Trippy psychedlic DJ Ott knows just how to get a dancefloor shaking

English music producer Ott is responsible for one 2011's best records in Mir, and he brought his unique blend of fun, zany and tripped out psychedelic techno to Nashville's Exit/In for a crazed Sunday night dancefest. Bizarre is what he does, and he does it in many ways. Exotic undersea anthems, whacked out Indian scat vocals, fierce buzzing warbly bass driven tunes, and blissfully grooving Caribbean themes are just a small part of his repertoire.

English DJ Ott gets funky with a loopy kazoo performance.

Helping out was his Seeing I band, which brought a more dynamic and organic seasoning to his compositions. Guitarist Naked Nick helps out with light vocal and and keyboard work, but his guitar blends in so well with the overall palette that it's tough to discern his overall contribution with the instrument. Chris Barker's bass, meanwhile,  is the most important single element in the band behind Ott himself. No matter what style is being espoused, Barker's bass is always grooving which in turn gets the booties shaking.

Drummer Matt White looks like the most depressed guy in the world, like he's the odd man out at a party with the cool kids. His work isn't very technical or fast-paced, but his steady tick-tick-ticking provides a constant calming presence.

When you need a backing band, who you gonna call?

Clad in his Frogadelic t-shirt, Ott commenced the madness. After opening with "Daisies and Rubies" from his sophomore album Skylon, Ott then proceeded into a Mir marathon. He next kicked it into the light, fluffy Caribbean brushstrokes of "Someday I Wish to Have This Kind of Time." Also highlighted was the funky mechanical buzzing of "Squirrel and Biscuits" and the dreamy thoughtful splendor of "The Aubergine of the Sun." But he showed his music can also take a more sinister and darker tone, evidenced by the brooding dubstep infused tune "Owl Stretching Time" and the journey through spacey dub that is "Adrift in Hilbert Space."

Another nice twist was a crew of artisans and painters stationed toward the back near the merch table, which added a nice flavoring to the night. The artwork on display actually complemented Ott's performance very well. This is no Georgia O'Keffe; the images displayed were very bright, warm and inviting, while still giving you something to think about. Much like Ott's work itself. Opening act Nadis Warriors actually had a guy onstage with them painting a mural. When he began it was just a bunch of glob on a canvas but by the end of their set he had crafted it into a portrait of the galaxy. With the Earth smack dab in the center, the planets were outlined beneath, arrayed in stunning fashion.

Dance party, art museum; either way ya can't go wrong.

Ott's Mir showcases a smorgasbord of musical expression

Alright, everybody:

Go listen to Ott and prepare to have your minds blown.

Honestly, that could be the whole review right there. But I am so esteemed about this album that I simply want to tell you more about it. I want to explain to you its every little facet and nuance.

And I want you to leave feeling as enamored about this album as I am. To deny you that would be an injustice. And I can tell you aren't really conviced yet.

Fair enough.

Ott is an electronic music producer associated with Brian Eno who is best known for being to create a kaleidescope of textures and soundscapes. I'm sure you hear the term musical journey thrown around often, but Mir truly encapsulates what an odyssey is all about.

The opener, "One Day I Wish to Have This Kind of Time," has a warm hypnotic feel underscoring an spoken word intro which lays out the album's central message - don't get too caught up in trying to analyze the what the music is all about; just chill out and let your mind soak it all in.

That is followed by six minutes of cool Caribbean themed music with a nice beat and melody. You can practically feel the waves lapping over your bare feet.

The followup track, "Adrift in Hilbert Space," is perfectly representative of its title. It presents a very relaxed and chilled out vibe, as though you're floating along in space, while distant wispy vocals float alongside you.

After that, prepare to descend to the depths of "Owl Stretching Time," a darker, more sinister piece of electronica that at times threatens to veer into dubstep.

There's plenty of other great musical ideas at play here later on. Psyched out Indian vocals, mellow, spacey guitar playing, and even lush underwater dreamscapes.

It's very clear Ott is into psychedelia, but it's not overdone. Just enough of it to serve as a catalyst on this mystical and often wacked out journey that is known as Mir. 

Many artistic musical works have attempted to do what Mir does, but none have done it quite like Mir has - because it refuses to take itself seriously, and never gets bogged down by being to pretensions or artsy.

Best of all, it never calls for an overwrought level of analysis or introspection. It simply is what it is. Now go buy the damn thing.

Score: 91/100