Markus Popp
Oval and beyond.
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- Markus Popp’s now legendary early album releases sent shockwaves through the“electronica” landscape in the late 1990’s—introducing a unique, new sound and digitalproduction aesthetic. With an undeniable instinct for the pleasantly irritating, the drasticand the dreamy, Popp pioneered “glitch” and “clicks & cuts”, inspiring and provoking anentire generation of musicians to this day.After a long hiatus, Oval is back, changing the game all over again with a new,groundbreaking “hyperreal” style and no less than 150+ compelling tracks, spanning twoEPs (Oh EP and Oval/Liturgy split EP), two double CDs/DVDs (O and OvalDNA) as well as abrand new, surprise collaboration album (Calidostópia!) - proving him as one of the prolific and influential forces in contemporary electronic music, a true visionary of digital audio and beyond.PAST ACHIEVEMENTSThe distinctive, organic appeal of Popp’s 1990s tracks, remixes and albums are regarded aswatershed moments for the genre: timeless, haunting classics, earning him critical acclaimall over the world and an occasional media/art award here and there.Popp has continuously refined his instantly recognizable, signature style in numerousmusical collaborations, most notably with the long-running projects MICROSTORIA (duowith Mouse On Mars’ Jan St. Werner) and SO (with Japanese songwriter extraordinaireEriko Toyoda). Popp has also worked for/with: Björk, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Apparat,Tortoise, Mouse on Mars, Warren Suicide, Squarepusher, Jim O’Rourke, Pizzicato 5, GastrDel Sol etc.Newer additions to Popp’s portfolio are audio for film, installation art, dance andinteractive media. He designed his own music software (Ovalprocess, his interactiveaudio installation platform, won Prix Ars Electronica), contributed a secret bonus stage toTetsuya Mitsuguchi’s visionary video game REZ (Sega/Sony) as well as original sound trackwork for contemporary dance pieces and for several art house movies and TV commercials(Armani, Comme Des Garcons, Prada, Harmony Korine, Amberley Productions and MasakoTanaka).Over the course of many lectures, workshops and presentations, Popp has shared hiscreative vision with topics ranging from today’s digital audio workflow and open source tointeractive design and video games.A NEW OVAL SOUND—HE ONLY CHANGED EVERYTHINGIn 2010, the Oh EP and the subsequent Double-CD O (both on Chicago-based Thrill JockeyRecords) opened an exciting new chapter in Popp’s ongoing critical dialog with music. Thisstriking, 101-track extravaganza was a radical departure: as before, Oval was challengingmusic-as-we-know-it, but now things were happening on music’s own turf.Out of nowhere, Popp debuted as a studio producer of unexpected versatility beyond theelectronic music arena. O—which received a honorary mention by the Prix Ars Electronica2011—is a wild ride: exploring a wide spectrum from delicate, sophisticated pop vignettesto brutally torn, electro-acoustic riffing full of angular, colliding guitar work accompaniedby “free”, yet ultra-precise acoustic “live” drumming.This new, post-2010 Oval sound is a celebration of the next level of skill and sensibilityin contemporary music: handcrafted polyrhythmic phrases, riffs and structures, bristlingwith tiny resonances and detail—adding up to fluid, timeless tunes that are effortlesslytraversing rhythms, scales and harmonies while always remaining compact and catchy.And despite its picturesque, accessible “songwriter 2.0” trappings, O is by no means arevisionist, kitschy “love letter to music”.OvalDNA (2012), Popp’s 35-track, opus magnum-esque, two-disc (CD + DVD-ROM)multimedia release is taking things to the next level: OvalDNA is part rarities-compilation(featuring previously unreleased and hard-to-find tracks from 1993–2010), part open sourcemanifesto (the DVD-ROM contains a sound file library of 2000+ original source clips)—plusOval’s “lost” 2007 album, a professional video documentary, music videos, liner notes,ten bonus tracks and a new piece of music productivity software. OvalDNA has instantlyreceived very favorable reviews worldwide, has been proclaimed “best new reissue” byPitchfork.com and has won the prestigious 2013 QWARTZ-Award.Popp’s newest work, Calidostópia!, supported by Goethe Institutes and cultural foundationof the state of Bahia, is the result of a 10-day, blind-date-esque studio session withseven young, talented singers from all over South America and was recorded in SalvadorDe Bahia/Brazil. Rapid prototyping + unlimited enthusiasm + working in three shifts =metamelomusical supermerger. Popp came to Brazil with tons of released as well asunreleased material—and returned home with dozens of all-new, beautiful songs. Best ofall, Calidostópia! is a free, legal download from www.markuspopp.me.In an age of fiddling with frequencies, Markus Popp keeps on reinventing music—merginguncompromising high tech with compelling musicality: distinctly doing his own thing, yetalways enthusiastically dealing with the “now”.
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- In the last 3 months, I delivered remixes for Mouse On Mars (DE), Spartak (AU), Kukangendai (JP), CYLS (CH, x2) and Aunt Dracula (US). That was really fun. Now, give me something to do for the long, grey Berlin winter!
- Check out "ARC", my brand new, 8-channel sound installation piece at SA))_gallery in Moscow until Nov 16th! http://soundartist.ru/shows-gallery-ovalarc-2014/
- Very happy to announce that I will open "SA))_gallery" in Moscow (the 1st of its kind in Russia) on Oct 22nd with a brand new, 36-minute, 8-channel installation piece. http://gallery.soundartist.ru/
- Fukuoka was fun: fantastic venue (the local opera house's "studio space") plus a very nice bill and turnout. And that monster typhoon turned out to be a total non-issue. Wait - the bullet train was seven minutes late (announced by a devastated train conductor over the train PA in a panic-stricken voice). Now, there is a disaster. Also, two abandoned, shattered umbrellas were spotted, left/lying *in the middle of the street*, imagine that.
- Sometimes the most bizarrely chaotic circumstances produce some true musical magic. Big props to Mr. Ametsub for this duo set last night in Tokyo - an amazing crash course in impromtu awesomeness and keeping calm in all this mayhem. http://www.drizzlecat.org
- Thank you, Kyoto! You guys made me run out of tracks to play. OK, I just checked into the venue of tonight's Tokyo show (Oval vs. Ametsub). On the plus side: Club SEGA Akihabara is around the corner. A little less exciting: it's a...high school rave?
- Fantastic audience last night in Tokyo, especially when considering the all-new sound/live set. And those tapes sold out in minutes. Talking about taking Japan by...erm...storm...and I thought playing Kiev this December would be my biggest adventure this year.
- Great, these arrived just in time for my first show: "September", a Japan-/tour-exclusive, 8-track *tape*. (For all you others, I might have a little something on Bandcamp soon).
- TONIGHT Oval@Tokyo, Tsutaya O-nest, Doors 7 PM, Oval 8:30 PM. So I got a few more hours to steer my live set away from "Massive Attack reunion tour 2021 warm-up tape"...
- OK, Tokyo, let's talk. (At DOMMUNE@ 3331 Arts Chiyoda at 9 PM, I'll play some music, too).
- Oval Japanese tour dates 2014: Oct 9th Tokyo, DOMMUNE @ 3331 Arts Chiyoda ("Oval Talk") Oct 10th Tokyo, Tsutaya O-nest Oct 11th Kyoto, Club Metro Oct 12th Tokyo, DOMMUNE @ 3331 Arts Chiyoda (Collaborative concert w. Ametsub) Oct 13th Fukuoka, Acros Fukuoka Arena Hall
- Brand new live set. Bringing my A game for this one. Check out my next two albums as WIP. Themes I kept on my drive for years for "this special occasion" + stuff that I made on the train to the venue = my 2014 take on musical tropes like the guitar improvisation, the 27 Hz sub bass, the ghost snare, the...Schubert Lied?!?
- About that "cinematic sound"...as we all know, something's never great when you know that it's great, so all I'll say is: imagine Oval playing Yann Thiersen & Massive Attack? Sounds like David Brent's "I fused Flashdance with MC Hammer sh*t", doesn't it? And yet...Anyway, I'll bring it to a stage near you pretty soon, for example to Essen. Germany on October 3rd: http://denovali.com/swingfest/essen/
- Remember Oval, the musical act? Yeah, it's been a while. OK, THIS OCTOBER: all-new, "cinematic" sound, all-new, 18+ track live set, Japanese tour + limited edition 8-track tour-exclusive tape. Also, an album that will finally manage to confuse everyone...in a nice way. Dates, specs, tracks, download links soon.
- TONIGHT Oval@vs.interpretation Festival in Prague, Czech Republic. Workshop 3PM, live set 9 PM.
- Cool! VOA is now also officially distributed in the US (via Thrill Jockey Records). Order now, very limited quantities! http://www.thrilljockey.com/thrill/Oval/VOA
- TONIGHT - Oval live in Moscow / RU !
- TONIGHT - Oval live in St. Petersburg/RU !
- Just in from the pressing plant, just in time for my B-day - wow, thank you so much for all those wishes BTW - the next batch of VOA LPs! 180g vinyl quality pressing, great sound, nice print, cheapest price anywhere. Includes digital album + music video + a free Calidostópia! CD (while supplies last). http://oval.bandcamp.com/album/voa
- You know what's back? Remixes! I'll be working on tracks/sounds/files by Mouse On Mars, Aunt Dracula and Spartak (AUS).
- Here is a glimpse of what went down at that airshow for the ANTIGEL festival in Geneva on Saturday - and if you listen closely, you can even detect some Oval audio in there. Stay tuned for the properly mixed, multi-camera, 13-minute version...and the full, free-to-download soundtrack!
- This afternoon: Oval live in Geneva! My first live score/set for a dance piece performed by...propeller airplanes.
- Wow - that recent free Bandcamp weekend saw thousands of downloads... and quite a few donations, too! Thank you so much! I am very happy to tell you that I am slowly getting back on track...step 1: a live soundtrack for an airshow :)
- Here's my "thank you" to all who wished me well (feels truly awesome to see all that support). Download my entire Bandcamp catalog (except VOA) FOR FREE until Sunday night! Donations welcome...looks like I'll be facing an astronomical medical bill...thank you! https://oval.bandcamp.com/
- Thank you for an exciting, inspiring 2013! Download this overlooked classic/hidden gem (not my own words - you be the judge) for FREE until 01-01-2014...enjoy! http://oval.bandcamp.com/album/so
- Quick note to everybody who downloaded my "Oh" EP via Bandcamp. 1) Enjoy! 2) You might want to correct the track name (FLAC) or MP3 tag (MP3) for track no. 9. It's "Kastell 4", not "Kastell" - that's already track no. 5. Yet another indicator that I'll never make a very good Jackson Pollock of electronic music.
- Bandcamp Update! Just added my "Oh" EP (2010), the record that kicked off my "hyperreal sound"-era after years of silence. It's FREE for the next 24 hours - enjoy! https://oval.bandcamp.com/album/oh-ep
- VOA has been chosen as one of the "electronic highlights" for November by artistxite.de...Dankeschön!
- Here is an extensive, in-depth interview I sat down for last week in Melbourne...it just went live on Cyclic Defrost.
- Bye, bye, Australia...I had an awesome, inspiring time full of interesting encounters/ conversations/interactions. Big "thank you" to all of you for coming to see me play/talk/direct - you know who you are.
- Can't believe how this one went under my radar back in 2010. Wonderfully written, in-depth album review for "O" on dMute.net (FR). I wish every reviewer spent this much time with a release, regardless of the verdict. The fact that my record gets some serious praise here makes it even easier to like it. Merci!
- Very favorable VOA album review ("inventiveness that never fails") on dMute.net (FR). Merci!
- Entering the final stretch of my Australian tour. Only for a few more days, you get 25% discount on my entire Bandcamp catalogue. Just enter your discount code (not to be confused with a download code) "austroval" at checkout. Free & "name your price" formats remain free, of course. Valid until November 19th. http://oval.bandcamp.com/
- Additional, FREE Oval concert (+ roundtable discussion) in Sydney on Thursday! Get in touch/tell your friends/see you there!
- TODAY I'll do my best at the MUSEUM OF SYDNEY at 12 NOON to have interesting things to say about "the art of 21st century music production, and how geography, culture and environment impacts creativity".
- TONIGHT Oval live @ Sound Summit Festival/Sydney + artist talk at the Museum Of Sydney TOMORROW!
- I'm off to Australia! 25% discount on my entire Bandcamp catalogue for the duration of my AUS tour. Just enter your discount code "austroval" at checkout. Free/"name your price" formats remain free, of course. Valid until Nov 19th!