Cassette Review // Dave Otto "Deep Clean" (Sludge People)

https://sludge-people.com/tapes/spt7/

One of my favorite things about music is that while it can have a certain sound to it, if done right an artist can take a sound and make it all their own.   This is not something that people within music like to hear (record labels, publicists, etc) because it makes their job more difficult when they'd rather just be able to pitch artists like "He's the next Michael Jackson" or whoever, someone universally known.

Throughout this cassette, Dave Otto creates a sound which reminds me of The Benjamins and in that broad sense of the comparison you could liken this to the Flaming Lips.   But saying something as vague as that doesn't really help and while this is trippy, it takes on a style all its own so there isn't really that big comparison to make with it.   It's not about the other artists, but it's about the vibe it gives off.

On "Black Skies" there are pianos and it sounds a little bit like the blues and a little bit like Elliott Smith.   The flip side of this starts off sounding like the Pixies and then we get into more of a rocking sound on "Feels".   A little bit more electronic on "Townz" and then it ends with a grand instrumental number.   This just goes to show how this cassette can shift its focus in sound but still be within that same realm throughout.

And the best thing about music and all of this, is this is just what I'm hearing.  Someone else may not hear parts as Elliott Smith but pick a different artist they're more familiar with.  It's that- that act of being relative- that makes this music special because Dave Otto has taken what is close to him, mixed it all together and come up with something special.  Artists often tend to try and do that but have it come out sounding closer to the actual sound than the vibe.  Dave Otto capturing the vibes is truly special.