Artist: Arovane
Title: Occer/Silicad
Format: 7" Single
Label: City Centre Offices
Catalogue Number: Block001
Year of Release: 1999
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Notable features: From the 2nd pressing of 350 in April 1999, therefore black vinyl, not the original clear vinyl (for shame). Stickers, pictured above, 8 saying 'Tesco', 8 saying 'Tip Discount'. Small paper insert, pictured above, with logo and German (if not germane) words, poorly translated as follows:
silicad
it transforms a silvery grey line into radiating deep blue. as fast as light. there is none back it gives only through.
occer
a melody which you carry in the heart, give it to a friend, bring it to the point of the highest mountain, put it on the clouds, deduction it to float, and show it, until she disappears on the horizon.
So that's that cleared up then.
This is the first ever release on Manchester/Berlin based record label City Centre Offices, affiliated with the wonderful pelicanneck record store, which in turn begat the glorious boomkat (which has just launched a download service, if you like that kind of thing), and it's two pieces of instrumental electronica from a chap called Uwe Zahn (more info here, and here).
A-side Occer begins with a slow-moving, high-pitched melody, and some interesting rhythm patterns. It's a laid-back tune, in the manner of Amber-era Autechre, and more layers of percussion build up on top of the opening ones, with a few extra keyboard lines too. It ends by stripping back the percussion to the opening sounds, which slow to halt, but not in a cheesy 'stopped the record deck' kind of way, but subtly, leaving the high notes to fade out. Nothing earth-shattering, but unusual drum sounds, and normal drum sounds used in unusual ways, combine to make a very good track that would bear much repeat listening. Also reminiscent of Peter Benisch's Fax album Waiting for Snow.
B-side Silicad almost perfectly repeats the formula, but a bit faster, and with less variation in the rhythm. The ending is where the main difference lies, the last minute of the record solely comprising the filters being opened on a newly-introduced synth sound, silence, and echoes of the synth sound. Given this comes after four minutes or so of metronomic electronics, it was interesting.
Nice package, nice record.
