Opien Produces Lavish Electronic Alternative Mixes on Atlanta

Opien immediately grabbed my attention with their layered digital music approach. The mix is not something that you will find emulated often, because it’s done in such a unique state. It’s on par with Tiny Victories, Kavinsky, Joy Electric, and even Postal Service, but it’s all different too. Guitar work, percussion, and different elements seem to filter through the mixes, including the ending of “Peace of Mind” which definitely feels transcendent for the style. I found myself lost in the way it flowed, and the lyrics which paired the various sounds into a nice package.

Ton the latest release, “Atlanta”, the listener gets thrust back into the 1980s post punk world, and it’s very good. It’s not quite new wave, and it’s not quite electronic only, it’s something modern, and something enjoyable. It’s a serving of 10 tracks done in a unique manner, but with ethos that are on par with the alternative rock radio that you might have found in the past. This is on par with Richard Blade’s lunch hour on KROQ here in Los Angeles. It is there that you find tracks like “Let Me Down”, “Motives”, and “Stop”, which all feel like they are mixes from a 1980s classic film.


At times it feels as though you’re taken back in time, but the production and musical values bring you back into modernity. There is an attention to details on the record that point you to modern futurism, more than just going back to the 1980s. That’s why I feel this record is so powerful. It divides the line, and brings you forward to something new, and that’s how good musicians craft great, resounding music. They take the past and filter it through the present, giving you a taste of the future, and it transcends explanation.

On “Atlanta” this pop electronic sound that drives Opien’s musicianship really stands out. It’s by far the best electro-pop, alternative rock record I’ve heard thus far. It’s not just one genre, it mixes several well, and that is just grand. This is one album that will be heavy in my rotation in the coming year, it’s that good. The band finds a way to fuse so much good on this record, that it's hard to avoid listening to it over and over again. It's one of the best I've heard this year, bar none. Don't let the electronic moniker fool you, this is a standout mixed genre record.

Check out Opien's official website here, and get the latest via Facebook here.

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