- Like other great German labels, Die Orakel specialises in strange music built for clubs. The last two records released on Oliver Hafenbauer's label—Jaures' Tsoyberbarg and Pablo Mateo's Dekalog—seem partly informed by the type of outsider house brought to prominence by labels like L.I.E.S., Future Times and Opal Tapes; the difference is Die Orakel's emphasis on functionality. Melodies are raw, hazy and maximalist, bolstered by punchy, floor-friendly drums uncommon in music with similar textures. Jaures' second EP on the label, Silence, continues mining that sound with a set of swung groovers.
Silence is significantly more percussive than Jaures' last Die Orakel outing. It contains three versions of "Silence," which is a gutsy move. Thankfully, there's enough variation across the EP to make it a worthy purchase. The "After Death" and "Before Birth" versions are dynamic, drum-heavy cuts almost any house selector could use, with thick basslines and snappy kicks. Essentially drum tracks, they're both covered in a thick coat of tape hiss, and it somehow perfectly suits the subtle acid line on "After Death." "Silence (Inbetween)" is a three-minute ambient sketch that adds an extra quirk to the best leftfield dance floor record I've heard in a while.
TracklistA1 Silence (After Death)
A2 Silence (Inbetween)
B1 Silence (Before Birth)