Artist: O Yuki Conjugate
Album: The Euphoria of Disobedience

Released: 24 July 2006
Label: OYC Limited

The Euphoria of Disobedience
Some people think of ambient music as a vehicle to the bright, whirling reaches of outer space, but O Yuki Conjugate have always bucked this trend. The musical pictures painted on their newest album The Euphoria of Disobedience, while still spacious in their use of sounds, are cold and earthy. Known in the 1990's for combining gritty soundscapes with generous heaps of tribal drumming, OYC has had ten years since their previous album to re-think their sound. Now, the drums take a back-seat to soundtrack atmospherics and dark, intriguing melodies. Lap steel guitar, marimbas, xylophones, and bass provide leads on many of the tracks, while drums only come to the front once or twice. These tracks make us think of rattling abandoned factories, lonely alleys, and deep and dark forests. The best pieces are the ones with the least instrumentation - they reward the careful listener with flashes of warmth and meditativeness in the midst of the chilly haze. This is a disc that succeeds in quieting our thoughts while keeping our feet firmly on the ground.

- Scott Kelly   9 March 2007

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