ØR – Norwegian for “dizzy, confusing” – is the third album from Italian avant-rock trio OSLO TAPES, and the album keeps what the word promises: a dizzying ride through a feverish dreamscape of imaginary Norwegian highlands painted in cubistic shapes. Hypnotic basslines, repetitive drum patterns, new wave synths and psychedelic guitar textures covering the full width of the stereo room, all seamlessly woven into a gloomy Kraut – tapestry which sounds refreshingly… modern, while paying tribute to the aged genre.
Marco Campitelli, born and raised in Lanciano on the Southern Adriatic coast of Italy, founded OSLO TAPES in the early 2010s after a trip to the Norwegian Capital left him deeply impressed. Under the influence of this infatuation, he composed and produced OSLO TAPES’ first record “OT (un cuore in pasto a pesci con teste di cane)” within a week in 2013.
Supervised and supported by friend Amaury Cambuzat (faUSt / Ulan Bator), Campitelli’s first attempt to capture the mystical vibe of Norway was released on DeAmbula Records (Ulan Bator, The Marigold, 7C). In 2015 he was joined by Mauro Spada and Federico Sergente (Zippo) and together they recorded OSLO TAPES’ sophomore album “Tango Kalashnikov”, also released on DeAmbula Records.
“ØR” is a much more collaborative effort for OSLO TAPES than the first two records. Next to Campitelli, the album was co-produced by Amaury Cambuzat (Ulan Bator) and James Aparicio (house engineer for Mute Records and mixing and mastering engineer for Depeche Mode, Mogwai, Nick Cave). During production, Campitelli became friends with Emil Nikolaisen of Serena Maneesh w h o guided him “through the Norwegian imagination”. As a result, the record’s title is also courtesy of Nikolaisen.
The band plays at Roadburn Festival (NL) in 2021 one of the great festival for the alternative music in Europe.
2023 is the year of “Staring At The Sun Before Goin’ Blind”.
The work started in studio by Campitelli and his long date producer Amaury Cambuzat, the duo composes, plays and arranged every part of the album.
To complete the line up Mauro Spada (bass) and Davide Di Vigilio (drums).
Cambuzat mixed every single ‘tune and noise’ in his personal “laboratory” called Let go Ego Sound Studio.
Special guest: Dahm Majuri Cipolla of MONO (drums on Ethereal Song and Middle Ground), Sicker Man of Trialogos (cello) Federico Sergente (percussions) and Nicola Giunta (aka Kaouenn, guitars, percussions, synth).