Bardo Hauntings I: Butler Remixes by Eric Anders and Mark O’Bitz: EP Review

by Damien Reid December 2, 2022

December 2, 2022

Eric Anders and Mark O’Bitz’s intriguing musical interpretation of electronica, indie, and a bit of Americana is done beautifully on the EP “Bardo Hauntings I: Butler Remixes”. The 6-piece EP provides a splendid mixture of musical elements and soothing vocal arrangements that gave the indie scene a fresh coat of paint.

“Won’t Live It Down” serves as a delightful introduction to an electronic escapade. There’s something ominous and catchy about the dark synth arrangement of the track, where the bassline has a very deep vibration surfacing throughout the song. But as soon as the bright symphonic synths enter the scene, the singer’s take sounds even more melodious and heavenly. “Bury Me” is an emotional tale through melancholic synthesizer pieces and a very experimental percussion system. The song feels like a transcending experience. This is because the soulful composition allows your mind to enter a vulnerable state and lets the harmony flow with more ease. In “Judgment Day” we are greeted with a cinematic and passionate piano arrangement. As the track progresses, the minimal synth noises bring about a nice polish. In its entirety, the EP is like opening a book filled with electronic lullabies and gripping beats to go along with.

Eric Anders, a singer-songwriter from Northern California, and Mark O’Bitz, a guitarist-composer from Southern California, are both accomplished musicians whose music comforts us. Eric began creating and recording music at the dawn of the 2000s after meeting Mark at one of his concerts and deciding to collab.