Oubys – End Space (Album – Belgian Neumusik / Wool-E Discs)
Genre/influences: Electro-Ambient.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/info: Belgian artist Wannes Kolf is already active under the Oubys moniker for more than ten years. He released an impressive number of productions and last year joined hands together with Belgian Neumusik to release ‘chapter 32’ in this series devoted to Belgian Ambient music.
Content: This album features 4 tracks leading the listener into an icy, abyssal sound universe. The work however takes off with bombastic drum layers, which are rapidly joined by icy sound signals. This ultra-cold approach is the common thread between all tracks. It creates a dark universe of repetitive loops, which are achieved with extra sound layers. The last track is the most elaborated one and evolves into a Psychedelic exposure.
+ + + : This album is without a shadow of a doubt one of my favorites in this Belgian Neumusik series. Ambient-Electro has been transposed into an extremely icy atmosphere created by outstanding sound treatments. The low sound waves are accentuating the dark side of the work. There’s no real track to throw away, but the last one (cf. “Fantom”) is the most sophisticated one while I really enjoy the frosty sound treatments of “Dimensional” and “Prospect”.
– – – : No real minus points to mention.
Conclusion: Oubys is the kind of project deserving more attention and recognition; this album reveals a great approach and outstanding tracks!
Best songs: “Dimensional”, “Fantom”, “Prospect”.
Rate: 8½.
Listen to “End Space”:
Artist: www.facebook.com/deepspatialsonicexperience
Label: www.wool-e-discs.be / www.belgianneumusik.be /
About Oubys
Oubys is the one-man ambient project of Belgian musician Wannes Kolf, based in Hasselt. He builds the music from live improvisations, electronic treatment and field recordings.
Early output includes the minidisc release “Surrender” (U-Cover, 2009) and the self-released EPs “Kanaalrat” and “Reax” plus the single “XTC” in 2017. Ogula Records, Kolf’s own label, issued “Gravity Codex”, “Homeostasis EP” and “RND Redox EP” in 2018, “ZERO EP” and the single “Infinity” in 2019, and the albums “The Black Land Sessions” and “Elysia” in 2020. Testtoon Records released the cassette “Live At Morbus Gravis Record Gore Day, 22.04.2017” in 2018 before ceasing operations.
“End Space” was released on 28 August 2021 as a limited CD through Wool-E Discs. The Bandcamp listing numbers it BNM033 in the Belgian NeuMusik series, while this review refers to it as chapter 32. Kolf recorded, performed and mixed the four tracks “Endships”, “Dimensional”, “Prospect” and “Fantom”; Jan Buytaert mastered the album and Merel Claes did the artwork and design.
Unexplained Sounds Group released the limited CDr album “Holosphere” in 2025, and the EP “The Architecture Of Listening” followed on Ogula Records in 2026.
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