Oppressed By The Line

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4...according to our Ant on Thu 28 May, 2009.

Oppressed By The Line AKA Jonathan Thompson has his second (I think) CD out on drifting Falling. As soon as I hit play the silky tones and soothing vocals are caressing my ears. According to the sleeve notes the songs were written at various locations in Japan during the summer of 2006. He's certainly captured some of the spirit of his travels into the music on 'Kiku'. There are lots of pretty sounds and melodies with barely decipherable vocals that are nicely smudged into the ultra dreamy sounds with the use of effects. Pop music with heart and soul that comes with a seal of approval from moi. 'One Thousand Red Stars' reminds me of Joy Division's 'Atmosphere' and a bit of a Tears For Fears track from 'The Hurting' LP which I can't think of it's title. I'm crap with song titles. Brian has asked me to mention AR Kane as a comparison. So there you go... Five original tracks and two remixes from Winterlight and Taro Kawasaki.

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Jon Thompson grew up in a small industrial town outside of Houston, Texas. Close to the coast, it’s the sort of small American town where his only window into the bigger world of music was staying up until 1am on a Sunday night to watch 120 Minutes on MTV. Perhaps it was this, as much as anything else, that led him to pick up a guitar and seek solace amongst the rhythm and the sound.

After stints in many bands, Jon turned his 4-track diversion into his main project. Upon visiting the Tate Modern in London, he christened the project Oppressed by the Line; named after a quote on a placard under a painting by Yves Kleine. The quote read, “I adopt the cause of the colour oppressed by the line”.

The painting is gone, but the music remains. Currently residing in London(UK), Oppressed by the Line is ready to release the follow up to his debut The Cause of the Colour (which appeared on the ClubAC30 imprint). Soft Focus, as this sophomore release is entitled, is overall richer in texture and more thoroughly realised than that it’s predecesor. Soft Focus is 10 tracks of mournful melodies and sonic bliss.

    01 Oppressed by the Line - Mountain Mist
   02 Oppressed by the Line - Sunset from the 16th Floor
   03 Oppressed by the Line - Paper Cranes
   04 Oppressed by the Line - One Thousand Red Stars
   05 Oppressed by the Line - Shinkansen
   06 Oppressed by the Line - Sunset from the 16th Floor (Winterlight Remix)
   07 Oppressed by the Line - Mountain Mist (Taro kawasaki Remix)

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