The Apes of God-Solitare You Own The World
Oracular Laboratory Recordings

review by Michael Gendreau from Freeway

The Apes of God are Gilbert Marhoefer (words, voice) and Jason Gibbs (music, instruments, production.) It doesn't sound like what I expected of a group that is a "spoken word" artist (poet) with one multi-instrumentalist. That is, it sounds like music right away; the spoken parts are fully integrated into the non-voice sounds, as if conceived along with them, like a song as opposed to an instrument-backed reading. Jason's sounds themselves contribute to my surprise: there are complex laminar drum programmes and other electronics, things I didn't realize were in the bassoonist's vocabulary (the woodwinds Gibbs is known [at least to me] forare only heard on the last track. Continuing through the recording, style is noticed because it changes often. There are the Ike Yard-like (but faster) e-drums backing s as described above; dub, with vocals sung varying from the expected pitch slightly (expected by those unfortunate enough to be ear-trained and without the ability to lose it at will, that is): grind--approaching slowish techno (used to be called industrial by the unenlightened); high-tech obscure television ad style; early 80s late night radio music (sometimes known as " 'Enthal or art-damaged music); chants ("shining, shining..." ) and others, all styles primarily determined by Jason's programmes. This variety (versatility) along with the tone of Marhoefer's voice which never annoyed me, make this an interesting, listenable yet challenging, release. (Note that this review has been taken from a sonic perspective only; I haven't , due to limited time limitations, analyzed Marhoefer's words (not that my novice-sized literary bite could do them justice, anyway.)