OSCILLATION

Oh Hiroshima is a Post/Math Rock band from Sweden, formed in 2007 by Leif Eliasson and Jakob Hemstrom. They released 2 albums as a quartet, and then Leif left the band in 2019. However, the band continues as a trio and in July of 2019, they released their third full length album called "Oscillation". The current line up consists of Jakob Hemstrom on guitar and vocals, Oskar Nilsson on drums and Simon Axelsson on bass. The album is available on vinyl, CD or digitally and consists of 7 tracks and a total run time of just under 50 minutes. Only one track on this album is completely instrumental.

"Neu" (5:43) starts off the album with an immediate feel of direction as a chiming guitar arpeggio starts us off, then a solid moderate beat joins in. Percussion becomes heavier as it goes on, then drops off a bit as tension builds. It isn't until it is well into it's 2nd minute that airy vocals start with a stronger melody than most post rock, as the vocals are also more to the front and center as the instrumental pattern continues. A nice emotionally charged bass line pushes the guitars to more intensity as layers get added in and things get pretty intense as the track pushes past the 5 minute mark. "A Handful of Dust" (8:05) begins with a soft percussive, almost pulsating sound and a solo piano line. Soft guitar follow the piano's lead and then the drums come in as a repetitive piano pattern continues based on a chord sequence and more airy vocals with beautiful harmonies begin. This creates a nice melodic line that is rare in post rock (similar to Gregor Samsa), and then some lovely guitar layers bring in a level of vibrancy. The vocals get pushed to the background a bit, but they are still there. At 5 minutes, there is a pause and then the rhythm gets more solid along with repetitive guitar notes changing according to the chord sequence determined by the piano line that continues in the background. The guitars are definitely carrying the post rock flavor, but they are melodic and emotionally charged, especially when the intensity suddenly bumps up towards the last minute. Cymbal crashes and heavy guitar layers bring it all to a climactic close.

"Simulacra" (7:23) begins with a U2-like quick strum, a guitar melody and hesitant drumming giving it all a progressive edge at first. The guitar melody takes over as the rhythm solidifies and drives this track to a quick crescendo with a nice, stately melody. After a heavy drum crashing section, things suddenly mellow out but keep tension in the bass line and tinkling cymbals. Another guitar line begins, soft at first, but quickly becoming heavier quickly. This track easily swings between moods, utilizing dynamics well to go from almost minimal to very heavy. The climaxes don't take so long to develop as the music weaves between mood changes that come rather quickly compared to the typical post rock sound. Just before 6 minutes, a nice plush layer of texture fits nicely in the supporting instrumental background and a short vocal section comes in to finish off the track. "Moderate Spectre" (6:28) begins right away with lyrics and a drum playing around with a march-like pattern as the guitar jangles underneath. A beautiful guitar pattern is established as the vocals go to a higher register. The vocal melody is especially beautiful on this one and the guitar is very emotional, bringing in power where needed and backing off. It eventually culminates in a steady rhythm as bass and guitar work together for a melodic instrumental break before returning to the soft vocals. It's a excellent track with a surprisingly straightforward beat, but with well place crescendos and decrescendos that eventually ends in a powerful coda.

"Darkroom Aesthetics" (4:24) is the only completely instrumental track on the album. It is also the shortest track on the album. The overall sound is typical post rock, but with a strong sense of melody. "In Solar" (7:00) establishes the drum pattern right away and is soon joined by bass and guitar. The sound is rather smooth and this is even more accentuated by strings, probably a viola. The sound thickens a bit when the vocals come in. The strings make this track stand out and bring a nice layer to the entire track. After a crashing culmination of sound, the music softens quite drastically with guitar and strings creating a more ambient feel that finishes out the track.

The last track is "Molnet" (10:13). Starting out with a sustained chord sequence softly droning in the background, the drums start picking out a pattern which invites the guitar and bass to start feeling out a slower melody. Things solidify as the music continues and a dark theme emerges, slowly getting heavier, but letting the melody drive the level of intensity up as it goes. Just before the 4 minute mark, the music gets suddenly heavier and intense. The guitars finally back off and the drums play along as the bass thumps out its chord sequence with repeated notes. The guitars come back with a jangly pattern as the drums build tension. Vocals don't come in until close to the end of the track and bring the whole thing to a close that makes it all seem like everything is just floating away.

The music on this album lends itself quite heavily to the typical post rock jangly guitar patterns, but in this case, the builds in intensity are rather quick, taking less time to get to the climactic sections. The music is much more based on melodic vocal and guitar lines that are very discernable and not always buried in the layers as a lot of the post rock music out there. The tracks are very dependent upon the interesting and sometimes very beautiful melodies, making this album a bit more accessible, but all in a good way. It is the melodies that constitute the band's biggest strength and the thing that separates them from other post rock bands. This works well for them and I would like to hear more of this plus a bit more experimentation in their future albums.