Theory Therapy 26: Body Clock | Low End Theorists

Sep 7

Sep 7 Theory Therapy 26: Body Clock

Guitars and guttural beats by a versatile Melbourne producer.

We kick spring off in Australia with a mix by Jordan Obarzanek, the Melbourne-based artist who makes music as Body Clock, OBA and runs the cassette label Happy Tapes. Their mix consists of tracks that have been helping the producer “during times of lockdown and life coming to a standstill”, touching on genres and styles including shoegaze, post-punk and minimalist electronic music.

Rather than transport—as his music as Body Clock and OBA often does so well—Jordan’s chosen tracks that “will hopefully help one feel more present in their own body/environment”. There’s a rough, grounded quality to their mix; it feels like the antithesis to the ethereal ambient we tend to gravitate towards during time of isolation, and I’m all the better for having heard it. It’s a huge pleasure to welcome Jordan on to the series. I’m such a big fan of their music—especially this gem on .jpeg Artefacts—and I had no idea I needed this mix until I pressed play. Hopefully you feel the same way about it.

How are you today?

Hello, I’m good thanks. How are you?

I’m doing good, thanks for asking! Can you tell us a little bit about the mix? What were you feeling when you made it?

Sure, I guess this mix reflects what has been consoling and reviving me during times of lockdown and life coming to a standstill. What I’ve been finding that consists of is predominantly instruments that exist in a real physical space; like things you hit with your limbs or project from your lungs. It’s not really a “mixxy” mix that takes you on an ethereal, sound(e)scape-esque kind of journey…but more an onslaught of tracks which I just find sobering from the cloudiness induced by excessive isolation and introspection. It’s physical, ground floor, earth-bound stuff, something direct that sounds like people and that will hopefully help one feel more present in their own body/environment.

Where did you record the mix?

At my studio in Princes Hill, Melbourne, which looks out onto Melbourne General Cemetery.

Where would you recommend listening to it?

On a walk through a cemetery.

Are there any tracks you’ve used in the mix that are special or significant to you?

There’s a lot, but I think the one’s that were made by friends and colleagues mean the most to me. “A Song For Cimarron” is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard and its by a friend of a friend who makes music as Rifle Smile, which I don’t think has nearly gotten the recognition it deserves. Also new works by friends Yunzero and Skin Walker, who are about to put out some of their best work in my opinion.

Theory Therapy mixes are about sharing the music that you personally find therapeutic and restorative. What does that mean for you?

I think it’s important, a lot of this music was shared with me because it had that effect on them, then me, and now me (hopefully) to you. The act of sharing and mutually resonating with something is healing in the first place, it’s how we establish that we’re not as alone in our weird brains as we often think we are.

Is there a particular album or piece of music that you find yourself returning to for tranquillity?

“New Ancient Strings” by Toumani Diabaté and “It’s Alive” by The Ramones.

What do you have planned for the rest of the year?

Finishing the second album for my band Cloud Ice Nine, called ‘Circus St’, which is also why you’re mostly listening to “rock and roll” here. There’s a new Body Clock album in the works which is set to come out on jpeg. Artefacts at some point down the track. But I’ve also been pouring a lot of energy into my own label, Happy Tapes, which I co-run with a friend here in Melbourne, driving around dropping off small-run cassettes of local artists to people where possible. Apart from that just finishing my degree in Horticulture and trying to draw more comics.

Thank you for having me, J