Oneohtrix Point Never/Oneohtrix Point Never/Oneohtrix Point Never/Oneohtrix Point Never...

We have had quite a few collaborations this year that have left a lot to be desired. One such concoction in my opinion was Ford & Lopatin's Channel Pressure, an album that despite some interesting production and a couple incredible songs, was rather lacklustre and in the end throwaway. It was a major disappointment for me as I'm a fan of one half of the act, Daniel Lopatin, especially under the moniker Oneohtrix Point Never. It took me a while to "get into" him, but Returnal of last year was ridiculously incredible. And the remix he did of the title track with Antony Hegarty? The kid's a genius.

Now we are on the cusp of his next release, Replica, out next week on Mexican Summer (the 8th, same day as Electric Flower's EP actually). And holy shit if he doesn't bring it all back on track once more. There is that elliptical eloquence that wafts in and out of this futuro-Gothic numbers, an effect wholly Lopatin's - all smoke, mirrors and gaudy, glow-in-the-dark skeletons in the closet. Why this isn't the score for every horror remake I don't know - you could just imagine that the music would morph the story into a soft-lens nightmare of sensuously horrific proportions...

An incredible, otherworldly album, pre-order Replica here.

Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
Oneohtrix Point Never - Sleep Dealer

Better later than (Oneohtrix Point) Never...

Ive avoided the incessant hype that has built like a malevolent and impenetrable fugue around Daniel Lopatin. Oh sorry - Oneohtrix Point Never. Or as I have said on a number of times (and im sure it was drunkenly and unimaginatively too...) Oneohtrix Point Whatever...

But this is it. I have avoided the hype, because I havent listened to him. Nup. Not one second of his work has entered my ears. So its easy to write someone off when you live under a rock. And I was quite happy with that.

But half an hour ago I heard 'Returnal' from his latest LP of same name, as reworked by Lapotin and Antony Hegarty. Now Antony (usually with his Johnsons) has never grabbed me either, although I have never been naive enough to ignore this man's innate vocal delivery, let alone to admit it is anything other than transcendental. That said - his music just doesn't appeal to me. For whatever reason, I put him in the same box as Jeff Buckley - great voice, liked (woulda liked) him as a kid, but now its beyond the realm of my senses... But here, a massive reinterpretation on the original, 'Returnal' takes on a dark, plaintive tone due to the sparseness of composition - only Lapotin's piano strokes and Hegarty's silken voice. The result? Magic. It truly is an electrifying ballad, something I didn't expect to hear, let alone like, let alone love. So it isnt standard Oneohtrix Point Never - the electronic glitches are kept to a minimum, mainly to denote crackles of an old track playing on a slightly dusty piece of black vinyl - but it is transfixing in its majesty. Im serious - this is an amazing track. Its been a good day...

Oneohtrix Point Never (feat Antony Hegarty) - Returnal