Listening to oRSo feels like stumbling upon a secret workshop in the middle of a dense forest. The music is anchored by the woody, percussive pluck of the banjo, but it is quickly joined by a cast of unlikely characters: the rhythmic ping of a typewriter carriage, the slosh of water, and the metallic rattle of household objects. It is folk music that has been disassembled and put back together by a clockmaker who prefers shadows to sunlight.
What makes this project truly distinctive is the way it treats non-musical sounds as essential melodic partners. Instead of feeling like a gimmick, the use of 'toilets and typewriters' creates a tactile, domestic intimacy. There is a profound sense of space and silence here; the notes are allowed to decay naturally, leaving behind a gritty, analog residue that feels both ancient and experimental.
Start with 'Ask Your Neighbor' to hear the project at its most cohesive and evocative. It is the perfect entry point for those who love the rustic experimentation of Califone but want something even more stripped-back and strange. It is music for the quiet hours when the world feels a little bit tilted.
Orso (stylized as oRSo) is a US-based band formed in 1996 and led by Phil Spirito of Rex, HiM (US), Loftus, and Califone featuring Brian Deck of Red Red Meat and Ben Massarella of Califone. The musical style is self-described as "orchestrated folk weirdness"; their songs, which feature prominent banjo parts, also feature experimental sounds such as those made by typewriters and toilets. The band has released music on Perishable Records.
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