I have been given the pleasure of having the opportunity to review a song, “Astral Creeping”, by master dark electronica artist OsO. Based in the most unlikely location of Colorado Springs, Oso has been a preeminent figure in the scene for a very long time. So when their music made its way into my ears, I was nothing short of elated! I was given 4 versions of the song to listen to, and each iteration has qualities to be adored.
First up was the original mix of “Astral Creeping”. Given the title of the song, one can expect a bit of a psychedelic ride, with beats and hooks that stimulate the pineal gland, and you would not be wrong. The song rides on a series of sounds that ebb and flow like a wave until you inevitably find yourself at shore when the song concludes. The synths, however, I found to be reminiscent of old Wolfsheim and other synth pop of that era, which I felt help anchor the etherealness of the other elements in the song. To get a better feel and understanding of what I mean, one simply has to listen to the remastered mix, in which all the little nuances come to life in a cleaned up mix that is crisp and clear, allowing those delicious tidbits to surface.
If you are into a more harsher sound, look no further than the remixes done by N Fury 8 and RA1D. Of the two, I found myself drawn more to the N Fury 8 mix, as it offers a bit more reverb and distortion, lending a darker feel for the song. At one point, I could not help myself but to close my eyes, and I imagined myself in a dark, swirling tunnel of sound. This was most certainly not unpleasant, as this black tunnel of sound carried a kind of soothing quality, almost like the white noise I use to fall asleep. The version done by RA1D offers a vocal track of distorted voices that are almost unintelligible, creating another layer of ambience to the mix. The quality of this mix is also a bit on the staticky side, like a pleasant white noise, that provides a drone for the rest of the layers of the song to travel on.
No matter which mix of the song you listen to, I highly doubt that you will be disappointed. In fact, the best quality of the song is that you will be left wanting more of OsO’s dark ambience. Happy listening, Dear Reader!
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