In Concert: Oneohtrix Point Never
Dan Lopatin’s Oneohtrix Point Never makes music that is unmistakably electronic.
Performing at Toronto’s The Hoxton, the show is observed by a sold-out congregation. Many stroking their chins, some enraptured by varying states of chemical bliss.
At one point, I even witness one meticulously floppy hatted male aurally recording the show to his mobile.
Photo by Myles Herod
What ensues on stage can best be described as metal machine music. Oppressive, rattling, and sometimes strangely melodic.
The show is comprised mostly of 2015’s Garden of Delete. Lopatin isn’t one to shy away from setting a frenetic mood. Elements of EDM are enmeshed with harsh noise and guitar flourishes. The sound echoes nu-metal noodling with credit to guitarist Nate Boyce.
Photo by Myles Herod
Lopatin’s recent supporting slot with Nine Inch Nails seems to have rubbed off on him. He is no longer a lone sound sculptor. Oneohtrix Point Never’s incorporation of guitars has pushed their strong sonics past the bevy of laptops and hanging flat-screens.
With beats bursting, Lopatin finds time to even employ the effects of a vocoder. Speaking to the crowd in an indiscernible static tone, he comes off less like a 1970’s Peter Frampton and more comparable to a malevolent robot.
Photo by Myles Herod
As the night grows later, the crowd grows smaller. Speculation submits that Lopatin’s cold, pounding digitalism may have gotten the best of some. Perhaps others are seeking fresh air from their inevitable comedowns.
As for myself, I weather the unworldly cyborg music. I’ve never seen or heard anything quite like it before.
