Name: O
Brand: Oval

Tax rate EU

Default:19

Supplier EU

375 Media

Total Cap

Format detail

Colour details

Discogs ID

Limited edition

Colour

Format Music EU

Extended format

Extended format: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Download code

Download code: Yes

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Release date

2010-09-03

Format multiplier

Catalogue number

5194411

UPC / Barcode

790377024418

Download code: No

5194412

790377024425

Artist

Oval

Label EU

Thrill Jockey

Genre EU

Electronic

Oval is a pioneering electronic music project founded in Darmstadt, Germany in 1991 by Markus Popp, Sebastian Oschatz, Frank Metzger and Holger Lindmüller. Originally a quartet, Oval later became a trio when Lindmüller left in 1993. Eventually, Oschatz and Metzger also departed in 1995, leaving Oval as the solo project of Markus Popp.

Known for their innovative use of digital technology and glitch aesthetics, Oval has been at the forefront of experimental electronic music for over three decades. Their unique sound combines fragmented samples and intricate rhythms to create mesmerizing sonic landscapes that push the boundaries of traditional composition.

Influenced by artists such as Fennesz, Jan Jelinek, Vladislav Delay, Microstoria and Ryoji Ikeda among others, Oval's discography spans numerous critically acclaimed albums that have solidified their status as one of the most influential acts in the genre. With each release, they continue to captivate audiences with their bold sonic explorations and uncompromising artistic vision.

Thrill Jockey is an American independent record label that was established in 1992 by Bettina Richards, a former A&R representative at Atlantic Records. Originally based in New York City, the label relocated to Chicago, Illinois in 1995.
With over two decades of experience, Thrill Jockey has become a prominent force in the music industry. Known for its diverse roster of artists and commitment to artistic integrity, the label has consistently released groundbreaking and innovative music across various genres.
Thrill Jockey's catalog includes a wide range of critically acclaimed albums from both established and emerging artists. From experimental rock to electronic music, jazz to folk, the label continues to push boundaries and support unique voices within the industry.

Newest Listed Items

O finally sees a return to vinyl after being sold out for over six years. The double LP is pressed on white vinyl packaged in a gatefold jacket available in four different (randomly distributed) colours and features 6 vinyl-only tracks on Side D. The download coupon includes 50 additional tracks only available on the CD version plus all tracks from the long sold-out Oh 12” EP. Popp, who lives and works in Berlin, took some time between his last release under the moniker SO and the Oh EP because he wanted the new material to be a radical departure from his old concepts and methods on all levels, to essentially be a second "debut" album. For O Popp's creative process shares nothing with his creative process for prior Oval albums. Previously, Popp focused on the creation of the programs that would process sound and effectively create the music. As a musician, Popp's process was more theoretical in nature. Creating the platform and knowing what that platform could and should do to the sound sources. He selected the sound sources and then turned it over to the platform. For O, Popp uses an instrument that is very common, a stock PC outfitted with stock sounds and plugins. He no longer uses or creates a custom platform, but instead utilizes a readily available instrument. What he has done with this instrument highlights Popp's, perhaps for the first time, musicianship. Popp spent years woodshedding with his instrument and worked diligently to push the instrument beyond its normal sonic boundaries. What is striking to note is that while the sound sources, and the process versus musician aspect of the music could not be more different, the resulting music shares qualities with the music that came before. It can be heard in the tempo and in the timbre. While the musician in Oval was formerly secondary to the process, now it is the primary creative element and his evolution as a musician can be clearly followed. Popp is often credited with creating the clicks and cuts genre of electronic music. Now this genre defining artist is putting forth the musician that was hiding behind the technician. The result is a celebration in delicacy and detail: handcrafted polyrhythmic phrases, riffs and structures, bristling with tiny resonances. Popp is celebrating rhythms, scales and harmonies on a small and large scale, instead of reveling in theory and meta-discourse. The performances on this record represent a high level of skill on his instrument, while the resulting music is striking, compelling, and ultimately rewarding. O, named for a new beginning, (ground zero if you will) is just that, fresh and new. (The EP title was a playful word game based around the album title.) The album, made after years of practice, is for Popp about the music. It is not about the impetus to start playing or some theoretical exercise in “programmed vs. played” or “new Oval vs. old Oval”. These comparisons, for him, are meaningless. O is Markus Popp’s long-overdue and deeply personal love letter to music. It’s for the listener a new chapter in a fascinating, ongoing critical dialog with music by one of the true innovators of contemporary audio.

Music EU