To date, Northern Ireland’s most famous musical exports to America have been Van Morrison and Snow Patrol. However, indie electronica duo Oppenheimer’s Take the Whole Midrange and Boost It shows that the nation has a host of unmined talent across genres. Like M83 and Phoenix, Oppenheimer deliver electronic music with energy, creating melodic songs that don’t go too far into the deep end of digital blips.
The album is a mixture of modern, digital synths and retro beats, and it should appeal to those who like their electronica with some vocals to keep the music grounded. Though Oppenheimer consists of Shaun Robinson and Rocky O’Reilly, the two are able to craft an album with the tangled sound of a complete band. It’s difficult to pluck the layers apart as keyboards and vocals blend together, and this makes Oppenheimer prime music for relaxation without the risk of being lulled to sleep.
Oppenheimer also has a knack for references that will translate well amongst American audiences. “Cate Blanchett” namechecks the actress in more than just the title alone, and “Stephen McCauley for President” invokes a popular author, even if the song itself sounds more like a video game anthem. “Fireworks Are Illegal in the State of New Jersey” reads like a Sufjan Stevens title but is a dizzying story of a night out, starting out innocently but mounting to a chaotic, sudden ending. The true gem of the album is “Support Our Truths,” which features a dreamy ‘50s rockabilly sound enhanced by soft synth.
Take the Whole Range is a fleeting album, with twelve tracks clocking in at half an hour. You barely have time to submerge yourself into Oppenheimer’s world before the song is over, the next one throwing you into a new frenzy of noise. But this is a band only beginning to come into its own, and its potential is only limited by the sounds Robinson and O’Reilly can coax out of their instruments.
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Track Names
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Major Television Event
Look Up
Cate Blanchett
Only Goal & Winner
Take The Whole Midrange And Boost It
Stephen McCauley For President
Support Our Truths
The Blue Rose
Before And After The Quake
Fireworks Are Illegal In The State Of New Jersey
The Never Never
I Don’t Care What Anyone Says About You, I Think You’re Alright
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Artist: Album
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Oppenheimer: Take The Whole Midrange And Boost It
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Genre
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Alternative & Punk
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More Information
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http://www.oppenheimermusic.co.uk
http://www.bar-none.com
