If you go in to the basement of the Louis Vuitton store on Bond Street in London, you’ll see a giant print by the artists Gilbert & George. It’s not as provocative as some of their work, but there’s still something subversive about it amongst the chic couture. Which brings me to O Hell.
O Hell’s work is stylish, classy and cut to perfection. Each track is a deep dive in to emotional disharmony. They are the sonic equivalent of G&G in an LV store. Take a listen to the opening lines of ‘i watch the women’ and you’ll see what I mean. O Hell’s songs are individual masterpieces; works of art painted with the sweeping arm of a confident musician in full flow.
The songs are coloured with feelings of pain (‘hard times’, ‘it heals so quick’), tenderness fused with anxiety (‘pixel’) and utter derangement (‘Capri Sun’). The melodies are beautifully constructed, and there’s an EDM feel from the rhythmic sound of the drum machines (‘In Silence’, ‘Untangle’).
You don’t get to be as good as O Hell without having put the hours in, and they have certainly done that. Touring extensively with various international acts as a guest bassist/guitarist they have honed their skills as a songwriter and musician. O Hell’s studio production is bang on point too, not bad considering it’s all recorded at home.
O Hell is an artist at the top of their game, so take a listen – on this occasion, you’ll be happy to go to hell and back.
MakeIt-Loud 