Scis (album)
| Scis | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 January 2020 | |||
| Length | 44:59 | |||
| Label | Thrill Jockey | |||
| Producer | Markus Popp | |||
| Oval chronology | ||||
| ||||
Scis is a studio album by Oval, a project of German record producer Markus Popp.[1] It was released on 17 January 2020 through Thrill Jockey.[2] It received generally favorable reviews from critics.[3]
Background
Scis is Oval's first studio album since Popp (2016).[4] In a 2023 interview, Oval's Markus Popp explained, "With Popp and Scis, it was kind of like a club critique, me using club tropes, club techniques, club tricks."[4] A music video was released for the song "Improg".[5] Prior to the album's release, the Eksploio EP was released on 8 November 2019 through Thrill Jockey.[6]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 76/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Exclaim! | 7/10[8] |
| Pitchfork | 7.0/10[9] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Scis received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 from 4 critic scores.[3]
Paul Simpson of AllMusic commented that Scis is "essentially a melodic whirlpool of acoustic tones, bombastic beats, and darting, buzzing bass lines."[7] He added, "Just as vibrant and full of wonder as Popp, Scis is another imaginative, unpredictable world of sound."[7] Mark Richardson of Bandcamp Daily stated, "Beats are often out front on Scis, but Popp's drum programming isn't tied to any particular musical idiom."[10] He added, "Though the music is tethered to a steady pulse, percussion, for Popp, is ultimately another tool for density and space."[10]
Miles Bowe of Pitchfork commented that "Scis initially picks up where its relatively club-oriented 2016 predecessor left off, but gradually unspools into something new."[9] Daniel Sylvester of Exclaim! stated, "Scis demonstrates that, 27 years into his recording career, Markus Popp is still managing to come off forward-thinking and forward-sounding."[8]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Markus Popp.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Twirror" | 5:00 |
| 2. | "Robussy" | 4:40 |
| 3. | "Fluoresso" | 4:48 |
| 4. | "Pushhh" | 4:44 |
| 5. | "Impecco" | 4:32 |
| 6. | "Cozzmo" | 4:40 |
| 7. | "Improg" | 4:16 |
| 8. | "Mikk" | 3:52 |
| 9. | "Oxagon" | 4:08 |
| 10. | "Piqqo" | 4:08 |
| Total length: | 44:59 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[11]
- Markus Popp – arrangement, production
- Sveta Rybkina – cover design
References
- ^ Cooper, Sean. "Oval". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ McDermott, Matt (4 November 2019). "Oval returns with a new album, Scis, his first in five years". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
- ^ a b c "Scis by Oval". Metacritic. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ a b Terich, Jeff (11 May 2023). "A Guide to Oval's Digital Evolution". Bandcamp Daily. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ "Oval - Improg (official music video)". YouTube. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
- ^ Ingalls, Chris (11 November 2019). "Beats, Glitches and Melody: Oval's 'Eksploio' Is a Rich, Modern Treat for the Ears". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ a b c Simpson, Paul. "Scis - Oval". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ a b Sylvester, Daniel (14 January 2020). "Oval - Scis". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ a b Bowe, Miles (1 February 2020). "Oval: Scis". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ a b Richardson, Mark (17 January 2020). "Oval, "Scis" and "Eksploio"". Bandcamp Daily. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ Oval (2020). Scis (CD booklet). Thrill Jockey.