Olli Aarni - Dimension Scrolling (Mondoj)

The Slow Music Movement
Aug 18
2 min read

*** This blog post first appeared in TSMM's August 10th Newsletter, where you can get all the tips (and more) first ***

This is the cover art for Olli Aarni's, Dimension Scrolling album on Mondoj Records. It's shows a blurred abstract photo on a pink background, featuring a detailed close-up with green and black patterns. The pink background has subtle text overlays. Mood is creative.

Olli Aarni has been releasing music - largely very listenable experimental ambient electronica from what I can see, both collaboratively and under various monikers for the last fifteen years, so I’m mildly peeved it’s take me this long to stumble across him.

On this latest transmission he makes “a further attempt to describe the world” and you can’t help but thinking that this splintered, hyperreal, possible unreal collection of sonic fragments that we’re left to piece together is the perfect allegory for our post-truth, (mis)information loverloaded, videos and pictures are the new words, ADHD infested, AI sloppy, likes as currency, 2D and small screen rather than 3D widescreen existential abyss that we’re tumbling into.

A cut out selfie photo of Olli Aarni in a patterned sweater and mask holding a phone on a grey and white checked background, creating a modern abstract art vibe.

Not that the recording is in anyway as dark and doomy as that implies, in fact quite the opposite. It’s a painstakingly constructed soundscape with a childlike playfullness to it and a soothing method to its minutai laden madness. Found and twisted sounds mingle and jostle with more familiar sound snippets, space is celebrated then filled with sonic bubbles which instantaneously pop to makeway for more magical noises that leap like lemmings from neighbouring dimensions to fill the void.

Luckily for the faint hearted there are Mia Tarkela’s android like ASMR vocals to guide all those in need of reassurance, and encourage those falling in love with their AI assistants through the microsound mayhem until comfortable or at least comfortably confused. If reality were real then this would be its soundtrack.