Otto Ohm
Pseudostereo

THE REVIEW

Second album for this group that, since their debut (self-titled in 2000), has distinctly separated itself from the various trends that now dominate the Italian music scene.

Neither too pop (ruined by millions of radio plays and overexposed on TV and newspapers to the point of nausea) nor alternative with a snobby attitude that despises the showbiz that feeds them. Otto Ohm are simply themselves and continue to present music as they like it, a rhythmic dub that becomes, when needed, playful reggae or dreamy ballad.

"Pseudostereo" (from 2003) is the ideal continuation of "Otto Ohm" and contains some interesting insights even in the lyrics. "Indiano metropolitano", for instance, is a stark portrayal of our urban environments, where only by building a shell of indifference can one survive in airless and colorless places. The rhythm is pressing, the singing almost rap, the arguments convincing. "Fumodenso", which opens the tracklist, begins with a round of electric guitars supported by a "timed" drumbeat accompanying the voice of the beautiful singer (whose name escapes me, apologies) who through echoes and ambient atmospheres speaks of love in that particular way, never banal and yet close to everyday life, which I love so much in this group.

The raw dub returns in "Dee-lay", with electronic hints, a truly Otto Ohm song in both music and lyrics. As usual, I point out the pearl of the CD, which here is "Oro nero". The single that accompanied the album's release, quite played on the radio and less on music TVs, perhaps because supported by a decidedly bad and misplaced video that has nothing to do with the song itself, no matter how well made (a mini-film set in a hotel). The lyrics continue to speak of love, in a very intimate and introspective manner, using simple language but, perhaps precisely for this reason, it’s genius. I loved this piece a lot, I sang and sang again
"When you truly love, the future won't be enough for you, you just want to have her who’s worth more than black gold; you can wake up one morning to breathe her pillow, fixed on the ceiling, saying softly it's all true, it's all true…".
The first part is almost acoustic, the voice is inspired and very sweet, the progression is smooth and gentle, a real ballad. Only after the first chorus does the dub tempo set in, which, however, does not feel out of place at all; rather, it blends perfectly in the context of a piece that stays in your head and is not satisfied with just one listen.

They close with the reggae atmospheres of "Christina non lo sa", a tougher piece also in the lyrics: "Christina doesn't know this yet, that the world works in reverse; that a son of a bitch will get by and in his place there's another person. Christina doesn't know this yet and it takes courage to tell her [ … ] Faces without dignity, their soul is double-faced, they play around with a cash transport van to make you believe there are lots of diamonds inside when instead they are only full of a lot of shit."

Well done, good, seven plus.