Nothing is better than discovering an album that not many others have heard, or feel is as great as you do, and completely loving it. I dunno how to explain it well, but you just feel more personal about it, as if that album's your own. I felt this way about Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago, way back in October, and I still kind of do, even if that album has become the most critically acclaimed work of this year. I also feel this way about Boxcutter's Oneiric. Oneiric isn't a very easy album to listen to: combining sharp, angular drums, horror-movie sound effects, industrial-ish distortions, dubstep beats, and altered "singing" straight out of Burial's debut, Oneiric is a smorgasbord of sounds, creepiness, and innovation. The album sustains its hour-plus runtime well due to some of the more creative tracks you'll ever hear: "Bad You Do", which is easily one of the highlights of the album, takes a pristine soul sample, places on top of sluggish ambience, fills out the rhythm section with a drum and bass beat that Goldie could have written, and adds an irresistible funky bass sound that seems like an actual human played it, and not robots. "Chlorophyll" is even more calming, with ear-popping bass that never really speeds up, scratchy synths that are reminiscent of IDM, and crickets. And crickets make any album. To put it simply, Boxcutter's Oneiric is the best album you've never heard. Now get to it.
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