- Oskar Offermann's latest record is like the passing of a torch. After ending his own label, WHITE, the German artist said, "I want to make room for younger labels with new ideas and visions. You get so much in return, because it is them reinventing the music." Alongside Traffic, he mentions Hardworksoftdrink, the label behind his latest 12-inch, Monte Scherbelino. Since launching in 2013, Hardworksoftdrink has put out trippy and minimalist club records heavy on playful detail and groove—its oddball samples and sound design can conjure images of alien landscapes. Occupying this zany space, Offermann's Monte Scherbelino is one of his most out-there records yet.
Thanks to weird synth leads, each track has a distinct personality. "Stoffi," with eerie pads and a sly broken rhythm, is capped off by a sound that wobbles like a spinning top. "Opfermann" is sleepy and more soothing, with chirps that stand out like glimmers in the dark. "Ossi" is the EP's easiest DJ material. It starts as a stepping electro track but is boldened by a bulldozing acid line. On "Osbourne," the sounds are tactile and bizarre—wet gurgles, ping-pong knocks and some kind of plunging instrument create a satisfying, angular groove. Offermann's name could bring some new attention to Hardworksoftdrink, but, by the sound of Monte Scherbelino, it's also clear the label has given him something new.
TracklistA1 Stoffi
A2 Opfermann
B1 Ossi
B2 Osbourne