On “Spektrum”, the Estonian artist Marko Sula aka Out-Or examines various sides of techno and IDM. By accommodating an array of styles into the album, he travels through different artistic identities, to bring us a diverse and well-crafted LP.
At one moment, Out-Or is an eco-futurist in the Estonian homestead, serving a bowl of wild strawberries to an occasional visitor. Fine layers of “Fantasia” and liquid deepness “Shift” reflect such mood short of any rush. Then again, the artist puts on a White Sox baseball hat and parades under the urban lights of mid-80’s Windy City. A good example is 303 funk “Linear Acid”, which moves in the tailwind of Phuture & Co. Similar fabric is used in “Rundown” or “Chord Off”, where caustic sequences are mingling with mellow strings.
Acid lines also sneak into the standout cut “Four Boxes” – crystalline deep house that reminds of Jori Hulkkonen’s Bobby Forester project. “Fluted” is as colourful as a box of Lego blocks and “Gamelan” is an excerpt from travel guide. Jazzy leads ignite ceaseless rhythms of “Pleasure” and in “Bells” we can enjoy the chimes of a tiny music box.
Born and raised in the Southern Estonian countryside, Marko Sula has been at the forefront of the Estonian electronics since 1993. There is a true story that via DJ Vadja Lahari from Tallinn, a demo tape by Out-Or’s got into the hands of Aphex Twin. He was allegedly thrilled about the exotic ‘Soviet sound’ conceived with the Polivoks synth. Also the Sähkö guys expressed interest in the Estonian’s works. Even when the much-anticipated recording deals didn’t materialize (so far), Out-Or has made his mark in the local scene and beyond.
Out-Or remains faithful to Lejal Globe, an Estonian label where the artist had issued two previous long players. However, “Spektrum” is his first vinyl release, pressed in three different colours.
Buy links:
Biit (EE)