Beach Sloth

Olekksii – Iris 6.5

                Olekksii’s ‘Iris’ is dark. Much like the album’s namesake it manages to be dark while trying to let in so much light. Aspects of this album appear to be almost contradictory. On one side there are the very many classical influences. These are merged with the electronic aspects. Placed together, the uneven beats alongside the electronic it manages to become something akin to Planet Mu on a particularly loopy day. What’s strange is how Iris manages to be completely outside the realm of trends. ‘Iris’ operates in an area that’s oddly been neglected, of digital paying homage to classical and vice versa. How this has managed to be so neglected is quite surprising as it used to be a relatively common occurrence. 

                Disembodied voices try to make their way through the piano and beats on ‘Eternal Glory’. The sound is rather sweeping. Adding the voices gives the song a heightened sense of humanity. For the title track ‘Iris’ things manage to be rather understated. Piano on here is particularly effective. Strangely the harsh, somewhat noisy electronic pieces merge perfectly well with the more dramatic classical effects. On ‘Light Sorrow’ the beats manage to get unusually hard-hitting (for them). Here the beats try to overwhelm the basic melody yet fail. ‘Semitone Waltz’ ends it rather quietly. 

                Conflict is a huge part of the album’s appeal. At all moments the beats are trying to take center stage. This tension drives a lot of ‘Iris’ and helps to keep it thoroughly engrossing.