(((O))) REVIEWS
Mieko Shimizu – My Tentacles
The music could range from beat-inflected (in a left-field way) title track or ‘Undersong’ to subtly -orchestrated ‘I see a soul’ to a combination of these and other elements that form an intriguing musical kaleidoscope.
A remarkable album that goes through lounge music, late ‘60s garage attitude, flamenco, heavy metal and progressive music.
An imaginary movie inside your head. You feel as if Nektar had written this an animated rock opera, being brought to life in all of its true beauty, detailing the chemistry between the boy and bluebird.
A supreme example on how hard rock, fusion, power metal, and prog are supposed to sound.
The final result here is a piece of music rich with intricacies and details that make it work to its fullest.
Actually, Tomato Flower has created something quite complex using essentially simple elements, creating at the same time music that is intriguing, daring, and above all, listenable.
Drinking too much booze, looting too little treasure, fighting too big monsters? Welcome aboard, ye lily-livered scallywags!
The third album from the Danish trio continues with a tremendous mix of noise, sludge and post-metal which is heavy, punishing, awkward and beautiful.
A gothic romance for those that love to stand atop moonlit hills, overlooking barren chasms in suitably billowing clothing.
It is surely is time for The Bevis Frond to be more widely known and Focus On Nature is a great starting point.
The results here are elongated, dubbed-out explorations of a Sufi musical base, making this album one of the more fully realised recent combinations of acoustic/electronic music with field recordings.
Even for such acclaimed and experienced artists it is an achievement to do it all in a single afternoon, improvised session that covers such a wide musical ground.
The spectacular post-rock of Cold Waves Divides Us is going to be a truly special release this year and amongst the band’s output thus far.
As always, they deliver a confident and melodic blend of psych and Sabbath-worship as exploratory instrumental doom.
Kurtz was able to make a coherent musical whole out of all of those influences that he seems to have, something that is utterly listenable, no matter what your stance on aliens, UFOs, and similar phenomena is.
Avi C. Engel’s Too Many Souls is mesmerising and otherworldly, existing somewhere in the dream state between memory and prophecy: a visit there will leave the listener quietly transformed.