Obviously it’s very trendy to release anonymous dance records. As much bandying as there is about “letting the music speak for itself,” the format often affords producers a personality they might otherwise lack, the ability to be some menacing unabomber type holed up in a metal cabin, inexplicably releasing music to party to. In other cases, though, the anonymous 12″ lends itself to statements that are less formulated or more experimental than one might want to release under a principal project. The Oops 12″ on Caravan Recordings pairs sides that, while basically tools — blank and ambiguous enough to fit into a variety of sets — nevertheless display a lot of character.
On the A-side, clanging, pitch-bent gamelan elements are constantly tweaked atop steady 4/4 kicks and rattling woodblocks, among other rhythmic tinges, and this lively motif remains pretty much the same for the track’s eleven-plus minute duration. The use of otherworldly, organic sounds ensures that DJs can bend this one to suit the mood of a set, and their placement on a lengthy synthetic grid recalls the future primitive jam-outs of Ricardo Villalobos, Oni Ayhun, and Four Tet — the kind of track that could continue on indefinitely. The B-side is more uptempo and ultimately more restrained than the flip. Again, there is a steady 4/4 underpinning, this time coupled with splintery acidic blips and a hiccuping, squashed semblance of a bass line. Although it’s another solid effort, it’s quite sparse and lacks the vibrant personality of its counterpart. One feels less of an urge to let it play out, and it’s perhaps best used as a bridge between tracks Like the A-side, though, its versatility lies in its ambiguity — Oops is simply meant to spice up a set.
