Tom Owens has been quietly steering his
Potions project down a remarkable path throughout the 2010s. Via dozens of cassettes and one lone LP (2013's MIDI Jazz Bass), the Chicagoan's output has ranged from hazy guitar explorations, unencumbered by the burdens of time, to sprawling lo-fi dance grooves informed by his love of house, disco, and boogie. Considering his locale, he makes music that recalls a climate far different than his metropolitan surroundings. It's not quite exotica, but it's certainly beach-friendly, and feels free and easy while exhibiting skill and discipline. The five tracks on
Ostinato,
Potions' second Hausu Mountain tape, contain fluid rhythms and calm textures, sometimes underpinned by traces of acid or sprinkled guitar licks. "Snake's Vamp" is a slow twist through the sand, with a lo-fi beatbox presumably set to "bossa nova" and gelatinous synth tones squirming throughout. "Unraveling" starts out abstract, but quickly comes together as a fuzzy left-field disco jam, and wraps up much quicker than the rest of the tracks. "Stars in Line" is perhaps the most straightforward techno cruiser, with a percolating bassline and increasingly detailed beats guiding the mellow pads and pleasant, comforting guitar melodies.