Oureboros is a collaborative project between Rich Oddie (Orphx, O/H, Eschaton) and Aron West (Tropism, founding member of Orphx) that combines electroacoustic soundscapes with elements of industrial, black metal and shoegaze. All recordings are improvised direct to tape, with minimal overdubs. They recently released their sophomore album Mysterium Tremendum through Ant Zen.
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To get this started, what is Oureboros and what
brought you guys together to do the project?
We have been making music together for over two
decades. We first began working together in 1993 and those early jams developed
into the Orphx project, in collaboration with Christina Sealey. At this time we
started a label called Xcreteria which released tapes from Orphx and related acts,
including Aron’s Tropism project. We also distributed music from other artists.
By 1996, Aron was no longer working with Orphx but he has supported their work
in many ways while continuing to produce experimental music as Tropism. The two
of us have continued to make music together over the years and some of this
collaborative material has been released as Tropism. In 2006, we recorded many
hours of new music that we felt was quite strong and had a new sound to it. So
we decided to start a new project and this was Oureboros.
The first album, “Dreaming In Earth, Dissolving In
Light” came out in 2011. Firstly, I love that title; what does it mean to you
guys? Secondly, what were your influences and goals for this album?
That title just came to us. We made those early
recordings just after the death of Rich’s stepfather, and the titles refer to
themes of mortality and resurrection. That album was created from two evenings
of improvised recordings. There was little discussion beforehand. We just made
the music and then realized that something new and cohesive was taking shape.
5 years later we see the release of the new album “Mysterium
Tremendum”. What brought you guys back together to work on Oureboros again?
We’ve continued to record new music since the first
album and gathered together some of our favourite pieces for this record. Rich
had also recorded some music in Scotland in 2010 with his friend Norman Shaw
that seemed to perfectly with Oureboros, so we also used some of this material.
All three of us then helped shape the final tracks, adding some additional
sounds here and there. Paul Hogeterp, who played violin on one of the tracks
from the first album, also joined us again for two songs on this one.
What were your influences and goals for the new
album, and how have things changed since you worked on the first album?
Firstly, this was a more collaborative album
because Norman’s contributions became vital to the record, both sonically and
visually, along with Paul Hogeterp’s beautiful work on violin and lap steel
guitar. Our industrial and doom metal influences are more prominent on this
album, and there is a stronger emphasis on percussion and a wider range of
instruments.
One thing I’ve especially admired about your work
is your ability to create incredibly hypnotic, captivating soundscapes. What
draws you to this type of sound, and what’s the typical sound creation process
like for you?
As mentioned before, all of our work is improvised
and then edited down into finished compositions. We’ve always been drawn to
hypnotic music, although we do have different tastes. A strong feature of the
project is Aron’s software-based improvisations, which create dynamic,
continually modulating soundscapes that are the basis for many of our songs.
The new album utilizes heavy, distorted guitars
quite a bit, often veering into doom/sludge territory. What was the inspiration
for this and what do you feel the guitar adds to the music?
Much of our music is made with Aron on software and
Rich on guitar. All of us take a lot of influence from doom and black metal
that is evident on this record. With this project we’re trying to combine those
influences with elements of shoegaze, ambient, and electro-acoustic music. Much
of the metal and shoegaze influences are expressed by the guitar, while the
software brings a more alien, electro-acoustic sound.
According to the project’s bio: “All recordings are
improvised direct to tape, with minimal overdubs.”, Is this still true of the
new album? How do you feel about working in this kind of “stream of
consciousness” manner? Do you find it limiting or liberating?
Oureboros and virtually every project that we are
involved in is based on improvisation. We really enjoy this approach because
you can lose yourself in the music and it often produces unexpected results.
I really like the artwork on the album. What can
you tell us it about it and how it represents/reflects the music?
Norman Shaw is also a visual artist and the cover
art is taken from one of his paintings. Norman’s work is deeply connected to
the psycho-geography of the Scottish Highlands: its natural and unnatural
histories, mythologies, and mysticisms. This painting, “Gods of the Flaming Dew”,
was the perfect fit for this record, which came together around the theme of
mystical experiences that characterized by a sense of dread or terror. This
theme was based on experiences that all of us have had, at different places and
times.
Tell us a bit about your studio – what gear are you
guys using for this project?
As mentioned earlier, our basic setup is Aron on
software and controllers, and Rich on guitar and effects. We also use an
assortment of analog synths and whatever else is on hand. On the new album, we
used a wider assortment of instruments and sound sources, including acoustic
drums, feedback circuits, and saxophone.
I believe I saw that you are playing live with this
project. What can the audience expect from an Oureboros show and how does it
differ from your more techno oriented projects like Orphx?
We’ve only performed as Oureboros a handful of
times so far. We also take an improvised approach to live performance, using
studio material as a starting point and foundation. It is considerably more
meditative than an Orphx performance or at least functions in a different way
by focusing more on immersive soundscapes rather than foregrounding rhythms. We
really enjoy playing in spaces that are conducive to that kind of immersion in
sound. Of the few shows we’ve done, half have taken place in churches.
While it’s probably too early to tell, do you have
any future plans for Oureboros?
We would like to do more live performances,
including some outside of North America. And we’re continuing to build up a
large archive of recordings, some of which will be assembled for the next
album.
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