Los Angeles duo Oort Smog (comprised of Patrick Shiroishi [Corima, Upsilon Acrux] and Mark Kimbrell [Upsilon Acrux, Solar Wimp]) somehow make two instruments sound like a dozen on their experimental jazz full-length debut Smeared Pulse Transfers. A record that gives no quarter, the first track, “Gurge Reaction”, opens with piercing saxophone amidst tinny cymbal crashes. The cacophony only intensifies throughout. Rather than lean into long-running epics, Oort Smog opt for brief, punchy displays of their craft — but make no mistake, their arrangements, at times, sound so complex you’d think they were venturing into time signatures with decimals, especially on “Loam yourself or die trying” and “Avoidance”. There seems to be very little post-production on the record, with the focus instead highlighting the organic interplay between the sax and drums. Jarring, yet captivating

- Words by Aquarium Drunkard

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