Customer Rating: 
Summary: Could've Been A Contender
Comment: I'm having a problem writing a review that pays enough attention to this album's faults, which are significant. I'm having this problem because I *really want* to like this album in a superlative way. At times I have managed to convince myself that this is the best from an excellent band. Fluke is unquestionably one of the best acts in techno, managing to write engaging, unduly clever and upbeat dance music that kicks the frequently over-repetitive and boring concoctions of their supposed betters at Underworld in the face. Their sheer mastery can be partially measured by the sheer happiness and good feeling of their music in the world of british rock-techno, a field dominated by the dramatic, dark, mysterious, even alien (moods which can tie together the best albums by acts as disparate as Autechre, the Future Sound of London, Juno Reactor, and of course Underworld). Fluke's willingness to celebrate a 'groovy point of view' even when it's not the stylish thing to do (a friend of mine on Theivery Corporation's _Mirror Conspiracy_: "It's not very good, but it's stylish as hell"), or for that matter the most obviously successful thing to do, is to be admired. It cannot, though, be the end of the story. A latent appreciation for the troubling things in life has always been a source of tension in Fluke's music. It clearly surfaces well before _OTO_, as early as the too-earnest longing for universal love on "Philly", and as late as "Life Support", a song positively demented when you pay attention to it, a sort of reductio ad absurdum of _Six Wheels_: Fluke's upbeat pop style versus the horror of mortal man's inevitable demise.
_OTO_ was clearly an effort to move this aspect of their music to the fore, to deploy their unquestioned skill in service of more serious music--reminiscent of Orbital, but without the programmatic political approach that dominated _Snivilisation_ and _In Sides_. "Bullet", the opener, is probably the best indicator of what should've resulted. The groovin' dance rhythm and delicate piano chords in the are backed with something decidedly new: a menacing throb in the bass. An initial insistence that "Ain't nothin' wrong, everything alright" is suddenly interrupted with the qualification "Not strictly true . . ." followed by eight straight bars of rapid justificatory and explanatory talk. The comparative moodiness of renders the track's late foray into sheer dance exuberance ("Now let's get it right!") all the more wonderful, but nonetheless temporary. As the track returns to its origins and fades out, a first-time listener is ready to expect the unexpected and the excellent from the remaining seven tracks.
It's hard to say why the album's portended greatness just doesn't materialize. Partially it's just that the sequencing is off--"Cut," a hilarious report from a man not only hopelessly, but debilitatingly in love (required listening for anyone who thinks Underworld's dirty epics can be considered definitive of the concept) cuts the tension way too early, "Squirt" and "Wobbler" are perhaps too simimilar in tone to follow each other directly, and "Freak" is just unfortunately a mood piece which turns boring.
Other than "Freak", though, each individual song has everything to recommend it. The album cut of "Tosh" is vastly superior to the _Risotto_-esque cut used on _Progressive History X_, all simmering unease, bass chops, and monotone, distorted vocals conveying a deep suspicion, evidently considered a bit too culturally deviant for greatest-hits consumption, of superhumans living super-fast lives. "Squirt" similarly blows the _Risotto_ cut to hell, avoiding the drum work for a much slower, groovier, and cartoonish opening that segues through smooth unearthly woodwinds to a fantastic conclusion. Though the disparity in quality is not as marked, this version of "Setback", a barren soundscape that slowly becomes filled with grinding guitar, organ, amazing female vocals, and ultimately confidence, is not to be missed. Of course there are also pleasures that cannot be simulated everywhere else: "Wobbler" draws your attention to who loves you while curing your brass deficiency, and "OK" is simply fantastic.
The final result is equally good and disappointing. Depending on your ability the ignore the album's shortcomings the star-rating may be too high, three stars might be more accurate. Anybody with experience listening to techno should already know, but don't underestimate the effect that sequencing can have on an album (if a newcomer needs convincing, might I suggest some classic Orbital). In a perfect world, this would've been the high point of Fluke's career so far, or at least the album's clear aspirations wouldn't have been abandoned on the machine-perfect but I think a bit soulless _Risotto_. Nonetheless a strong and highly ambitious effort by a great band.
Customer Rating:
Summary: We'll stop. Usual tricks.
Comment: What other reviewers write off as "downtempo" is the key to Fluke's genius on this album- a subtle, progressive sound that sweeps the listener away into a world a little more magical than our own- from the subdued, almost childlike melody that begins "Bullet" right to the slow-building anthem "Wobbler" and into the beautiful female vocalizations ending "Setback".
Inevitable comparisons are drawn between "Oto", and Fluke's subsequent work, "Risotto"- if for no other reason than "Squirt" and "Setback", which appear (in different forms) on both albums. But comparing the two is unfair because of the different moods present. "Risotto" is (for the most part) upbeat, high-energy electronica at it's best (especially for those who crave more than just a good beat). "Oto" is infinitely more subtle, and more than a tad darker than "Risotto", and the lyrics reflect that.
"Oto" is a masterpiece of progressive trance, containing wonderful lyrics from the repition of the word "Super" in Tosh (something you gotta read to believe) to the dark, almost apocalyptic world we create from the lyrics in "Setback". Out of the eight songs on the 55-minute "Oto", all but "Cut" are beautiful and well-crafted, the latter being a bit weak and repetitive, but is still heads and shoulders above the mindlessly weak music that sits on the charts these days.
Buy "Oto". Now. And prepare to go to a world full of darkness and danger and even a little glimmer of hope somewhere underneath everything else.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Can't quite match the standards set by 'Six wheels....'
Comment: Opening with the magnificent 'Bullet', Fluke's follow up to 'Six wheels on my Wagon' is another winner.A somewhat more varied and experimental album it struggles at times to match it's more revered predecessor, nevertheless it maintains interest form the listener. With long ambient tracks like 'Setback' and 'OK' this album has a more space-like feel to it.
Worth buying, compared to most of their rivals output.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Oto leaves something to be desired
Comment: Don't get me wrong, I love Fluke, but to me this album only has 2 good songs... "Bullet" is absolutely one of the coolest songs ever. Whenever I need a quick energizer I put on this song. It's incredible. "Squirt" is also good, but the version on Risotto is better. "OK" is a good song as well. The rest of this album leaves much to be desired. Of the 2 albums not released in the U.S., Six Wheels On My Wagon is much much better.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fluke - 'Oto'
Comment: Fluke has managed to quietly remain hidden within the realms of electronica within the US. Oto is perhaps a perfect example of what electronica can be - trance, dance, ambience, and a combination of the like. The first track is one of the most amazing trance tracks I have ever heard. It evolves into an incredible package of energy and tranquility at the same time. Fluke challenges the listener to focus on what is happening within their music. The rich textures and layers of sound will amaze any audiophile or headphone jockey.
