Ololiuqui – Valves

Valves is the second album from Ololiuqui, a somewhat obscure German project led by Volker König. His style is a unique blend of elements, incorporating funky melodic riffs and pumping progressive beats. As it was composed with analog hardware, the album has an incredibly warm and organic feel. BPMs range from 120 to 145; there is a great deal of diversity in this regard, but the whole journey hangs together quite well. Although Valves did not make a splash at the time it was released, it foreshadows the “German festival sound” that became quite popular in around 2004. This upbeat progressive psytrance style is championed by artists such as Symphonix, Vaishiyas, Day.Din, and Fusi & Johnson, all of whom owe something to Spirit Zone pioneers like Volker König, Sebastian Krüger (SBK), and Daniel Vernunft (Shiva Chandra).

Djara opens the album with pleasant atmospheres and intricate rhythms made with the assistance of Jens Zygar from Star Sounds Orchestra. It cruises along in a lazy fashion for the entire duration, offering a tight little preview of the distinctive Ololiuqui groove.

Static has always seemed to be the most immediately accessible song on Valves. It quivers and shakes with a hard and funky bass beat, lurching from one sequence to the next with a leering gait. The strange and disorientating melodic themes—some of which are downright creepy—imbue this song with a peculiar ambiance. On a superficial level it might come across as roughly formed, but there is a sly elegance to how it all pans out. One of my favourites.

The title track isn’t very interesting, nor is it unpleasant. This time around the pumping beat is accompanied by tribal vocals run through some kind of vocoder to achieve an electrical effect. The drum programming is tight, but there isn’t enough of a hook to make this one stand out.

Pantograph is a charming little tune coated in shimmering morning melodies that strongly remind me of Oforia’s Off The Ground album (especially The Morning Song). This track develops gracefully, building steam without applying too much pressure. By the time the final moments unfold, the bubbling leads have grown to the point where they begin to flow into one another, thereby manifesting a softly uplifting effect. Very nice!

Del Rio features a cute lead melody and another stomping analog groove. Its main point of distinction is a vocoded voice that repeats the phrase “a landscape in Del Rio,” whatever that means. Oddly enough, this track was licensed for release on Reactivate 13, a mainstream trance compilation with major distribution. This song is a little too mundane for my liking.

Correlate is the fastest track on the album at 145 BPM. Here we have an upbeat morning song with subtle melodic characteristics and an energetic drive. Vocoded voices return once again, adding texture to the proceedings. The end result is pleasant but not outstanding; it could have used a stronger lead or a more emphatic arrangement.

Activate Chi is a controversial track built around a set of somewhat disagreeable vocals by Isgaard Marke. The lyrics, as you might guess, are very “new age,” and there is no escaping them. As such, this track has been panned by most reviewers over the years—justifiably so, I would say. The cheese factor is off the charts on this one.

Supply takes the story deeper, dropping the tempo to 130 BPM and laying down a fat and funky groove. Hints of sultry female vocals remain, but they are used in a tasteful fashion. This tune meanders along with slick synthetic hooks and the light touch of warm, enveloping atmospheres. Although it is one of the better songs on Valves, it feels a little too short—more could have been done with these ideas.

Backline is as deep as Valves ever gets, dipping down to 120 BPM. The languid pace of the chugging beat allows for all kinds of rhythmic intricacies. Vocoded voices appear yet again, unifying the overall concept of the album. There is something innately appealing about the slow stomping groove and luxurious melodies that sweep across this luscious finale.

I have mixed feelings about Valves. Given that I am a fan of König’s original production style, I am probably much more receptive to this album than most, but it still comes across as mediocre. The listening experience is pleasant enough (if we ignore Activate Chi) yet Valves seems to be missing something. Despite the fact that König takes a progressive approach on this album, every song is rather short. It doesn’t seem as if there is enough time for the central ideas of each song to develop to their full extent. Despite the fact that this album misses the mark, there is something special about the underlying concept, which really works on some levels. Not only that, but the slick sound design is quite striking—König really knows how to polish a groove. With that in mind, I don’t think Valves in any better than average for its year of release. Additionally, I have reservations about whether or not it will appeal to listeners more accustomed to the modern sound of progressive psytrance. Try it out and hear for yourself.