Tester, Mark: Oblivion Rhythms Revisited CS

Mark Tester returns with his brand new album "Oblivion Rhythms Revisited" as a follow-up to last year’s "Super Hiss". "Oblivion" weaves together a psychedelic patchwork of propulsive melodic jammers, tripped-out moog/vibraphone/mellotron collages and contemplative space-outs.

Most of Tester’s solo output has been heavily indebted to specific locations, geography, topography and capturing a specific time and place. In contrast, "Oblivion Rhythms Revisited" takes place across many different times, all happening simultaneously. Times plucked from his memories of Midwestern warehouse raves to DIY basement shows to ear-splitting improv noise gigs. It’s a deeply autobiographical audio document with the narration muted.

The sounds are ecstatic and freewheeling, tying Tester’s brilliant melodic sensibility to his ever evolving songwriting and his boundless experimentation. "Oblivion" is more music for moments, tonal travels through a Midwestern wind-down. Sounds existing at the nexus of where optimism and anxiety converge, a respect of the mundane and a deep listen to faraway memories.