Oneohtrix Point Never is the brainchild of electronic artist Daniel Lopatin. Under the guise of OPN Lopatin creates electronic soundscapes heavily inspired by 70s progressive electronic artists ranging from Tangerine Dream and Cluster to horror soundtrack maestros Goblin and John Carpenter. Throughout 2009 OPN released three albums ("Betrayed In The Octagon," "Zones Without People," and "Russian Mind") along with numerous splits, cassettes, and cd-rs. The double disc "Rifts" collects those three albums in their entirety as well as a batch of material from OPN's other releases. Boasting 27 songs, "Rifts" can be a bit overwhelming to consume in one sitting, but not a single one of these songs is superfluous.
On paper, OPN sounds like another cheesy hipster take on retro-futurism, like a less dance oriented Tobacco or Black Moth Super Rainbow. One listen to "Rifts," though, proves Lopatin is going for something much deeper, treating his influences more seriously and clearly with deep respect, rather than simply appropriating them for shits and giggles. Musically "Rifts" has more in common with Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works than any retrorewind dance party. This is 70s and 80s inspired music alright, but it is 70s and 80s inspired music that could act as an alternate soundtrack to an Andrei Tarkovsky film.
To review any of the 27 songs here individually seems sort of ridiculous give the breadth and scope of OPN's statement with "Rifts." Some pieces pulsate with synthesizer arpeggios, some are deep cosmic drones, some are menacing horrorscapes, and some are a combination of all three. All of them bear at least a slightly introverted feel, causing a bit of an existential experience in the listener and their relation toward a world permeated by technology; think Dave in "2001," or identity and emotion in the world of "Solaris." Needless to say there is a welcome intellectualism here missing from a lot of other artists who trade in 70s and 80s revivalism. Make no mistake though, there is nothing clinical about "Rifts." If anything Lopatin's humanity power these electronic soundworlds as much as any synthesizer or computer.
"Rifts" represents an incredibly impressive body of work from an artist who seemingly came out of nowhere last year. Indebted to the past, but making music for a terrifying and uncertain future, OPN has quickly become one of the most compelling artists making music today. "Rifts" is absolutely essential.
"Computer Vision"
"Laser to Laser"
"Format & Journey North"
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