Ø L T E N

If ØLTEN were to be a city, it would definitely lie at the heart of a triangle made of Longyearbyin, Pripiat and Balsthal – wherever the hell that means! The three members of this new band from the Swiss Jura are obviously fond of human coldness. Think about it: they can’t be asked to shave properly, they wear checked shirts and use old amps that have been gathering the dust of general oblivion for ever. On top of that, these grumpy boys appear to worship shot putter Werner Günthör, despite his roots in Thurgovia. That’s the icing on the cake.
Even though they don’t lack sense of humour, Christophe Macquat (guitar), Sébastien Bandelier (bass) and Marc Theurillat (tambourine and drums) are still full of grim, even frankly sick, ideas. These come across in their music. With instruments sounding like they’ve been tuned in a basement by the devil himself, these guys will undoubtedly spark the interest of young anthropologists desperate for a new case study.
Disillusioned by the mere existence of the human race, ØLTEN produces a basic instrumental post-rock sludge that wouldn’t put off the happy fellows of bands such as Cult of Luna, Neurosis, Bongripper, Russian Circles or Sunn o))). But let’s stop comparing here. ØLTEN, although they’ve only been playing for a year, relies on its musicians’ experience to achieve its singular and heavy style, which could be described as a successful mix of oppression and daydreaming sequences.
With that in mind, it’s clear that ØLTEN doesn’t target overdressed ladies or hipsters you’d come across in a marketing school. This band, formed in 2012, sets off on its journey with the release of its first gruelling and biting EP in June 2013.
The fat sound oozing out of this hydraulic press still leaves room for the listener to actually enjoy the great extent of the musicians’ technical skills. Nothing has been left to chance here. Far worse than a mass destruction weapon, ØLTEN invents the deconstructing machine. It carefully operates from its rear base, located in an industrial wasteland near Delémont. It is now available as a vinyl record and to download. Or better still, it will most likely drag itself over to your area soon.