Omiqron6 - A New Kind of Lightning

Omiqron6 is a Mexican ambient artist who wants fans to know that he adds spiritual elements to all his music. Indeed, all of the tracks on his debut album, A New Kind of Lightning have a definitively eastern bent to them, most specifically Chinese. The word of the day for Omiqron6, however, is definitely “ambient”. Not ambient dance music as some might associate the word nowadays, but ambient music, while still electronic, in the vein of Tangerine Dream, Vangelis and Popol Vuh. It is electronic music meant to be as such; maybe for dancing, but more for contemplating one’s navel. In Omiqron6’s case, however, that navel looks like a dragon and plays a Guzheng.

There’s not a lot of information online about Omiqron6 just yet, but it’s clear from all the tracks on A New Kind of Lightning that he’s heavily influenced by eastern music and philosophy. In his own statement about the project: “In times when the collective human spirit is sunk in conflict, violence and suffering... I love to help elevate it. My songs are short stories made in sound about the triumph of the human soul. The triumph over the claws and jaws of human suffering. Please let these sounds take you into a journey. It is my hope when you hear these sounds they become colored by your beautiful mind and soul into a place of triumph in the realms of inner peace and freedom.” That give a lot of information into the artist’s motivations, as he’s clearly into Buddhism and spirituality, and his music does seem to have that transcendent quality of many spiritually-driven ambient artists, and it’s possible that binaural beats even come into play.

Beat-wise, the best way to describe the tracks on the new album is trip-hop, but that’s also not quite accurate. In the lead track, “Om Is On”, the drums sound quite traditional, and are possibly even analog, mastered to sound electronic. They drive the track but also seem like an afterthought in the face of the Eastern-influenced flutes and strings. This is the case with other tracks like “Pawa” and “Out Of Me”, but some other songs are more dance or hip hop influenced. “Times Astray”, for example, is syncopated almost to the point of seeming like a fusion or experimental electronica track if it weren’t for the Chinese-influenced string track over top of the beat. Still other tracks like “Ifeel Like1” have almost no beat and incorporate other traditional music like a church organ.

It’s a strange and interesting journey listening to A New Kind of Lightning. Sometimes a little hectic, sometimes beautiful, definitely Eastern and definitely experimental, it’s up to the listener as to what kind of experience he or she will have with this album. Whether it’s a transcendent experience of not is subjective, but this album will indeed challenge many listeners with its frenetic fusion and Chinese-driven electronica.

May 26 2017