The duo Oscean, aka Andrés Zacco and Sebastián Galante, return to follow up their previous Tresor release with “Multirays”—an EP full of dusty broken Techno, Electro vibes, and crispy IDM influences.
Something has got to be in the water down there in Argentina, since this is maybe the 4th or so Argentinian release we’ve reviewed this month. The scene is going off for sure, and what’s coming out of it includes truly inspired releases like this “Multirays” EP by Oscean. Since the well-received success of their previous Tresor release “Ideoma”, Oscean have successfully turned heads towards their sound. This release shows you just how far they are capable of pushing it. Their latest EP is definitely more divergent, sound design-focused, and focused on creating atmospheres.
Overall, the tasteful use of clean bass next to abstract drums under dusty atmospheric treatments really sets this EP apart from many of the other Techno releases coming out. The groove timing is all very much Electro, and indeed, the more strict, Electro-tinged “Drivion” track illustrates this technique perfectly while the other tracks “Multidimensional” and “Invisible Rays” take pieces of that concept and venture into more broken Techno territory without going into a wonky concept or an overdriven industrial flavor. They are more or less reserved and present the concept as a vessel for their interest in creating a well-balanced mix with environments to get lost in.
“Horizonsz” is quite remarkable as it recalls a very Aphex twin-meets-early Autechre vibe, or even a Blackdog IDM aesthetic while not going too far into the ‘Braindance’ glitchy ‘Clicks & Cuts’ experimentalism that plagued the genre and wore audiences down. The glitches are not brain food or even ear candy, but flams, and it fills up the groove of the track which makes it supremely successful, because the underlying four-four pulse of the track is really easy to follow.
Where Oscean is going next in their music, it’s hard to know, since this “Multirays” EP is kind of Leftfield, but this also leaves the door wide open for many directions. Indeed, even the title “Multirays” confirms this sentiment. The sounds of slamming raw Techno, groovy broken Techno, sinister Electro, or inspiring IDM are all well within their reach. It will be great to hear about their progress in future work. The world is yours, Oscean.
-Sean Ocean
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