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OHYUNG's 'IOWA': Springsteen's Midwest Echoes
10 Mar
Summary
- OHYUNG's 'IOWA' is an ambient album inspired by Springsteen's 'Nebraska'.
- The album features sparse language and vocal samples processed with heavy reverb.
- Rusli wrote 'IOWA' during a 2023-2024 period residing in Iowa City.
The artist OHYUNG, also known as Lia Ouyang Rusli, has released 'IOWA,' a new ambient album. This work serves as an homage to Bruce Springsteen's 1982 album, 'Nebraska.' Rusli lived in Iowa City from 2023 to 2024, and it was during this time she composed 'IOWA.'
The album is noted for its sparse lyrical content and its utilization of vocal samples. These samples, often choir-like, are heavily processed with reverb, creating an ethereal and sometimes unsettling atmosphere. This approach positions the voice as a fleeting element rather than a central narrative anchor.
Musically, 'IOWA' is a departure from OHYUNG's more recent, genre-bending work like 'You Are Always on My Mind.' It adopts a glacial, deliberate pace, evoking vast, desolate landscapes. Tracks like 'the black angel' and 'christofascism' illustrate this sound, blending choral textures with ambient synths and percussive elements, conveying a sense of dislocated menace.
