By Ruud Peters
Feeling stressed? Can’t stop your train of thoughts? Well people, here’s a recipe that will certainly get you in the moment and will give you a released feeling afterwards: the sophomore studio album The Current by Seattle-based experimental, psychedelic outfit Midday Veil. There should be a warning though: you must absolutely NOT drive, do you dishes or in fact do anything else (mmm, if you take some preceding ‘substances’ I won’t mind) while listening to this album as the band slams your senses with a 43minute hypnotic and shamanistic experience that will alter you mind & spirit.
The album immediately gives you a shot with the opener ‘The Current’, an aptly titled piece that invites you on the cosmic journey that will follow. This track is drenched in 70’s krautrock and the female vocals by singer & co-founder Emily Pothast stand out straightaway: sensual and mystical.
Next is phase two with the instrumental track ‘Choreia’. After the short intro with layers of synths we get a pulsating, driving beat creating a very physical experience. It almost feels like you are aboard of a spaceship taking you out there somewhere. This Tangerine Dream inspired piece (with distorted guitars) suddenly stops and you clearly have entered a whole new world.
In phase 3 the physical side of the trip is gone, it’s time to meander with your disembodied spirit. ‘Remember Child’ is a slow ambient, drone piece where you float in some strange quantum field. Halfway through this one Emily enters with haunting vocals creating a spooky atmosphere. She sounds like an angel giving you a message to contemplate about.
‘Without And Within’ sustains the meditative state of phase three. Still out of your body, the repeated acoustic guitar notes, processed vocals and psychedelic percussion create a ‘comfortably numb’ state of mind. ‘Sun Stone’ is the last cycle in phase 3, strange computer-bleeps and other machinery sounds enter the meditative drones. In the distant you here a weird, warped sound of a clock (at least I did).
The spiritual odyssey is over and you get back in the physical world, back on the spaceship, that speeds op for the Grand Finale: ‘Great Cold Of The Night. In this longest track everything falls in place, the rhythm flows back in your body so are Emily’s exquisite vocals. The catharsis is complete.
With the help of producer Randall Dunn ( SunO))) & master Musicians Of Bukkake ) Midday Veil have created a stunning album that goes deeply through your spine right into your soul. It’s very groovy and addictive and an absolute must for all music lovers with an open mind for this kind of psychedelic, space-rock music.
Extra kudo’s also for the overall flow of the album. Midday Veil has shunned the obvious pitfalls in this genre. They managed not to lose themselves in only strange sounds and repetitive riffs but crafted a very coherent and authentic tone with a perfect timing for the vocals.
Thanks guys for creating new synaptic connections here!
