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*Orders may take up to a week before shipping, and mail carriers are experiencing delays. We currently have local pickup available at our temporary store at Eckhaus Latta Chinatown Los Angeles, now through Jan 31st—use code LOCALPICKUP at checkout for that option! Thank you for your patience and support :)

Product Image Dragging an Ox Through Water: The Tropics of Phenomenon 12"

Dragging an Ox Through Water: The Tropics of Phenomenon 12"

"Late last year Awesome Vistas dropped an inconspicuous LP by Brian Mumford's Dragging An Ox Through Water. Chris Johanson, the Awesome Vistas label boss, has a policy of putting out super plush, limited vinyl with absolutely zero fanfare. Locally, Brian got nothing but enthusiastic press for his first LP, but it seemed like a lot of the rest of the world just didn't notice. It's always hard locating the stellar records these days in the heaps of shit that keep spewing from all corners of the globe. Still, Brian won a #2 most-slept-on release of 2008 for Fader as well as being one of the top six Portland albums of 2008 in the Portland Mercury placing him in league with a bunch of indie rock hotshots including Grouper, Au and a bunch of bands I've never, ever heard. Rewind back to my return to Portland in 2006, Brian was everywhere. He played noise shows, folk shows, punk shows, and at each gig, he managed to hold his own and gain a healthy chunk of converts. His music seems straight out of any and all conceivable American garages. On The Tropics Of Phenomenon you'll catch a lot of junk acoustic coupled with a voice that seem to pull from Arthur Russell's country rock era, but also touches on Mayo Thompson's Corky's Debt to His Father. Many of the accompanying instruments on this album are home-built electronics that Mumford manages to bend to his will. Producing the chirping, sweeping oscillations and noises reminiscent of Nerve Net Noise or Ursula Bogner. I've seen Brian pull off impressive live acrobatics going from almost purely acoustic plunking to bent, ultra rough synth actions without missing a step. It's this confusion of ultra-pop sensibilities while simultaneously grappling with electronic x-factors and turning them musical that inspired me to approach him about working together. In the Ox sound-world, the noise is a musical element and the very driving force of Brian's songs. The guitar can be dropped, the melody lost to hover in the chaotic chirping of electronic creatures that is some how in tune and time with whatever he was doing on guitar. His sets can be all acoustic, or all electronic. Grouper, New Bloods, and Pulse Emitter are all artists he's managed to play with locally and totally OWN the most orthodox crowds. On The Tropics of Phenomenon, Brian demands that the listener meet him on his own grounds and follow the controlled chaos that rests on this aluminum disc." 
12-inch vinyl record, Artwork by Dana Dart-McLean, 2008

 

*COVID-19 Notice: Order processing is slower than usual at this time due to safety and logistical issues surrounding the pandemic. In addition, mail carriers have informed us that shipping times are not guaranteed, and in some cases have been significantly delayed. Unfortunately these delays are out of our control. Thank you in advance for your patience. 

YOU CAN VISIT OUR TEMPORARY SHOP-INSIDE-A-SHOP AT ECKHAUS LATTA STORE IN CHINATOWN LOS ANGELES THROUGH JANUARY 31ST 2025!  AT 980 N BROADWAY, CHINATOWN LA 90012

*DURING THIS TIME YOU CAN ENTER "LOCALPICKUP" AT CHECKOUT IF YOU PREFER TO PICK UP YOUR ORDER IN THE SHOP.  PLEASE ALLOW UP TO A WEEK FOR YOUR ITEMS TO BE READY FOR PICKUP,  YOU WILL RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION NOTE WHEN IT IS READY :) 

We really appreciate you shopping with us.  Below are our general policies.  We do our best to make our customers happy, so if you have a concern please feel free to contact us :)

Shipping

  • All shipping time frames are not guaranteed—after we hand your package to the mail service or shipping company, we are unable to control unforeseen delays on their end.
  • We ship orders out Mon-Fri, often same day if possible—but please allow 1-8 business days for processing. Most packages are sent via US Postal Service with delivery confirmation.
    • TELFAR BAGS may take even longer than the above time frame during this time, up to 2 weeks to process and send out from our office due to high order volumes.  Priority shipments will be processed first, but ALL orders are shipping slower than usual.
  • Please make sure your shipping address and contact info are correctly entered at checkout. Unless you specify to us that you want to pay to fully insure your package, we are not liable for loss or damage. Shipping charges are non-refundable.
  • US (Domestic) shipping is calculated by order total. Standard shipping usually takes 2-9 business days, depending on destination. Priority and Express options are available at checkout for additional fees.
ORDER TOTAL STANDARD SHIPPING
 $0.00-$24.99 $4.95 
$25.00-$49.99 $6.50
$50.00-$99.99 $7.50
$100.00-$149.99 $10.00
$150 and up $12.00

 

 

  • TELFAR bag orders have separate shipping fees which are automatically calculated at checkout.  

International Customers

  • Customs fees may apply depending on tariff rules in your country. Your country's customs office may in rare cases delay the arrival of your package beyond our control. The customer is responsible for any fees or taxes added by their country's customs office.
  • International shipments are sent via US Postal Service and rates are calculated by total order weight in order to best approximate actual charges. 
    • First Class International (transit time varies ~7-21 days or longer), limited tracking and no insurance
    • Priority International (6-10 business days from shipping date), tracking and limited insurance
    • Express International (3-5 days business days from shipping date), tracking and full insurance
    • Please keep in mind we are not liable for loss or damage in the mail if you select an option without insurance and tracking.  We recommend insuring and tracking whenever possible.
    • If you don't see your country on the shipping options list or have any other special requests on how you'd like us to handle your shipment, just contact us before or at the time of placing your order and we'll do our best to help.   :)
    • The US Postal Service will not accept the package if the address is written in a foreign alphabet, so please be sure to check your shipping address as we are unable to verify addresses before we ship and your package may get lost otherwise.

    Returns/Exchanges 

    Because of the tiny nature of our operation, we apologize for our limited return policy.

    • No returns on books, music, artwork and objects, accessories, and general merchandise, aside from defective items. Unworn clothing and shoes bought online may be exchanged or returned within 7 days of receipt, unless otherwise specified.
    • Returns are only accepted if you notify us within 7 days of receipt of the item and return it to us within 14 days of the order ship date. Goods must be in perfect unworn/unused condition with all original packaging intact. The customer is responsible for outbound and return shipping costs, which are non-refundable. If store credit is issued, it is valid for one year from the issue date.
    • We also cannot accept returns on sale items. Some sale items are the last copy and may have experienced some wear and tear. Discounts take into account for any damage but if you have any questions about the condition of a particular item, please email us.
    • If you have any issues receiving your order, including lost packages, you must contact us within 90 days of the shipment date or we may be unable to help.

    Thank you in advance for understanding!

    Privacy Policy

    • All customer information collected by us through our online shop will only be used for the purposes of fulfilling and delivering your orders, and customer service. If you choose to sign up for our mailing list, we will only use that information to send you occasional announcements related to Ooga Booga.  
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    Please feel free to ask us any questions about a product or the ordering process!