ALBUM REVIEW: Oklou - choke enough
Like listening to Cascada from several rooms away.
The presence of mid-aughts Eurodance is felt throughout the entirety of choke enough, the debut album from French sensation Oklou. Pulsing, aggressive synths defined artists like Cascada or Max Coveri, and to an extent, they define Oklou too. But she’s not interested in smashing you over the head with her beats. The songs of choke enough are forever in a trance, one filled with subtle, thoughtful electronic noise that softens the explosiveness of a “Everytime We Touch” while creating a world of sound unto itself.
Take for instance the first two songs on the record. “endless” opens with a burbling synth that Oklou calms with a dainty voice. “thank you for recording” feels almost Medieval in its rhythm, turning soft synth beats into a celebration of the Internet and its ability to connect anyone from anywhere. On both tracks there’s an incredible amount of catchiness despite them never getting louder than an inside voice. It’s a testament to her abilities as a producer to makes something so quiet yet so captivating.
That aforementioned Eurodance influence pops up in various ways across the record. On “obvious”, little horn spurts appear as Oklou’s voice swirls around your ears. The following “ict” brings the horns to the forefront as a loopy synth pattern climbs to the forefront at the song’s climax. Things do get a little livelier on the production side as the record progresses, and some of choke enough’s best songs are energized by their guests. Bladee adds his own introspection on relationships to “take me by the hand”, a song that grasps for love in a fleeting world. The most apparent Eurodance influence shows itself on “harvest sky”, highlighted by some sharp synth melodies that would get a festival of thousands jumping.
Rarely does Oklou’s voice rise above a whisper on choke enough, but she doesn’t need to get loud for her to draw you in. At just 36 minutes, the record is over before you know it, and each return journey has led me to appreciate a new element to a different track. It’s like hearing something interesting from another room, only to find that it’s always another room away. You’ll keep listening even if the mystery never gets solved.
Verdict: 8.0/10
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