Oblisk

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Oblisk - Tune In/Tune Out (2008)
“Major Tom revisited” (from Metro Times)

Not unlike the mysterious pillar suddenly appearing before the apes in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001, the Detroit-based Oblisk is at once unknowable and undeniably present. Sounding like an even more disaffected Dean Wareham, lead singer-guitarist Asim Akhtar intones distance over ghostly organ and skittish drums, while guitars pick out delicate melodies or cyclic, oblong riffs.

More human than Hal, though, much of the time Oblisk is more like a musically fleshed-out version of Bowie’s Major Tom — not the song in which he resides but the character himself, if he were given the opportunity to present his outer-space plight over the course of an entire album. He’d certainly still be de-Earthed and possibly on the verge of panic, but ultimately accepting of his disconnection with wistful abandon. And when the music here works best, Oblisk charges onward behind Akhtar, much like Tom’s ever-hurtling spaceship — all roaring nitrogen, anti-gravity and sucking air.

Musically, Oblisk hasn’t forgotten the effectiveness of basic psychedelia; the left-right panning looped guitar of Empty Film Reel (yes, that’s a name) has all the effect of a sizable intake of nitrous oxide (please put the headphones on for this one), and as the unintelligible (backward?) vocals mumble desperately just below the surface and microscopic shards of guitar start pinpricking the skin, it just gets weirder.
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  • aplaceinline

    really good

    May 2011
  • Fifa51

    around the sound !

    November 2010
  • clay_dough

    Always fun seeing these guys play. Tiger Fighter feels so Hawkwindish, I love it.

    October 2010
  • Hypnaswan

    Spaced out... love it!

    June 2010
  • Ul-man

    One of the most promising shoegaze/psyhedelic band. Love them too much.

    March 2010
  • thejoybus

    Oblisk featured on the Killredrocketrecords Jesus in Space compilation, along with 39 other bands you may want to hear in the generes of shoegaze, noise, punk, lo-fi, psyche, indie, electronica and ambient. Also included are Ceremony, SPC-ECO, Screen Vinyl Image, Bloody Knives, Me You Us Them, Skeleteen, Panda Riot, Stellarium, and many more. Its all free. You can check it out here http://killredrocketrecords.blogspot.com/2009/12/killredrocketrecords.html You can download it here http://www.filedropper.com/killredrocketrecords-jesusinspace

    February 2010
  • Eskandalo

    This band is amazing-- they played with House of Fire at the SAS in bethlehem

    September 2009
  • belladonichaze

    Oblisk were so awesome at the Velvet Lounge a few weeks back. I wanted to dance, but all I could do was stand there with my mouth hanging open, not quite believing what I was hearing. I'm really loving both the albums, can't pick which one I like best. They're both just so good. I can't wait to go to another show!

    August 2009
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