Otolithen is a very busy-sounding duo. Dirk Bruinsma takes care of guitar, saxophone, and occasional vocals (on two of the 15 tracks), while Päd Conca handles electric bass, effects, and percussion, the latter thanks to a homemade foot-trigger system. Fans of Bruinsma's band Blast will feel at home on
S.O.D.; Blast's chamber rock and rock-in-opposition stylings can be found everywhere on the record. References to Skeleton Crew,
Henry Cow, and mostly
U Totem are also in order. Bass (often heavily distorted) and guitar take center stage in these thoroughly written pieces.
Otolithen's language is based on rock but a lot more complex and always with a calculated chance factor at play, a part of instability (the same way
Henry Cow's rock motifs were always decentralized). Five short improvisations, bringing contrast, are scattered throughout the album.
S.O.D. can take many listens before it unveils all its beauties. ~ François Couture