Oneohtrix Point Never: "Sticky Drama"

As Oneohtrix Point Never, Daniel Lopatin has never shied away from weirdo source material, like the refreshing “ah” of a soda commercial on 2011’s “Sleep Dealer”. And it’s possible he lifted many of the basic elements of “Sticky Drama” (like someone lamenting, “What is wrong with the world, people?”) from the depths of some archive before warping them to high hell. Or maybe he made all these parts from scratch and futzed with them. Who knows?

The mystery of that sample spotting is part of the fun. And this track is, beyond all reasoning, pretty fun to listen to. About half of “Sticky Drama” sounds like it might be a remix of some syrupy West Coast R&B. The other half sounds like what a tiny animated robot jogs to before heading to battle. And it doesn’t unfold in any linear order, either, bending and weaving through various pockets of sound over its four-minute runtime. What the heck kind of music is this? If Lopatin in the past had been someone you’d call a composer as much of a producer, “Sticky Drama” certainly continues to complicate any true north of his music. Call it nimble, adventurous, or maybe even stubborn, but it’s exciting to see what continues to happen next.

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