With a traditional post-punk sound encased in aggression and darkness, Ötzi have perfected a modernized but timeless take on the genre that uses melodic chants, truculent verses, and a driving backbeat that freshens up the sound for a whole new generation.
Formed in 2014, the trio have spent the ensuing years cutting their live show teeth with such punk and new-wave legends as Deerhoof, the Chameleons and Modern English, which led them to play renowned Los Angeles event Part Time Punks Live concert night where this EP was recorded. Modeled after the famed BBC 1 program The Peel Sessions, the event is affiliated with the Part Time Punks KXLU radio show and captured Ötzi in their rawest form: live.
“I’m fond of this session because we’d just played a great show the night before with bands we love, and brought that energy into the studio,” said singer and bassist Akiko Sampson of the project. “The recording is straight ahead and made without a lot of fuss or effects, so it’s just us, raw and totally ourselves.” Drummer Gina Marie echoed the sentiment and acknowledged the show’s inspiration: “This was a fun and fast four hours of recording … I’m a huge fan of Peel Sessions and love the idea of keeping it going in a similar form.”
While three songs are alternate versions of previously recorded material, a new single titled “The Ballad of Oiwa,” a patiently measured, emotional track that fluctuates between controlled mournfulness and explosive rage with evenly matched passion and skill. Acting as the album’s opener, the track lays the groundwork for the bleakness of “Winter” to sweep in like a welcome chill before the dancefloor-ready “Charms” drops in the remind you of the fun at hand. Each containing their own specific mood and pacing, the four tracks play out in quick succession but not without packing an individual, memorable punch.
Out officially this Thursday, February 28th on Psychic Eye and Near Dark Records, Ötzi’s Part Time Punks Sessions is available for streaming in full above exclusively here today. Listen above and pre-order a copy from the group’s Bandcamp, and check them out on their handful of upcoming West Coast dates alongside post-punk contemporaries like Lebanon Hanover and Actors.
03/21 – Elbo Room Jack London – Oakland, CA (Supporting Actors)
04/14 – Star Theater – Portland, OR (Supporting 1919)
04/20 – Starline Social Club – Oakland, CA (Supporting Lebanon Hanover)