10

Chillosophy indeed.

Ooze is a downbeat/ambient project from Swede Sebastian Mullaert. In 2001 the outfit released album 'Where the Fields Never End' on the Spirit Zone label, now on the beautifully-titled Chillosophy Music label Ooze are ready to soothe listeners' ears once again with the EP release of 'Random Wondrous Things' .

'Random Wondrous Things' opens with well-chosen notes that are both soft and sharp, conjuring a thoughtful mood that errs on an intriguing melancholy. Unfortunately vocalist Tishk's input spoils the mood a little as her singing lacks direction, is rather dominating and her lyrics are rather trite in places (as is unfortunately often the case with electronica, although it does not need to be). Aside from the vocal sections 'Random Wondrous Things' is a good slice of chilled downbeat, with a strong beat that your feet will find hard to resist and a slowly building full sound.

Three remixes follow rather than a B-Side, all very distinctive and not without merit. The Blue States remix allows Tishk's vocals to dominate, but reshapes the track into a poppier offering (complete with twinkling noises that one tends to associate with Christmas) and thus their input feels less disruptive. This mix is perhaps more radio-friendly than the original version, and is certainly an original and worthwhile take on it. Jesse Somfay contributes an eight minute long techno remix which is barely recognisable as having any connection to the original track. On a dance floor it may go down well, but it is unlikely to be something home listeners will play more than once.

Andreas Tilliander provides the fourth remix and manages to create something that will not sound out of place at home or on the dance floor. It isn't as chilled as the original track and has a heavy 'remixed', or at least sampled, sound, but also a beat that's hard to resist and a take on the vocals that is far more appropriate than the original version. 'Random Wondrous Things' is a polished, professional and pleasurable offering from Ooze, and between the varying mixes on this disc there is something for every downbeat or dance fan.