"Imagine a lo-fi mashup of New Order, My Bloody Valentine and Curve remixed by Aesthetic Perfection..."
Danceable and provocative, experimental and poignant, Status Oblique's debut album 'Some Controlled Chaos' hits you from all angles...
The Status Oblique project blends the post-punk bass guitar and sequenced digital electrowave of Australian producer Roshan (from Perth shoegazers 'Sonica') with vocals and lyrics by guest female singers from across the world.
The album cover art sets the scene - 'Ruídos Desolados' by Brazilian artist Jean Carlos Martins Roso (@jeanros0) features the face of a woman brutally swept and stretched yet maintaining her strength and dignity.
Each singer had free reign over their lyrics and melody - and the album's lyrical themes seemed to coalesce and match the intensity of the music, through dark stories of defiance, desperation, hope and power.... and influenced the choice of album artwork.
Roshan says:
"Above all, this album is about collaboration - so working with the vocalists in a shared experience of song creation, then working with my producer Almark from Transmission Nova on tweaking the sound, and finally gaining permission (via Google Translate!) with Jean Carlos on collaborative cover art!"
"Status Oblique allows me to reference many of my musical influences and fully express both deep dark intents alongside brighter melodic nuances. The single biggest influence on the sound is a period of UK music history from 1977 to 1992 which is where i draw most influence, either directly or indirectly."
"In particular, I draw deeply from Joy Division and early New Order, and from their considerable influence you can draw three distinct threads of influence: new wave, synth-pop and rave; the music that ended up as indie/shoegaze; and to the post-punk/goth/industrial and darkwave sound.
Musically, each of these gets a reference on this album - but when it comes to vocals, it's artists like Siouxsie, Cocteau Twins, Curve, Lush, X-mal Deutschland which i admire most - and somehow my collaborators have delivered much more vocally than i could possibly have hoped for...."
"Some Controlled Chaos" is available on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms from X November 2022 via Transmission Nova Records.
Status Oblique is a passion project - collaboration is provided at no charge and all proceeds are donated to UNICEF.
Track-by-Track:
The Shining Path (feat Jenn Zed)
UK musician Jenn was one of the first musicians to collaborate with Status Oblique - Roshan loved her voice on her solo material (
zed-point.bandcamp.com) and thankfully she responded! She took the working title and dreampop/trip-wave song and turned it into a great second single.
No-one put it better than Fabrizio Lusso from White Light/White Heat Blog (
whitelight-whiteheat.com)
Blending the digital with the organic, “The Shining Path”, is grounded on steady syncopated and hypnotic beats along with ominously murmuring and churning low ends to build an underlying menacing squeaky murkiness, while surrounded by an anxious whirlwind of flurrying and distorted layers of reverbed guitar and wailing buzzing synth gleams, echo with winding tormented intensity the hurt, deserted, drifting vocals, cutting slow piercing cries of pain and fear, engulfed and lost in a menacing aura of twisted droning dread.
Falling Down (feat Luna Chiomara)
Luna Chiomara is an experimental solo bassist and vocalist who produces intense yet ambient Gothic post-rock, shoegaze and experimental folk vibe. Her vocal style was a perfect match for the Status oblique sound.
Roshan reached out to fellow Perth musician Luna Chiomara when she put on a show as part of the Fringe Festival as a solo goth bassist. She adds an upbeat, but dark and powerful vocal to the synth-pop/industrial stylings of Falling Down, the third Status Oblique single.
Luna's voice brings an immediate edge of desperation to the song, with the suggestion of impending catastrophe. A pacey atmospheric chorus gives the song it’s punch, breaking through a melange of distorted guitars.
Revenge (feat Give Them L)
The seething undulating noisescape of Revenge offers UK musician Give Them L (
linktr.ee/leighwritessongs) the opportunity to explore a different aspect of her Art.
"What I love about working with Status Oblique is he sends me some awesome music with dark undertones and a delicious title like Revenge and this gives me the freedom to take it even darker. I love stories of human beings that are flawed and it's not often you get to put yourself in the shoes of someone who hates so much that they only have one reason to live: Revenge.
My favourite part is pulling in the creepy lower vocals into the second pre-chorus under "Don't feel betrayed/don't make them pay". She can't follow that advice. She needs her revenge."
All Systems Go (feat Jenn Zed) - Album Version
The very first Status Oblique single gets an overhaul for a special album version with a kick drum heavy industrial feel. Jenn Zed's delicious processed vocal weaves between a signature post-punk bassline and the now familiar wave of guitar noise, before ascending through a melodic and hypnotic chorus.
In Defence (feat. kiti marcel)
In Defence features the unique and powerful vocal of US artist kiti marcel. Her elegant, pointed and poetic lyrical stylings address thorny issues of relationships under the metaphorical guise of warfare and aggression.
The track continues Status Oblique's intricate blend of industrial, synth, shoegaze and post-punk sounds, with each threatening to overwhelm, but held in fragile check as the song cascades forward...
Suffering (feat Give Them L)
Give Them L shines in her second outing on Some Controlled Chaos with the seething and torrential Suffering.
"As a former emo teen of the mid 2000s I decided to take a song called Suffering in a different direction to where I would have gone before. Suffering is from the perspective of a woman supporting her friend. She says the right things, that she's there for them, empathizes with them. But something is not quite right and we hear that in the music. Dark whispers. Resentment is building. This song stretched my full belt vocal range from the low notes in the verse right up into the explosion of the last chorus. Can't you see she's suffering too?"
Suffering takes the listener through lyrical and musical shades of light and dark before embodying the very essence of the album's title, as it slides inexorably towards a chaotic yet satisfyingly controlled ending.
Sunshine (feat Oceaans and Effluence)
The bass-driven Sunshine features sampled spoken word and sung vocals, which offer a perfect counterpoint to the melodic and epic blend of synths and guitars punctuated by an insistent backbeat.
Endgame (feat Luna Chiomara)
Luna Chiomara provides the perfect ending for Some Controlled Chaos with her angry provocative protest vocal on Endgame.
The guitars erupt slowly around the twisting post-punk bassline as she laments the never-ending rise of the haves over the have-nots and will leave the listener with the imminent threat of her 'coming for you' ringing in your ears!
