(Independent)

This independent release was not accompanied by the usual press pack featuring a barrage of press quotes and media hype. Instead, a hand written note telling inthemix to “enjoy!” signed Michael and Anees, the duo who wrote, performed, recorded, engineered and mixed all nine tracks featured on Onira’s debut album.

It is rare to actually receive music packaged in a way that still bears the signature of the people who made it. Throwing Shapes and Stylish Posing may be a little rough around the edges but it looks and feels like it has come directly from the creators and provides something the listener can engage with more readily than slick over processed design that, in conforming to industry standards often serves to remove the listener from the ‘real’ person behind the art/music.

Musically or otherwise, Onira don’t seem particularly concerned with sliding into a genre. The nine electronic productions making up this album offer an assortment of beats and samples as well as all manner of electronic meddling. This is definitely ‘program music’ meaning music with a subject. Each track has a defining theme or subject and the track titles are very telling of each theme. The more you listen the more your able to penetrate the concept behind the sound.

My two favourite tracks are Interstellar Reef Buzz and Knights.  Interstellar opens with the cute tinkle and rattling of a wind up toy then breaks into hippy electronic merriment. It is with tambourines, wind instruments, plenty of beats and no shortage of electric guitar that Onira capture radiant sunshine over green fields with copious amounts of grass. Bit of a Blind Melon with dance grooves. Knights’ manages to both recreate and rock out all the formality of a medieval dual. I’m fond of it for the sound of the bugle horns/trumpets really. I also liked Antifunk for the imagery of a fun-fare by the sea.

The clash of electric guitar permeates most tracks on the album making it a strong element of Onira’s sound – this is regardless of whether a track is stargazing material like Air for instances – a delicate arrangement characterised by breathy vocals and rhythmic brushes on cymbals; or more electro dance grooves like Tight Leather.

It wasn’t until I started entering the individual headspace of each tracks subject that Throwing Shapes really became an enjoyable listening experience, but, the more I listened the more I felt like I wasn’t just getting more out of the music but actually learning more about the personalities behind the production – Michael and Anees sound like they warmly embrace the absurd. If this is Onira just getting warmed up I’m certainly interested to hearing the more that they have in store.