Mr. Oizo - Pourriture (Ed Banger)
Laura Bruneau | Wednesday, 08 April 2009
Thankfully, we have been treated to a reassuring progression from the stagnate repetition of Lamb's Anger. 'Pourriture X' combines both Pourriture album tracks and gives some guts to the 2D construction of the original versions. Distorted bass contrasts and compliments the operatic vocals, and this disparate juxtaposition works to heighten the appeal of the track as a whole.
By including outside talent, through Arveene and Misk's remix of 'Erreur Jean', Mr. Oizo introduces a different edge to his work. Despite this not being the strongest track on the EP, they have transformed it from a stale amalgamation of video game sounds to a multi-layered composition that twists, turns, builds and falls to engage with the listener's primal urges for surprise and variety.
'Von Sens Lars' is a strange, noisy and often confusing interlude of white noise and distortion to cleanse your eardrums for the decadent, dirty delight of the remixed 'Steroids' featuring Uffie. Moving away from disco, this standout track from Lamb's Anger has been transformed into something far grimier and industrialized. With vocals that tread a line between Kelis and Gwen Stefani, 'Steroids' is at once unapologetically vulgar and magnificent.
If you can imagine Glen Close in Bowser's castle then you're about halfway to 'Lars Von Sen (X-mas Version)'. Instead of an atonal spoken word piece backed by sirens from a banlieue soundtrack, we are faced with something altogether more eerie and bunny boiler-esque. Knife like resonances within the music only add to the feeling that Mr. Oizo would, given the chance, relish turning your animal companions into delicious appetisers.
Sadly, the EP ends with a whimper rather than a bang, as 'Con Tact' appears to fall into the same traps of repetition as the Lamb's Anger album. What should have been a crowning jewel is instead dull and fails to shine through. Nevertheless, this anticlimactic piece shows the same potential as the tracks on Lamb's Anger and the possibility for greatness is definitely on the cards.
Whilst by no means perfect, this EP symbolises a rebirth which fits perfectly in with its spring release. Lamb's Anger's dead branches have blossomed and now we get to enjoy the fruit.
Rating: 3/5