OUU!

Over the years artists of every type have seriously or jocularly declared that they wished to become machines. But the Lucerne-based OUU! trio is probably the first to situation the band as  a fax machine. Perhaps relating to 1970s cutting edge technology, reed trumpeter Felix Nussbaumer, bass clarinetist Niklaus Mäder and guitarist Noah Punkt feel the best way to transmit their highly mechanized music is to scan the sound field for vibrating and droning timbres that can be reconstructed with any meaning by the listener.

During six tracks whose titles are more obtuse than even Anthony Btraxton’s, this briefer than an LP at 25 minutes disc imputes a certain logic to OUU!’s improvisations. That because the initial telecommunicated facsimile messages were a hit and mix proposition. OUU! trio members are more sophisticated than that though. Nussbaumer has worked with Christian Wolfarth; Mäder with Thomas Lehn; and Punkt with Chris Pitsiokos.

Overall the aural material reconstructed by the band is geared and reminiscent of careful concentration needed when dealing with early mechanical devices. While the occasional guitar string clip or clink can be isolated, in the main like noting the static when telephone-coupled transmission were first introduced, the oddly titled tracks are dominated by the reed players’ darkened overblowing. The voltage buzzes and flatulent drones join as low-pitched timbres that constantly throb. Adding to message evolution are metallics scratches, note bending spetrofluctuation and slide-whistle like shrills that contrast with the whale-like spewing snores, especially on a track like “#ffff2b”.

Eventually after matching as many hollow timbral projections, resonating shudders and on/off voltage tones at subterranean levels, this sonic transmission climaxes with an assembly line of guitar twangs that peek through a nearly impenetrable wall of sound. The resulting din defines OUU!’s overbearing originality.

With #ffff00 the group has established its identity on record. Now it seems time to expand from a 20^th Century fax transmission to a 21^st Century equivalent of an extended e-mail and see what else can be communicated. Maybe some additional sound creators adding their version of musical key strokes will open up communication.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. #ffffd5 2. #ffff55 3. #ffff2b 4. #ffff000 5. #ffff800 6 .#ffffab

Personnel: Felix Nussbaumer (reed trumpet); Niklaus Mäder (bass clarinet) and Noah Punkt (guitar)