Some may know him as the voice of Berlin-based Indie band The Usual Boys, performing raw takes on modern adolescence in dusky clubs around the city.
Now, Aleksi Oksanen has released his first solo single ‘Over Over,’ and it takes us from the sweaty stage directly into his bedroom, where he calms down, exchanges the beer for a tea, and introduces us to a more intimate side of his.
The song greets us with sampled drums, a laid-back bass melody and a tape-y guitar in the likes of Mac DeMarco, until Oksanen’s subtly distorted voice gently takes us down into a tale of melancholy. At this point, he has trapped us in his reel-to-reel and wraps us into layers of a warm tape sound as good as it can get. The chorus can barely be called an outburst, even though we can feel the nostalgic longing for something that is indeed over, recalling a person who is causing him numbness rather than anger.
Its effortless catchiness glues it all together and creates an aura that makes us yearn for something more. ‘Over Over’ is pure pop, and it doesn’t pretend to be more than that. It excellently expresses what only pop can express, and within that framework, everything is balanced out perfectly when Oksanen’s voice seems to disappear behind a wall and then immediately bounces back into the forefront to take over the chorus for the third time.
By now, he has planted a melody in our heads that will stay for long after listening. Although I wouldn’t mind listening again. And again …