Beach Sloth

Oxykitten - Octagonal Wax 8.3

                Has electro finally gone Emo? Oxykitten’s ‘Octagonal Wax’ indicates that yes that is happening. On this little album Oxykitten manages to create some little sketches of sadness. These are instantly catchy. Can’t believe how easily these get stuck in my head. At first I thought it was temporary. I’ve found myself humming these extraordinarily basic melodies. Underneath the obvious melody are some hidden nuggets. Texture-wise, it is rather complex. Oxykitten goes to great lengths to make it seems as childlike as possible. The sounds he chooses make it seem that way. Sometimes it even gets rather slapstick. However, this is a well-rounded release. 

                Of course it begins very dramatically with the ridiculously titled ’50 times higher than any normal man’. The sound sweeps away all other sonic debris in its wake. Even the pounding drums emphasize that point. For me some of the shorter songs are my favorites. ‘Rat Priest’ reminds me of Dat Politics’ move towards more mature, almost rock-like structures. Perhaps that’s just the guitar sounds or the nice breakdown about halfway through the song. ‘Drowning Inside’ is almost a fully realized funeral march. There’s so much sadness in this two minute little piece. To close it off is ‘Warm Smell of Fajitas’ which begins with a slapstick record scratch noise and sample gunshot. Here Oxykitten blends the silliness and sadness of his music into a single track. ‘Warm Smell of Fajitas’ neatly summarizes all of Oxykitten’s main points. 

                I really dig this a lot. Here I thought electro was beginning to wear a bit on my nerves. Yet here is Oxykitten which takes it to a more emotional, less aggressive place. I need more albums like ‘Octagonal Wax’.