“We just started writing without any kind of preconceived notion of what we were trying to make. A lot of the songs just came from jamming…We wanted to make an emotive record and relay how we were feeling about all these massive changes that have been happening, not just in our lives, but in general. Like, where the fuck is the world heading? How is that affecting us? And how can we express it in a way that people can relate it to what’s happening in their lives? If we can make an honest record and put as much of ourselves as we can into this thing, you can’t replace that with a machine.”
Those are quotes from Constantin Tzenos, one half of Odonis Odonis (the other half being Denholm Whale), about their new self-titled album. The duo decided to create something that would push back against not only the stresses of the world at-large, but also their demanding other jobs (concert promotion for Whale – a field that’s always feast or famine – and film and TV composition for Tzenos – a field being taken over by AI programs).
“The Same” has them wondering why so much of everything feels familiar, and not in a good way, while they spin a bold sound that blends shoegaze with dark wave. “Hijack” continues this, with a thick Cure-like bass line and lyrics about reclaiming one’s narrative (“Don’t let them talk to power.”). That bass cranks up the power on “Come Alive” and yet the track is one of the trippiest on the album. “Work It Out” is a call for the band and their peers to get out of their doldrums and fix the stuff their parents and grandparents let go fallow (“My generation’s so dumb,” Tzenos complains.).
“When you’re breaking me down, well, I hope you had fun,” they sing on “Consumed” – a dark one that layers the synths and echoes the drums to nice effect. Then comes “Hunter,” which roars during the chorus and growls during the verses – much like some kind of predator…which might be a corporation, a billionaire, a politician, or in some cases all three in one.
The drum work on the nearly instrumental (the few lyrics are so layered with reverb that they become incomprehensible) “Distraction” is sharp, blending rat-a-tat snare work with crispy cymbal snaps. You can hear the duo’s “Let’s just jam and see what happens.” idea for the album in full here, and it makes me want a whole album of stuff like this from them.
“We Are Gods” is a punch at toxic, rich elitists who think they’re above everything and can’t admit how secretly miserable they are. Finally, on “Bliss,” Tzenos realizes that he, Whale, and the rest of us can find the very thing in the title (and “the sunshine,” as he keeps repeating) if we wish, are willing to do the work (or, in some cases, give up the work that’s been stifling us), and accept it.
It’s a good message to end an album and start a new year. We don’t have to keep doing the same things, voting for the same people, or putting the same job before our bliss. It’s there for the taking – as is this record.
Keep your mind open.
[Can I hijack a subscription from you?]
[Thanks to Alex at Terrorbird Media.]
