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 Moon – Bandcamp - Rock Freaks Records - Sulatron Records
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