Spanish Psych Rock Instrumentalists Sageness are back with six new songs in the form of Akme. If I set the scene for those who may be unfamiliar with them, they have a laid back spacey psych feel to them that mixes a little Elder, some Yawning Man and a sound that is distinctly European sounding but in their own special way that makes me think of surf films like "The Endless Summer". I can’t quite put my finger on it but, when listening, my mind keeps wondering back to watching 90’s surf videos with the slowed down wave barrel’s crashing down towards the camera. Maybe it’s because I’m sat looking at the sea whilst I’m reviewing this, but probably not as a dark grey North of England sea is a long way from Maui. I’d like to think you get the idea of what I’m thinking though.
Opening the record, Andromeda slowly drifts in as the guitar soar and the instruments work together to create a soundscape that has you floating in and out, back and forth. As the songs moves along, the song keeps dropping back to a riff that grows and evolves through the song (think Dead Roots Stirring) building and building until the full riff kicks in for the last 90 seconds and gives that “hairs stand up on the back of your neck” feeling that Colour Haze specialise in.
The Thought starts a bit prog that turns funky with the bassline and drumbeat but still makes me think of space travel with the repetitiveness of it and the way the guitar layers itself over and over. The song then starts to mellow and shows the signs that it’s building up to something, which it does with a couple of big guitar riffs, then it slides away in to more of a jam then its guitar, bass and drums in loud driving harmony for the final 3 minutes. I’m sure the ghost of Dick Dale (RIP) is playing a few riffs in there as well.
Sizigia feels like a song written from a happy place with its softer opening and guitar riffs that are constantly on the upturn. If you sit back and close your eyes, the hooks and riffs will make you think of an ever transcending kaleidoscope with its light and patterns.
The albums longest song Ephemeral has Sageness really showing their skills and what the band is good at. The song works between parts that remind of Rotor and how they bring a song to the edge, then cymbal crash and the magic seems to happen with one of those riffs. The drums are big throughout and pull everything together again and again whilst the song transcends between the loud and the space like drifting when the song fades away.
Mindbender crawls along more that it floats reminding me of later Colour Haze and then half way through the drums kick in and they dive into a stomping stoner rock workout to finish off.
Hydro closes the record with the feeling of desert rock being played in space that drives along at quiet a fast pace. Building up with cymbals crashing, the bass kicks in to change the songs feel and the guitars begin to soar in and out to close the 43 minutes of a really good album.
This is a really good record that will easily fall in peoples top 20 lists at the end of the year. I have yet to see them live (apart from YouTube) and hope they make it over to the UK one day.
After its release on digital formats and CD, the vinyl version has been released and it is a thing of beauty that is the perfect complement to the songs they have written. Check it out on the links below.
Bandcamp - Facebook - YouTube
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