Moritz Von Oswald Trio – Horizontal Ascent 8.9

                   Whereas their last album shot up and away, this one lingers in the mind. Part of that is due to the sheer length (70 minutes as opposed to the previous 40 minute Vertical Ascent). There’s a whole lot they’ve learned since their last outing. Listening to this in giant headphones helps, as the sound is enormous, enveloping virtually everything in its path.

                For one thing, there are new elements added to the mix. Bass (by Marc Muellbauer) and guitar (Paul St. Hilaire, also known as frequent collaborator Tikiman) add new sounds, allowing for an even greater moodiness than what existed before. Having seen the group at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City last year, it sounds like they’ve embraced some of the smokier, deeper sounds from their live show on this particular album to their benefit.

                I don’t know how Moritz Von Oswald does this, but he manages to loosen up the playing. Compared to the previous album, this one feels a lot more open. Perhaps it’s the ever changing nature of the sounds, or how the electronic mixing feels even more ghostly. Somehow these guys manage to bring together vastly different genres yet again, though this time things are far more spacious than before. A tropical vibe is prevalent throughout all five tracks.

                Like their previous outing, all the tracks are untitled. The first one barely sets into a groove before morphing into another unknown structure. Following close after is Paul’s great guitar work, which feels perfectly limber. Moritz’s keyboards are well-complimented by these small sounds. Our third track has the most active guitar work as the bass is heavily felt. Perhaps this middle track is the most accessible track on here. By track four, the twenty minute beast, they are able to create a frenzied kind of tension with the percussion as delicate keyboards shift surprisingly quickly. Finally, we’re lead away by track 5’s ambience.

                Truth be told, it is an improvement from an already good point. Note this is a grower, so multiple listens really suit it best.  Moritz has done a great job of being a cult-like figure, a status which only continues to grow with strange, unclassifiable products such as this one.

Moritz Von Oswald Trio – Vertical Ascent 8.6

Meshing together dub (a longtime favorite of Von Oswald’s), techno, and jazz into a tasty morsel. Really this could have ended up being one of those tacky cross-pollination wannabes, case in point ‘acid jazz’. Deftly avoiding this pratfall, this is an extremely tasteful affair. 

The percussion comes across crystal clear. Vladislav Delay provides the percussive elements, expanding his palette to include glasses and other unorthodox items. By using these sounds you get a very tactile feel throughout the entire album. It allows for a more relaxed feel. 

Keyboards are used minimally. Moritz plays it, and plays it well. Whether it is the first track’s emotive swells or the stately chords on the third, they fit into place with the percussion. Tones are arranged and mixed by Max Loderbauer. 

Overall, this might be Moritz’s reaction to the clinical techno sound he in part pioneered through Basic Channel, Rhythm and Sound, etc. The austere approach taken by so many artists probably bothers Moritz, like they took his style in vein. What he appears to be doing now is trying to make electronic feel alive by infusing it with a slight amount of jazz. 

Rarely does tasteful and techno ever belong in the same sentence. I really hope he continues with the project, and seeing them live is truly a sight to behold.