Oleic - EP

Following several self-released singles, Kelly Lee Owens (former bass player for London-based shoegazers the History of Apple Pie and featured vocalist on Daniel Avery's excellent 2013 album Drone Logic) moved up to Norwegian label Smalltown Supersound for the release of her 2016 EP Oleic. While some of her earlier songs were more atmospheric, with lush synthesizers and Owens' airy vocals weightlessly floating over slowly pulsating beats, the four tracks that make up Oleic are far more club-friendly. The beats are more upfront, and there's a neo-disco chug to the sparse basslines. The instrumental title track has some nice spiraling arpeggios, as well as a soft, chilly melody. Otherwise, the tracks feature brief fragments of vocals rather than proper lyrics. The 12" vinyl issue includes Owens' previously released club rework of Jenny Hval's "Kingsize," which drops pieces from the Norwegian vocalist's lyrics over a sly groove, pausing at a key moment to utter the eternal question, "What is soft dick rock?" The EP is a considerable showcase for Owens' skills as a dance producer; one assumes that her songwriting abilities will be explored on future releases.