The only information offered up by AO OAD on his /her /their bandcamp is the following:

“songs for looking for or thinking about imaginary cliffs
or
reading books about distant unnamed islands by or for doing other stuff
they stop and start i like it rough”

Now as far as liking it rough, hey, I don’t know. But each of these tracks certainly starts and stops. As for tying this music together with imaginary cliffs and unnamed islands? I am feeling those vibrations loud and clear. This music by AO OAD is infused with the feeling of exploration. Improvised synthesizers soar above and beyond simple electronic backing rhythms. The entire thing pulsates and shimmers in its slow propulsion. This self titled album, or AO OAD, is ripe with a rhythmic experimental spirit that when correctly done is a sound of truth. For basketball fans: as Paul Pierce finds a way on the court, experimental music such as this, while ugly, and seemingly simplistic, also finds a way. Out of stuttering percussion, and unseemly drones, and cast off electronic parts arranged in a particular fashion, a beauty and groove emerges.

The talking fuzz bass of “ohlweif” really sticks out for me. Initially alone, speaking to itself; eventually a human voice (ambiguous) emerges, and while the two do not exactly have a conversation (it’s more like two people with real problems sitting next to each other on the train), they do slowing begin to interact. And there @ the 1:34 mark mutual awareness finally becomes a reality and the clashing of the two being’s life forces jumps from an undisturbed low hum in-the-background-drone right into a conflict, an uneasiness, a situation which seeks resolution that (due to reasons that each person was born with) will never come.

These appear to be the lyrics to this song, but it’s hard to match up most of the words to the drowned out and buried deep vocals that I am able to hear on the recording. Either way I like it:

“it breached it came
from the black
fields dream of
black and green
she cut off
her own head
and then they all
cut off
each other’s heads
i dunno if i can
stay here”

I haven’t heard much about AO OAD playing around. With an approach forged in the depths of a sub-kraut underground*, I certainly hope that changes, because I want to hear more of the strange electronic music AO OAD is making, thank you.

*somewhere perhaps like the ancient Indian burial grounds on which the Smokey Bear Cave sits?