Systemisch cover

Systemisch

Released

The following year’s 94Diskont might be Oval’s ‘classic,’ but 1993’s Systemisch is the one where Markus Popp and collaborators set out their stall. It’s the first Oval album fully to highlight the glitches manifest in digital technology – in this case, the skipping and clicking of stuttering compact discs – but Oval manage to make mistakes seductive, errors erotic. The textures of the opening “Textuell” are notched and rife with slubs, but they still billow and crinkle like the most luxuriant fabrics; “Aero Deck” has a weirdly catchy pop melody buried underneath scratchy, itchy patterns that sound like goosepimples feel. There are moments where Oval’s critiques of digital audio are clearer – see song titles like “Post-Post,” “Mediation,” “Catchy DAAD” – but it’s always in service of sensuous delight, even if you could probably get away with explaining Oval as an art-school project in capsized design.

Jon Dale

Recommended by

Suggestions
Pool cover

Pool

Skee Mask
Gideon Gaye cover

Gideon Gaye

The High Llamas
Nothing cover

Nothing

Loraine James
20+ Piano Improvisations cover

20+ Piano Improvisations

Ángel Sánchez Bórges, Antiguo Automata Mexicano
Init Ding cover

Init Ding

Microstoria
Souvenir de Mauve cover

Souvenir de Mauve

Maher Shalal Hash Baz
Janoob cover

Janoob

Toumba
Spring cover

Spring

Steven R. Smith
Fallen Flowers cover

Fallen Flowers

Fallen Flowers