Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Octaveleven: This Hyperlink
Octaveleven: This Hyperlink
ByUnlike all of the aforementioned, Octaveleven completely eschews guitarsopting instead for a universe of keyboard sounds generated by bandleader and composer Philip L. Maddux. While the compositions leave little, if any, room for improvisation, Maddux' keyboard orchestrations are uniquely over- the-top. This is where the old-school prog / fusion elements come to the surface, as Maddux' keyboard array employs facsimiles of Fender Rhodes piano, mini-Moog, and even a snippet of Hammond B- 3. Also present are pulsating, squelchy synthesizer sounds that resemble electronica (e.g., Amon Tobin, The Future Sound of London), and otherworldly washes, whooshes and swoops employed by cosmic rockers such as Ozric Tentacles and Øresund Space Collective. Instead of stringing a succession of riffs together, Maddux' compositions are well-integrated and carefully mapped-out. The relative lack of improvisation necessitates strong melodies and interesting changes, both of which This Hyperlink has in abundance.
Durfee's metal-inflected drumming is mixed way up front and, at times, the music sounds like a drums and keyboards duet. Though Wagner's bass seems to take a back seat to the interplay between the drums and keyboards, he provides a steady and propulsive core to Maddux' multi-sectioned compositions and Durfee's gleeful, fill-happy traps bashing. In fact, This Hyperlink is executed with such polish and relentless forward motion thatdespite being a locally-sourced, shoestring operationit's the musical equal of more well-known bands.
Track Listing
The Positrons That Hold You; Changing The Speed of Rotation; This Hyperlink; Enter The Atmosphere.
Personnel
Octaveleven
band / ensemble / orchestraPhilip L. Maddux: synthesizers, keyboards; Ben Durfee: drums; Paul Wagner: bass guitar.
Album information
Title: This Hyperlink | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Entelodon Records
< Previous
Live @ Bennett's Lane
Next >
Parallel Man
Comments
About Octaveleven
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar ToTags
Octaveleven
CD/LP/Track Review
Dave Wayne
Entelodon Records
United States
New Mexico
Ben Durfee
Animals as Leaders
Polarization
Scale the Summit
Chimp Spanner
Philip L. Maddux
Amon Tobin
The Future Sound of London
Ozric Tentacles
Øresund Space Collective
This Hyperlink