THE OMNIFIC - Escapades
Pictured: Matthew Fackrell, Jerome Lematua + Toby Peterson-Stewart - THE OMNIFIC
Photo courtesy of Maric Media
THE OMNIFIC Escapades are Beyond Magnificent
Written by: Rod Whitfield - Independent | Monday 4 October 2021
If you’re looking for something fresh, new and unique, Melbourne’s THE OMNIFIC may be your bag. I’m not saying there’s never been a band consisting of two bassists and a drummer before. That’s been done - 90s Melbourne alternative band PRE-SHRUNK come to mind – although it’s extremely rare. And THE OMNIFIC’s musical output is vastly different to PRE-SHRUNK’s funky, vocal-oriented sound.
THE OMNIFIC supporting COG for the Drawn Together Tour @ Max Watt’s Sydney (2019)
Photos by: Jimmy Wah @jimmywaahh
The Review
This is the trio’s debut album, and it finds them in truly adventurous and exuberant form. From the rolling, swirling opening strains of opener Antecedent to the stomping, rumbling Posterity, this band is led onwards and upwards by nought but their ingenuity and collective imagination. Of course, the players in the band can play like motherfuckers, the bass notes fly at you in a coordinated, slapping and popping flurry, while the drummer locks into the groove tighter than a clenched fist, while still displaying his own flair and creativity on the skins and cymbals. But this album is just about more than simply saying ‘hey look, we’re a band with two bassists and a drummer, look at what we can do!’ It’s also about tightly and cohesively composed songs and the creation of kinetic soundscapes that whisk you away to another place.
Added to the extraordinarily artistic vibe of Escapades, it is plain as day that much thought, time and effort has been put into the construction of this album. The production is slick, powerful and listenable, the performances from all involved are nigh-on perfect, and not a single note is wasted across the journey.
Throw many elements of dynamism and variation into the mix, providing sonic islands in the flowing stream of bass notes and hard-hitting drum grooves, in the form of subtle electronica, piano-driven sections, washy, orchestral-esque flourishes, and some seriously quirky moments, and you have yourself one hell of a wild and wonderful bass-driven instrumental ride.
Arguably the most impressive thing about it all, however, is the fact that, while you may think the range of sounds a three-piece using only two instrument types can produce may be somewhat limited, nothing could be further from the truth. Each of the 11 tracks on offer here is different, each has its own character, each stands out in its own way. To the point where attempting to pick a key track is pointless. This is only possible when artists of vision, imagination and facility are involved.
The Verdict
If you like the bass guitar, if you like great drumming, if you like exciting, riveting instrumental music, and if you’re craving something different, something well out of the ordinary, Escapades is most definitely for you.
9/10
Escapades comes out Friday 8 October 2021 via Wild Thing Records
More from THE OMNIFIC…
Pictured: Matthew Fackrell, Toby Peterson-Stewart + Jerome Lematua - THE OMNIFIC
Photo courtesy of Maric Media
