After the excellent soundtrack to their film collaboration ‘Ad Marginem’, Mugstar return to familiar ground with this magnificent set of stomping tunes that highlight how these psychonauts can set a blazing trail through our minds. ‘Axis’ is the fifth full length album from Mugstar and they sound is ever evolving, here are the familiar sounds akin to early Pink Floyd performing ‘Set the controls for the heart of the sun’ but with more textures. ‘Axis’ is certainly building on the foundations of the monumental ‘Serra’ and I love the Arabic tinged flavours which turn the psych surf rock into desert hallucinations.
‘Black Fountain’ kicks off proceedings with its dark, menacing intertwining echo drenched guitars. It’s demented marching rhythm, driving on the manic Spaghetti western vibe reminiscent of the Dead Sea Apes. ‘Hollow Ox’ kicks off with its early Tangerine Dream Farfisa style organ riffs underpinning a maudlin guitar refrain.
With ‘Tangerina’ you get something different, an almost poppy feel of a car journey shooting along on a motorik rhythmic highway heading into the sun without a care in the world. Shit eating grins all the way.
There is a respite when ‘In Earth’ starts with its Neu! dubby, trippy feeling but before too long we are back into the madness with ‘Axis Modulator’ spiralling riffs, helter-skelter ride up and down your mind, repeating flash backs exposing your soul with the kaleidoscope howls.
‘Upturnsidedown’ sidles up to you, slinky and charming with its snaking hips mesmerising you with more of Mugstar’s self stylised desert psych surf rock incantations. ‘Vehicles of Spain’ rounds off a great set of tracks and has a whiff of 80s Goth about it, the reverb guitars and keyboards whiff of the smell from a smoke machine.
‘Axis’ is a great album, and its good to hear a few of the songs I’ve heard live in the past in a recorded context. Mugstar may not be setting new audio boundaries with their music but they are certainly taking the high ground in the genre and setting an example to all on how to consistently deliver the goods. The one thing ‘Axis’ leaves me with is a longing to hear more of from this great band.
Released October 29th through Agitated.
Posted by Chris Hughes.
