Release Date: 24th November 2023
Formed in Cologne earlier this year, Vide Obscur consist of the electronic music artist/producer Julian Stetter and producer/multi instrumentalist Jakob Lebsanft. A duo that have come together to write a six track debut release that was dropped upon this world not too long ago. Coming in at a touch over 22 minutes, 1 isn’t too far from what you would expect given the history of it’s components. Something that sounds a little like everything, but also nothing in particular.
‘Lovers In The Night’ kicks us off and is immediately compulsive listening. A simple guitar riff and delicate drums, it starts off like something you’d barely pay attention to in a bar on holiday and within 30 seconds or so it has silenced your table and engaged everyone. Vocally complex, the track almost apologetically saunters through the first couple of minutes until it builds and builds and builds until you are encapsulated within it. This powerfully creative track abandons rules and sets out that metaphorical stall with supreme confidence and ploughs through ‘Weaponized Ideas’ in similar, yet entirely different, fashion before ‘Le Troisième Regard’ pops out and changes everything.
The middle section of 1 starts with the aforementioned track toning everything down except for the imagery. It isn’t often a track can contain so little but portray so much. Here, soft, spoken vocals and gentle chords mix with delicate bass are entrancing and make for a mesmeric experience, one that will feel like a good massage: both over far too quickly but as if time stopped. ‘Happiness’ begins the end of the record in ironic fashion, with the most sombre-sounding vocals of the piece mixed with pop influences and a beat that would be catchy in other circumstances before ‘All Is Under Construction’ brings upon the conclusion of what will likely not be the final time this EP is given priority of your airwaves. Possibly the most ‘traditional’ of the tracks on 1, there’s still little to nail this to in terms of specific genres.
Has experimental music ever been this comfortable to be in the company of? Maybe only in the company of Arab Strap. It’s often said that music is art, but some music is more art. Vide Obsucur have done exactly that whilst not venturing into the realms of alienating potential listeners. A fine line tread with seeming ease. So if, as it should, this sounds right up your street, head on over to their Bandcamp and buy something so they can go again!