• Fuzz? Check,
• Polyrhythms? Check
• Funky basslines? Check
• Soul grinding organs? Check
• Sultry female vocals? Check
• A Whiff of the occult? Check
• A time machine that takes me back to a place where semi naked people dance in fields in a swirly arm flailing dance? Check
What isn’t to like about the amazing debut album ‘World Music’ by Goat on Rocket Recordings? This Swedish collective who bring along a hypnotic blend of voodoo, early 70s funky afro beat and ethnographic film flashbacks have certainly nailed something here that is huge. ‘World Music’ is an apt title as well with its styles of music from around the globe which to these cloth ears seems to reference not only the much referenced voodoo, also Celtic, Arabic, Brazilian, Salsa, Indian Tabala and Mridangam drumming. With its early 70s lo-fi feel and production, there is something that just feels right about this album.
As the first track ‘Diarabi’ starts with its transcendence and a snaking charm calling the Orishas to gather and be your guides on a journey through the minds of the Korpolombolo natives as they show the power of their guiding spirits lost in a world past. The tribal beat starts for single ‘Goatman’ with its Fuzz-Wah guitar lines that are to die for, chanting vocals filling the spirit with light and dance in celebration.
The sleazy bassline for ‘Goathead’ signals a deeper level of sexiness that amazingly transforms in to a pastoral Spanish tinged acoustic guitar coda. ‘Disco Fever’ is full on afrobeat, I deny anyone not to try and move involuntarily to it, let alone try and sing a long with it. ‘Golden Dawn’ comes on like strong with its late 60s style European detective film sound track and the vibraphone riff, grooving bassline and squealing guitars. In fact it has a feel of ‘Millionenspiel’ by Can which was recently released on the ‘Lost Tapes’.
Things slow down with ‘Let It Bleed’, with its simple psychedelic pop feel, sleazy sax and a Siouxsie sounding vocal. ‘Run To Your Mama’ brings a different take on the tribal drumming with a more Native American feel and then we are in to a Hurdy Gurdy spin of ‘Goatlord’ swirling us a long in to the crescendo of the finale ‘Det som aldrig förändras / Diarabi’ and the cycle begins again, like life returning to the earth to be reborn.
‘World Music’ by Goat will be up there on a lot of list of album of the year and I can’t argue with that. There is a familiarity to it that brings about a smile that is a result of the melting pot of influences and references. This is also music for the outdoors, which we should use to commune and celebrate nature. So crank up the volume, find a wooded glade shed your clothes and dance with voodoo spirits.
Released August 20th on Rocket Recordings.
Posted by Chris Hughes
