CoC : Olen'k - Silently Nosiy : Review

Olen'k - _Silently Nosiy_
(Cold Meat Industry, 2005)
by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10)

The promotional blurb describes the enigmatically named Olen'k as a band "with sounds drawn from the Eighties cold-wave... from darkwave and trip-pop ambiences... to world music". I have to honestly admit I have never even heard of "cold-wave" or "trip-pop" up till now, and can't comment on the accuracy of this statement; suffice to say it is hard to pigeonhole Olen'k. I can say that this is music perilously close to more mainstream styles; but this resemblance is superficial, as a deeper listen reveals a lyrical mindset darker than that of any Top 40 radio act -- comparable to Anathema or Katatonia, but unfortunately lacking the emotional impact of either. The subtle undercurrent of electronic darkness is strongly reminiscent of latter day Ulver, albeit manifested in a different manner. The proverbial cherry on top is provided in the form of Elise and Cecile's contrasting but complementary (female) vocals. The overall feel is one of cosmopolitan elegance; the infrequent surfacing of rarely heard traditional instruments such as balafon and luth strengthen this perception. Although I was initially dubious, Olen'k have managed to win over at least a tentative convert; I won't return to this CD on a frequent basis, but I will return.

Contact: http://www.coldmeat.se

(article published 3/6/2005)