the ohm - NOvember Suite

The Ohm 

November Suite
self-released; 2004

3.4 out of 5

By Ethan Skelton

The Ohm is a sonic playground manufactured by the spontaneous brains of two young Florida natives. Not much more is known about these mysterious misfits of the instrumental world. November Suite is an escapade of various melodies and grooves that meander in and out of rock, jazz, electronic and chill. The inspirations at hand are likely just as eclectic as the styling within. Each song is built upon an initial improvisation to tape and slowly gains layers of ideas as they are triggered upon further playback. The Ohm’s basic four-piece of two guitars, bass and drums lay down the experimental foundation for elaboration, but always with balance in mind so as to keep a live band sound intact.

As far as instrumental music goes, examining the craft can be tricky. This album makes sure not to be a run-on record so to speak, with each song distinctly its own. However, we live in a musical industry that demands words and to that degree so do our dance clubs and iPods. The select few appreciators of instrumental music are indeed out there and this is for them. I don’t see a bridge between the art of November Suite and the average listener. 

“Level 12” is especially out there although it has a strange, alluring motif that reoccurs like a lost dream in all it’s reverberating glory. “Pocket Filler” is probably the most danceable track and has some nice drum fills and guitar tone even though it’s essentially a mangling of effects. “Zero Gravity Blues” is a nod to The Ohm’s fascination with space and cosmic exploration. The sounds they create are in the likeness of that vast unknown, proudly wrapped in musical oddities and outside the box complementary elements.

There’s a lot to absorb from this album, it’s just a matter of understanding the material. Most is purposefully esoteric and that makes things hard to digest and appreciate save for the niche that applies itself to the same quirk. In lesser words, it’s a personal album rather than public. For those space cadets out there, enjoy.