osh10

What a conundrum. Trying to the find the words to best describe the voice of Osh10 – Aimee Chapman to Ma and Pa- is giving me brainache. A sorry state of affairs for someone whose career depends on such abilities…I shall have to soldier on.

The best way to describe Osh10’s vocal style would be to compare her voice to that of Bjork’s, with a dash of Yelle and Beth Gibbons of Portishead. But don’t let loose comparisons make your decisions for you- that’s a fool’s game. Just listen.

One Hundred to the Ground is steeped mainly in Osh10’s home turf of sparse, dreamy electronica, drifting out slightly on occasion to chuck in a gorgeous string part, or Wurlitzer bit, or a chunk of rock guitar. Tracks like Malmö are slow-burners, to say the least, which will test your fortitude to stick out the record in toto.

There is also the spirited Thief to note, wherein Osh10 has set her vocals to mid-nineties era Alanis Morissette- and what a joy for me- and pumped up the rock drums and creepy string section.

Short, instrumental The Pale ends the album, highlighting the skills of Osh10’s musical helpers and the rich tapestry of instruments on the record. Although it may stagnate for those used to their tunes a little speedier or a touch dancier, this is an album built for lasting enjoyment, like gum ads tell you but gum never delivers, and measured release. - Lisa Dib- The Dwarf.com.au

As osh10, Aimee Chapman proves to be a stunning combination of Björk’s sonic versatility and the expressive vocal range of Lamb’s Louise Rhodes. Based in Australia, her artistic background is rich in music theory and creative arts exploration, giving her the advantage of an educational foundation with the ability to color outside the lines at will. One Hundred to the Ground is Aimee’s second album under her alter ego and perhaps one of the best first impressions a musician could give to uninitiated ears. With complex arrangements and heavenly harmonies spilling from the speakers with each selection, not a moment is wasted on this release, the compositional moods changing from abrasive to tranquil with no jarring aftereffects. As master of her aural domain, Aimee achieves headphone nirvana every time.
Opening tracks don’t get much fiercer than “Shrapnel,” a slice of no-nonsense industrial funk that slithers its way under your skin. As the bass guitar frenetically slaps through the digital debris of sound effects and time-stretched percussion, Aimee ponders whether or not all is really fair in love and war. “You say it’s friendly fire,” she sings, “but how is it friendly when somebody else bleeds?” The funk becomes more disjointed on “I Choose Silence,” working up to rock-style intensity while maintaining the discipline of a jazz quartet. Turntable scratches spice up the selection, adding a nervous energy that mirrors Aimee’s reluctance in her lyrics to speak (“Loose lips sink ships, so be careful what you say”). The upright bass on “Black Widow” coupled with coarse scratches and cuts conjure up thoughts of sinister intentions and ulterior motives. Along with Aimee’s capable singing and the horn section in between verses, it’s slightly reminiscent of Portishead but with more of a tendency to rock out when the mood strikes.
“Someday, Sunshine” represents a tender moment on the album with a potentially chaotic undercurrent. Aimee’s lead and background vocals harmonize beautifully over a gentle guitar, percussive pulses and laser effects, which threaten to distort themselves into deafening levels before they’re put back in check by the song’s more calming elements. Her vocal performance on “Thief” is absolutely ferocious, delivering the lyrics with a vicious snarl (“You’re a whipping boy, you’re a wind-up toy”). There’s a wonderful tension created between her voice and the string section which sets the tone for the entire song and the bass and drums have no choice but to follow her commanding lead.
“Malmö” is by far the standout track on this album, full of rhythmic twists and turns that you never see coming until after they’ve happened. The song begins with a New Age meditative ambience that washes over you while the beat is slowly introduced. A steady and slow thump leads to dubstep-style drum programming, keeping in step with the latest permutations that bass-driven underground dance music finds itself in these days. The drum pattern writhes and wriggles its way towards the club, eventually unfolding into a tribal techno stomp lovingly glazed over by an angelic chorus and twinkling electronic tones. After getting the need to dance out of its system, the sequence fades away into the ether, pulling the dance floor out from under the listener’s feet.
One Hundred to the Ground could be considered osh10’s coming out party. Funky, fearless, and full of surprises, it’s an album that the world should stand up and take notice of. If there were any existing fears of a sophomore slump, Aimee Chapman has smashed them to smithereens. Her latest release is a project of risk-taking wonder and beauty, leaving the listener to consider the mind-altering possibilities that album number three could bring.
?Review by Jason Randall Smith?Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
- Jason Robert Smith

Osh10’s self-titled debut album runs the gamut of their evocative powers, gradually winding down from a headstrong kick-off to a fragile mortality.

Following vocal harmonies channeling a post-Women’s Lib Andrews Sisters, we are aurally pinballed through the teasing, chameleonic vocals of Aimee Chapman and bounced back on Mike MacGregor’s spine-bending bass line. A scuttling riff in the opening track may have rewired my cerebral cortex; any evidence of misfiring synapses in the following paragraphs is hereby excused.

From this sucker-punch start we suddenly resurface to find ourselves in altogether mellower territory. An ethereal, mirrored texture is the atmospheric result of a spare arrangement and an effective lack of emphasis on traditional form.

The transition to the reverberant, translucent twilight shimmer of the instrumental Sferics is like plunging off a bright island to sonically free-form through fluid light onto a darker and more isolated shore.

This cool fragility pervades the close of the album, with clear and delicate lyrics wrapped in the same gauzy, watery musical weave.

The album has faint echoes of Björk, Coco Rosie and Ani di Franco at their most reflective.

A supernova burning brightest before the star burns out, Osh10’s varied landscape and curious and alluring musical approach promises ever more intrigue.

Osh10 is now available from all online outlets. The album will be launched at the Paris Cat, Goldie Place, Melbourne, on December 2nd 2007 and will be available from selected music shops and online from cdbaby.com

Liz Seymour - Artshub (Nov 26, 2007) - artshub.com

My Fave: My favorite this month is the unusual duo, osh 10, that combines the creative bass talents of Mike Macgregor and the amazing vocals of Aimee Chapman. Using loops and effects, this duo creates a full band sound.

Author- Janie Franz - Skope Magazine

“osh10” is a self-titled trip-hop album with elements of funk and jazz from a talented Australian duo. The group is made up of two people and one instrument – Mike Macgregor on the electronic bass and Aimee Chapman as the vocalist who unleashes beautiful melodies and harmonies with her big cute voice. All of the sounds you hear on “osh10,” with the exception of the closer “Lullaby,” are either made with Macgregor’s bass or Chapman’s vocals without any additional instruments. They are more stripped down than The White Stripes, yet they create a sound just as solid. The arrangements are excellent and interweave Chapman’s strong vocal performance with Macgregor’s funk and jazz-infused bass licks. At times the two play off one another and at other times they give one another the spotlight with an a cappella performance or a bass solo that would certainly impress the pants off of Les Claypool. This album is also well-recorded, the bass licks and the vocals sound clean and crisp and the album is ready to go to eleven - so to speak. “Mr Sheen” opens up the album with an outstanding funk bass line, great lyrics and an excellent vocal performance. “Sferics” is an instrumental track that loops Macgregor’s bass to give the track an ambient electronic sound. “Lullaby” closes things out by introducing the xylophone and piano to the instrumental picture to imitate a wind-up music box and back another outstanding lyrical and vocal performance. osh10 is a unique band with a unique sound created by a talented bassist and a great female vocalist with a big voice. Fans of trip-hop and great bass styling, check out osh10.
-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team - Radioindy.com

My Fave: My favorite this month is the unusual duo, osh 10, that combines the creative bass talents of Mike Macgregor and the amazing vocals of Aimee Chapman. Using loops and effects, this duo creates a full band sound.

Author- Janie Franz - Skope Magazine