Experimental and brimming with unique creativity; Michael Oscillate is the dark ambient musician and audio engineer from Austria that you never knew you needed to listen to. Oscillate is not only able to transport his audience to an alternate and otherworldly dimension at the closing of their eyes, but his music also evokes emotions within you that you weren’t even aware that you had. There is a transcendental and ethereal quality to tracks such as ‘Deep into the Kastle’ and soon to be found in his upcoming album, ‘Hyperbolic Hypnosis of Luminescence’, that is the perfect sonic representation of the new heights his music has reached.
Oscillate bridges the gap across the electro-acoustic divide; utilising field recordings alongside generative processes on the modular synthesizer to lean into the mysterious nature of the dark ambient genre. Steering well clear of the pack, his originality has become a trademark feature amongst his ever-increasing fan base, who have described his musical ventures as; hypnotic, intense, mesmerizing, and even intoxicating. Such is his skill, Oscillate is able to elicit feelings such as peace and clarity even through the mediums of dissonance and compelling cacophony. The depth of these tracks, and the interplanetary journey they seem to take you on, are more addictive after each listen – as you’re slowly drawn in by the swelling drones and melodic synthesizers of some projects (Droned Home, Space Adaptation Syndrome, Cosmic Recomposition), and the transfixing clamour and tumult of others (Deep into the Kastle, Silent Alice). Oscillate continues to impress and churn out album after album of creative and intriguing “walls of sound” that somehow reflect the inward emotions that have longed seemed inexpressible.
All of this paints a bright future for Michael Oscillate in the under-appreciated market of dark ambient, a niche corner of ardent experimentation in the music industry. Through his YouTube channel, combines stunning visuals with celestial soundscapes for an all-round immersive experience. Much of the catalogue can be found via Bandcamp, and his larger projects, such as EP’s and albums, can also be found on major streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify.
Released 1. Okt 2021
Leafland Audio
Written and produced by Michael Bargen
Arrangement, mixing and mastering by Michael Bargen
Back with another full-length release, Michael Oscillate brings chaos and order together in a Yin
and Yang formation in his 8-track album “Hyperbolic Hypnosis of Luminescence”. Before even
delving into the audible aspect of this release, the alluring artwork that accompanies the release
paints a promising picture of controlled dissonance, thematic intrigue, and a deeper look at life.
The opening track, “Thermodynamic Redox”, shines with swirling pads beneath brilliantly crafted
snippets of radio transmission interspersed throughout. Moving onward to “Serpentine Winds”,
we are met with a heavenly track that is well befitting of its title. The airy and wind-like sounds
simmer throughout the seven minute runtime that leads us into the more adventurous and
rhythmic exploration of “Immunofluorescence”. In its layered form, the song combines the slow
and soaring with the up-tempo and pulsing. “DORgone” leads on from this, and finds its
strengths in the soothing qualities that remain despite the song’s intentional dissonance.
Capturing and holding our attention with fleeting moments of intrigue, the song plays off
suspense to add to the melodrama of its more climactic moments. “Lonely Souls” is immediately
worthy of attention with the melodic motif in the background surrounded by myriad layers of
engaging sounds that emulate the likes of sirens, wind, and fire. And at just over two minutes, is
presented as a more palatable introduction to Oscillate’s experimental style. A similar theme is
followed in “Murmurs”, another of the album’s shorter tracks, in which a more melodic route has
been taken in a soundtrack that wouldn’t feel out of place in the climax of a sci-fi thriller.
“Dislodge” stands out amongst the tracks on this album as a spoken word rather than a pure
instrumental. The track speaks of existentialism and the connection of mankind and the planet,
and the spiritual essence that resides in all creation. The album concludes with the album’s
longest piece, “Cloud Condensation with Resonation”. The rainy backdrop provides a
peace-inducing foundation on which the remaining swells and tones, reminiscent of resonant
church bells and string sections, take centre stage. The album closes out in this almost
transcendental state, and is wonderfully ended with a childlike voice and utterance that fades
into the album’s finish.
The overall composition of this album is not unlike a good life itself, with moments of peace and
moments of chaos and uncertainty that all combine to capture the beauty of our existence
Released 8. May 2021
Leafland Audio
Written and produced by Michael Bargen
Arrangement, mixing and mastering by Michael Bargen
Deep into the Kastle is the monumental 22-minute masterful work of Michael Oscillate, all condensed into a single track that was created with one single device, the Kastle Drum. In what may be his most impressive work yet, Oscillate manages to build layer upon layer to fashion a wall of sound that as is engaging as it is complex. The intricate sound design in this track creates a nestled space in amongst the sonic chaos for the listener to reside and feel truly encompassed by the totality of what this track has to offer. This song continually evolves throughout, smoothly transitioning from one section to the next with a plomb, supported by the perfectly suited and curiously bizarre music video that accompanies. This track highlights the peak of Oscillate’s creative drive and instinct in a manner that is equal parts hypnotic and therapeutic. Deep into the Kastle says nothing in and of itself, but begins the conversation within yourself to go further and explore; to delve deeper into one’s own mind and become fully engulfed in the process.
Released 26. Mar 2021
Leafland Audio
Written and produced by Michael Bargen
Arrangement, mixing and mastering by Michael Bargen
One of multiple 2021 releases, Droned Home is the most recent EP of Michael Oscillate and is comprised of just four songs, totalling almost a half hour between them. As is self-evident in the title, this project centres around the use of drones to manufacture an aura of serenity and encourage inward reflection and contemplation. This music is best listened to with eyes shut, allowing the atmospheric drones and the celestial melodies to move within you and carry you away into a world totally disconnected from the world that you knew before those eyelids met. The 5-and-a-half-minute opener, Subduction Zone, is the height of tranquillity in its astonishing spacey and angelic sways. Hysteria returns to Oscillate’s proclivity for the eerie and spectral, which is carried on too through Dwindling. Droned Home closes itself out with the unabating and lengthy, Isolated–which remains both dynamic and gripping through its 11-and-a-half-minute run.
Released February 4, 2021
Κhôros
Written and produced by Michael Bargen
Arrangement, mixing and mastering by Michael Bargen
Space Adaptation Syndrome is a 2021, four-song EP released by Michael Oscillate. This project, like others in the Oscillate catalogue, uses wonderfully crafted drones as a firm foundation to overlay an array of eye-catching rhythmic elements that seamlessly transition from one to the next. In what could be considered a more accessible introduction to the genre of (dark ambient), Space Adaptation Syndrome expresses the general themes prevalent in other more audacious works in a more palatable manner, with more predictable rhythm and noticeable melody. All of this combined establishes a more inviting arena in which outsiders to this style of music are able to enter in and fully submerge themselves in the sedating soundscapes that Oscillate offers, in a way that is approachable while remaining authentic to its heritage. The closingtrack, Journey into the Unknown, is a particularly melodic piece in the context of Oscillate’s broader discography – but still has all the technical ability and creativity we have come to expect from this artist.
Released 20. Nov 2020
Leafland Audio
Written and produced by Michael Bargen
Arrangement, mixing and mastering by Michael Bargen
Silent Alice is the reimagining of the 1915 silent film, “Alice in Wonderland”, scored by Michael Oscillate in his trademark and recognisable style. The hauntingly dreamlike arrangement adds an incredibly eerie layer to the immersive experience, especially when accompanied by the visuals of the film itself. The soundtrack alone, however, is full of interesting and inspired choices in terms of overall musical direction, and is an excellent collection of music with or without the aid of the visual. A project spanning almost three quarters of an hour, Silent Aliceblends 17 pieces of music together in a beautiful patchwork that shines most when listened to in its entirety. From the almost orchestral sounding The White Rabbit, to the intimidating bellows of The Gryphon, this project strikes an appropriate balance between cohesion and uniquenessof the tracks. If “Alice in Wonderland” were to franchise into the horror film industry, then it is precisely this soundtrack that would assure its success.
Release 28. Mar 2020
Leafland Audio
Written and produced by Michael Bargen
Arrangement, mixing and mastering by Michael Bargen
With a track-list that reads more like homeware inventory than a typical album, Electromagnetic Houseware Adventures is the 2020 art project of Michael Oscillate that sets out to capture the electromagnetic frequencies of household items, from a vacuum cleaner to a dishwasherand (almost) everything in between, and processes these audible frequencies into a 17-track series of avant-grade musical compositions. Electromagnetic Houseware Adventures is home to both swelling drones and calming pads, and myriad other compelling textures born through this innovative process. Throughout these tracks, from start to finish, are a library of unique sounds unlike many, or any, you’ve heard before. Vacuum cleaner comes in at 43 seconds long with interesting crescendos supported by a deep drone, while Dishwasher–clocking in at almost fourminutes –is the longest track on this project, and achieves its own enveloping atmosphere through more subtle and nuanced sonic textures and fluctuations.
Release 28. Apr 2020
Leafland Audio
Written and produced by Michael Bargen
Arrangement, mixing and mastering by Michael Bargen
Cosmic Recomposition is the only project by Michael Oscillate to breach the one–hour timestamp, comprised of three equally ambitious and gargantuan tracks of approximately 25 minutes a piece. This projectis intended to be an exploration into meditation through binaural beats, and is consequently only suited to headphone–listening. Oscillate involves himself heavily in the practice of dealing with brainwaves and out–of–body experiences through his art, and has developed three forms of meditation as a result: meditative states, out–of–body experiences, and profound insights. Telepathic Neuronic Supersonic begins this auditory journey by stimulating telepathic communication before moving into Third Eye Biopunk, which then stimulates the pineal gland – also known by some as the third eye. This is where mystical experiences may take place, during this pulsing and heavenly mix of sound. The third and final track, Astral Subspace, encourages and promotes an astral journey in which one may find themselves suddenly in an out–of–body experience sparked by the carefully engineered composition of the track, full of space and soothing energy.
