Live Review: Let Oscar Oscar scratch your electronic itch with 'Himeji'

Each week, we select one artist to feature as our Spotlight Artist. This week, we’ve chosen OSCAR OSCAR. For more Spotlight Artists, head here.

It's been an impressive four months for Brisbane electronic artist OSCAR OSCAR; after his stunningly produced debut 'Hey Ho' and the sultry 'See Myself', he's back with the instrumental banger 'Himeji'. Letting his production and songwriting do the talking this time, he's proven once again that he's a one of a kind artist.

According to oscar oscar, 'Himeji' was written over a year ago "with the world's best taiko drummer under 10 years old." Despite a lack of taiko drumming, the track exudes eastern-inspired flow, with sampled flutes and strings expertly weaved amongst the warm keys and woozy synths.  Combine that with sub-trashing bass and some tasty side-chaining and you've got a laid-back yet powerful jam that is as tumultuous as it is chill.

Every new track oscar oscar has dropped has seen him flexing a new kind of musical muscle, and 'Himeji' is no different. What's remarkable is his ability to replicate the emotions of 'See Myself' without any lyrics; the chord progression and layered keys evoke the tail-end of emotional turmoil, while the flute and and string samples evoke a far away, almost fantastical nostalgia. It takes a special kind of artist to tell a story without any words, and once again oscar oscar has knocked it out of the park. Whack it on when it's 2am and you can't sleep, or for a slow-burn start to a night out; 'Himeji' is a humdinger of a track and a standout effort from Oscar Oscar.

PHOTO BY BRUCE TRUONG

WORDS BY MAX LEWIS

CHECK OUT MORE SPOTLIGHT ARTISTS HERE

SEE ALSO

SINK INTO THE HYPERCOLOUR DREAM THAT IS OSCAR OSCAR’S ‘HEY HO’

OSCAR OSCAR IS AN ARTIST IN FULL BLOOM WITH NEW SINGLE ‘SEE MYSELF’

SHALLOU GETS AMBIENT WITH ‘YOU AND ME’