat fixedly on the horizon is the new album from OH HIROSHIMA, entitled Oscillation. Here is a band that has grown renowned in post rock circles, and given the four year wait we’ve been forced to endure since previous material was released, you can imagine that this one is hotly anticipated. With the press release teasing the caption “Powerful, Energetic, Atmospheric,” it would seem that the Swedish trio is back in typical form.
Quite honestly, the three aforementioned adjectives couldn’t sum up Oscillation any better. OH HIROSHIMA have always been masters of dramatic ambience, but here, they have raised their game and built a dense and striking series of soundscapes. This tightly packed approach is unusual of post rock, which tends to lend itself more to subtle sparsity, but the resulting record feels much more accessible, opting for looming riff work in place of minute long sections of white noise or minimalistic notes. This is apparent from the very offset, where album opener Neu builds delicately into a mesmerising track. The guitar work of Jakob Hemström compliments his vocals perfectly, with both aspects feeling ultra melodic and finely polished.
After that, A Handful Of Dust is single handedly one of the most beautiful tracks of 2019. Blissful scaling and heart wrenching bass work intertwine, and coupled with wonderfully apt drumming, the result is nothing if not stunning. There is so much happening in the way of layering, but the track never feels overwhelming or too intense. Instead, it leaves the listener in a daze of sorts, a feeling that only heightens when piano gently enters the mix and the track continues to grow like a crescendo.
Simulacra comes next, bringing a touch of electronica to the table. Oskar Nilsson‘s drums pound, and then become fragile, and the bass-work of Simon Axelsson becomes a heartbeat that pulses through the track. Through the midsection, things become substantially heavier, pushing more into post metal territory than earlier parts of the album did. These heavy outbursts are always juxtaposed against extreme calm, which helps them stand proud of the rest of the track. This is the same in Darkroom Aesthetics, which follows the album’s lead single Moderate Spectre. This makes sense when considering that the record was mastered by the acclaimed Magnus Lindberg of CULT OF LUNA fame, a band notorious for balancing the crushingly heavy with the achingly beautiful.
The abstract sound continues with In Solar, where we hear more perfectly poised guitar-work and the addition of subtle strings. This adds an orchestral edge, and only heightens the scale of the record. OH HIROSHIMA have clearly taken pride in every aspect of Oscillations, and it shows in the quality of the musicianship. The closing track is Molnet, and a better finale could not be imagined. It soars with an encapsulating texture, and plunges deep into chasms of uplifting virtuosity. The heart and soul of OH HIROSHIMA is well and truly buried in Scandinavia, and with Oscillations they will continue to move forward as fan favourites in the post rock world.
Rating: 8/10
Oscillations is set for release July 26th via Napalm Records.
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