Oval Essentials

During the '90s, no artist embodied experimental electronic music more than Oval. The project of Germany's Markus Popp, early recordings were built from samples of skipping CDs and digital distortion, resulting in noisy yet strangely beautiful compositions. Their impact was immediate, influencing IDM duo Mouse On Mars and pop maverick Björk, who sampled Oval's “Aero Deck” on her album Vespertine. Over the years, Popp would incorporate more acoustic elements like live drums while smoothing his sound's rougher edges, with often enrapturing results.