Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Review: ElonMusk - …As Your Wanderer Taps At The Invisible Gate LP


I had previously reviewed …As Your Wanderer Taps At The Invisible Gate when the band self-released it, but thought I would put the review up again as Worst Bassist Records have given it the vinyl treatment on some cool looking purple wax.

Nothing sparks my interest in music more than the sentence “new album that consists of one 37+ minute song” and it’s a journey in to space that not even the Space X entrepreneur could wrap his brain around.

Previous offerings from the Nashville 3-piece have clocked in at 9 and 16 minutes but this truly is a trip into the minds of a band that are taking you to realms beyond. This time the vinyl version splits the 37:35 over both sides of the record.

Everything starts feeling high up amongst the clouds as the guitar strums and the slow drum rhythms hypnotically hold you out there. There’s some keyboards moving in and out of the mix and the guitar begins to take flight and walk in to the distance reminding me in parts of Sons of Alpha Centauri and Yawning Man. At around 6 minutes the guitars really kick in and you feel the deep space like stomping groove as the instruments bend together slowly over the outer space keyboard effects. Add some soaring guitars to the mix and you can picture the kaleidoscopes of light in your mind as though they were playing right in front of you.

The eerie keyboards continue on as the guitar and bass output gets fuzzier, the elevated guitar work takes on another level and sounds huge, and they all intertwine for quite some time. The soaring guitars over the hypnotic drone like wall of fuzz is reminiscent of Electric Moon and Black Moon Circle, and how they take you from there to an almost dreamy landscape of what sounds like the sounds behind the atmosphere.

From here on you need to close your eyes and enjoy the trip as you take a heavy psych ride through the planets of space rock, accompanied by Ryan Westover (Bass/Synth), Frank Hand (guitar) and Kate Haldrup (Drums).

To add to the mind trip of an experience, an accompanying video has been produced by Stan Brakhage/Terrence Malick Films that lasts the full 37:35.

I highly recommend that you check out ElonMusk as they really have something special in the making here.

ElonMusk - Worst Bassist Records 



Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Review: Electric Moon - Live at Freak Valley Festival 2019


Many bands have tried recreating what they do live on vinyl or CD, and as good as many bands have done, there is only a handful that manage to “take you there” with the recording, and then there is Electric Moon, the true kings & queen of the live record. Looking back through their catalogue of releases, you are spoilt for choice with live recordings for a space jam mood or trip out mood or a heavy psych mood.

Recorded at 2019’s Freak Valley Festival in Germany late into the evening of a moody stormy day, Sula, Lulu and Pablo take you on four long cosmic journeys through the night sky and onwards towards the vortex that create a kaleidoscope of colours in the listeners mind.

Having previously watched the performance that was filmed by Rockpalast several times on YouTube, the use of deep rich blue lighting is what sets the mood for what the next 65+ minutes inserts into your subconscious.

Increase begins and evolves in what sounds like the magnetic fields between the Earth’s atmosphere and the edge of spaces gravitational pull. The keyboards and effects float in and out and attach themselves to one another as the atmospheric twist starts to take control. The cymbals start to crash and the bassline hooks everything to it, creating the soundwaves for the guitar to lock into and start your journey into the cosmos. As you hit the ten minute mark you are well and truly travelling through the asteroid belt at speed with a drum/bass rhythm that is hypnotic whilst constantly hurtling forwards, space rock style. Played loud and you can feel the intensity force itself through the sound waves and out towards the outer reaches. After one final solar blast, the rocket defuses and everything starts to reduce back to its former self and the satellite falls into its flight path and the mission is complete.

If Increase has taken the satellite to its destination, then 777 is the satellite kicking into the orbital mission that it was designed to complete. 777 is hypnotic, fuzzy and moves like a satellite that is hurtling round its designated planet at speed whilst battling the elements of a meteor shower. With many an Electric Moon song, the spaces between the sounds creates an added atmosphere, but not in the first ten minutes here as its all intensity. Think an updated revamped version on London’s UFO club from the 60’s/70’s with liquid lightshows and strobe lighting. The final third of 777 see’s the satellite’s booster’s kick in to slow everything back down and conserve what solar energy is left before the sun’s power vanishes behind the moon. Within the 20 minutes of 777 all 3 members push their instruments to another level and beyond.

The Picture is an epic 19 minute hypnotic space rock epic. The trance inducing rhythm section is time perfect and pulls you deep into the darkest parts of the universe beyond any solar system. Guitars soar, cymbals crash and a multitude of electronics and feedback make the intergalactic journey even more abrasive. At around 14 minutes you reach probably the furthest point away from home as all goes quiet before something pulls you back in rather abruptly.

A shorter version of D-Tune has its warm Middle Eastern feel to it as it builds up layer upon layer to create a rich fuzzy feel to it. The way D-Tune rolls along and evolves is like a mystical orb that your brain tunes in to, especially when witnessing this type of musical live. If you know what I mean by this, then you just know. It’s no special club or musical gang, it’s just something that happens (usually in a dark room full of strobe lighting) and a 5 minute song can turn in to a couple of hours.

To finish is the addition of Der Mondsenator auf dem Weg zur Erde, an acoustic track performed as an extra session back stage. It feels up close and personal with the organic unplugged vibe that feels delicate but is still busting with power. If you look out there, the visual version is quite easy to find.

What else can I say? Electric Moon hit a rich vein of form several years back and it continues with a healthy stream of studio albums, live records and re-releases that never disappoint.

If you were at Freak Valley in 2019 then this is the perfect way to freeze the memory in time, and if you weren’t there then headphones on, lights off, kick back and nod.

Rock Freaks Records have released a limited run of vinyl on a couple of different colours and Sulatron Records have released the CD version.

Electric MoonBandcamp - Rock Freaks Records - Sulatron Records 

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Review: Psychlona – Venus Skytrip


Psychlona
turned some heads back in 2018 with their debut Mojo Rising and have been gigging away to build up a loyal following ever since. Returning again on Ripple Music and Cursed Tongue Records, the Bradford 4-piece have well and truly returned on another level with Venus Skytrip.

Blast Off starts trippy and space like with some astronaut dialogue in the distance and I’m thinking have they psyched out for this record, but no, the drum beat pulls the track up over the repetitive guitar line that moulds itself around the wall of fuzz that quickly follows. It’s not too fast and not too slow and just grooves along like the vehicle of your choice with a speed gauge that is getting pushed to the limit. I can see why people have made the Fu Manchu comparisons but I’m thinking more of the 90’s Swedish bands (Dozer, Lowrider etc.) in the way the song sounds like a variety of big heavy soundscapes.

I’m sure I heard 10,000 Volts being played last time I saw them live as I remember the song starting slow and moody with a load of early Sabbath doomy blues rock in there. It’s a definite slow burner that swings back and forth, making it a real head nodder. The last few minutes have the guitars taking control and walking you off into the night sky after throwing the listener a few wah-wah’s. 10,000 Volts is made for a dark festival venue full of drunken punters.

Blow has a bluesy swagger to it from the start and stomps along like The Sword with a bit of Clutch moulded into the background.

If you worship at the altar of Fu Manchu or Nebula, Star will be your stand out “go to” song on the album. From the opening riff to the first solo action, Psychlona work through the gears of their (insert your 70’s muscle car of choice here) and it doesn’t let up. Cutting through the big wall of fuzz after a couple of minutes is the introduction of some classic cow bell that kick starts even more epic soloing. Star ticks all the right boxes for the Stoner Rock party jam!

Edge of the Universe feels like the band are pushing their boundaries further with some darker doomier riffs, a big rumbling bassline and sliding guitar chords with a southern twist that warps the mind.

Resin is easily my favourite song on the album. Starting all laid back and trippy, the single drum track and bassline set the tone as the guitars float in and out to create an ambience before a wave of guitars crash over you. It does feel like they’ve managed to catch a point in time that reminds me of what Unida did with songs like You Wish and Last Day, when they let the instruments take the listener to a place somewhere between the end of the horizon and the beginning of space. Played live I can see Resin turning into a 20+ minute jam. The band have done a video for Resin that’s full of old 50’s and 60’s surfing clips and it all fits together really well with the music complementing the culture and vice versa.

Tijuana kicks the throttle back in again and feels like you’re on board the rocket that’s taking you on the Venus Skytrip, and The Owl takes you on a 9+ minute psychedelic doom jam that builds with a deep hypnotic riff that marches you through the dark red skies before floating away towards the light.

Psychlona will win over a lot of new fans with Venus Skytrip and when the pandemic subsides and gigs can actually happen again, I am looking forward to seeing them rock this out live.

I also have to mention the production quality of the mix and production done by Andy Hawkins and the cool psychedelic artwork done by Kyrre Bjurling.

As quick as it was pressed on vinyl Venus Skytrip had already sold out, but they have already repressed it on sun star yellow.

WebsiteBandcampYouTubeRipple MusicCursed Tongue Records