-valis Pick of the Week

Hail Voyagers! From "the place of welcome," Walthamstow, England, The Oscillation!
Following on from 2011's Veils album, one which we thought very highly of,comes the just-released From Tomorrow. Out in various formats via All Time Low and Hands In The Dark.

Our good friend Ryan Revolt aptly nails the essence,here:
" The most immediate strength of “From Tomorrow” is simply in the very sound of the album – and while we have the audio engineering experience of a tin can, we’re prepared to call this a very, very, very good sound. It’s in the snap of the drums, the space-serpent slither of the bass lines, the sonic sturm und drung of the guitar and synths (plus the interplay between the two), and the otherworldly authority of the vocals. All elements are skillfully layered together in a way that’s both tight and loose, centered with plenty of breathing room – form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Also contributing to the compelling nature of “From Tomorrow” is what we referred to earlier as the album’s timelessness. Thoroughly modern as the album is, even futuristic enough to ably carry the title “From Tomorrow,” The Oscillation equally express the attributes of their futuristic forbears. Album opener “Corridor (Part One)” recalls the dark, descending flicker-flicker-flam of Pink Floyd circa “Astronomy Domine,” while the album as a whole feels cut from the same eternally excellent cloth as “A Gilded Eternity,” “Tago Mago,” – even occasionally echoes of “Heaven Up Here.” True to the band’s name, The Oscillation at times seem to sonically split the difference between oscillations both Silver and Aqua."

Then there's Kate Travers, of The Line Of Best Fit, who states:
" The striking thing about From Tomorrow is the fineness that rescues what could otherwise be a crass or dull record full of droning guitar and the occasional twiddle of synth. The Oscillation are often labeled as psychedelic, but that term comes with a lot of baggage that, in this case, is largely undeserved. The extravagance and chaos that is so often implied by the term is completely absent from this album."

Kate seems to think being labeled as "psychedelic" is some sort of Scarlet Letter when -at least in my multiverse, it's quite the opposite. If the band aren't eschewing the label, (and Kate: they DID play the Liverpool PsychFest "f y i,") then why should she incorrectly apologize? That's not baggage, it's brightly-hued steamer trunks for explorers. Embrace some chaos Kate.


It swirls and chugs. It soars and swoops. Me, I enjoyed the ride. I think you will, too.

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You can listen to the archived stream here; or, hear it this Friday, on The Dead Man's Turn Me On, Dead Man show on Live365, where it's heard every Friday at noon eastern time, as well as Mr. Atavist's Sunrise Ocean Bender show, heard every Monday from 1 to 3 am eastern, on WRIR in Richmond, VA.

Note:
Adding the Pick of the Week to their show is Dogs Got A Bone out of Edinburgh, Scotland, from 10pm to midnight, Mondays, U.K. time, (adjust accordingly,) on Belter Radio. Thanks Col Chant!