Post by my2cents on Apr 17, 2003 18:28:38 GMT -5
Review published on zoopa loop website.
"Sh'mantra "Sub_Floating" ( Self released )
In the fall of 1995, Sh'mantra didn't exist yet but Thorin Kerr, Matt Seldon, Michael Lenton and Alex Hole were already playing together in Cornucopia, their former musical entity. Under this moniker, they recorded a 70 minute long demo which received at that time a real positive feedback which encouraged the band to go ahead by recording their first CD. But, for the release of this debut album, the band decided to change it's name into Sh'mantra and they only kept "Cornucopia" as record's title. In May 2001, their second album "Formula Orange" is independently released and established the quatuor as a modern innovative combo which develops it's music as if there are no borders between some genres from very varied origins such as experimental stuff, ambient , jazz, a kind of freaked out space rock, etc...
"Sub_floating" is the first release in a series of live jam session EPs where all the pieces are recorded unrehearsed. This sort of recordings requires a great complicity and cohesion between the musicians to avoid to fall into an awful kind of "no matter what they play, I play what I want for my part " which may be the most disastrous result of such live experimentations. Even if each track is unrehearsed, they follow a certain structure which should'nt have to frighten the potential listeners even the less receptive to experimental music. The opening number "Floating" is built upon dopey elastic dissonant walls of sounds where the combination of a rolling drums' pattern with some very 70's influenced keyboards develop some really blissful progressive accents which should please both avant garde and space rock communities.
The following cut "Clam" is the most ethereal number of the three, starting quietly with some wavering cosmic drones which lead the listener to a mental state close to sleep. Each instrument joins one by one the movement and finally harmoniously fill the place of the drones to follow a kind of rotational and repetitive sequence whose psychedelic flavours remind me of a coolest and dreamiest sort of "Opa Loka" almost progressive at the end. The last and most imposing track entitled "Head hurts" ( over 20 minutes in length ) is depositary of each of the aforementioned elements. During this number, the listener passes from a chaotic and distorded style of Kraurockish expression where the punchy style of the guitars wouldn't displease the most hard rocking fans to an untroubled sequence whose crystal clear nature and peaceful vibes should appeal to ambient freaks. And I was about to forget the multitude of short passages including a patchwork of noise inspired touches and mechanical rhythmics which give the track a multi-dimensional aspect as if Pressurehed had met Matt Borghi who had met Neu!.
Sh'mantra have a natural disposition to surprise the listener by developing it's music as a nebula of styles. There are no striking contrasts in terms of musical flow between each part which perfectly fits in each other to form a massive block of avant garde psychedelic ambient rock a bit after the manner of Cul de Sac. "Sub_ floating" is of the highest recommendation for those of you whom simply like to listen to adventurous music as this record should bring a large range of fans together. I think it would be the best reward for Sh'mantra."
Reviewed by Renaud Rigart.
perso.wanadoo.fr/zoopaloop
"Sh'mantra "Sub_Floating" ( Self released )
In the fall of 1995, Sh'mantra didn't exist yet but Thorin Kerr, Matt Seldon, Michael Lenton and Alex Hole were already playing together in Cornucopia, their former musical entity. Under this moniker, they recorded a 70 minute long demo which received at that time a real positive feedback which encouraged the band to go ahead by recording their first CD. But, for the release of this debut album, the band decided to change it's name into Sh'mantra and they only kept "Cornucopia" as record's title. In May 2001, their second album "Formula Orange" is independently released and established the quatuor as a modern innovative combo which develops it's music as if there are no borders between some genres from very varied origins such as experimental stuff, ambient , jazz, a kind of freaked out space rock, etc...
"Sub_floating" is the first release in a series of live jam session EPs where all the pieces are recorded unrehearsed. This sort of recordings requires a great complicity and cohesion between the musicians to avoid to fall into an awful kind of "no matter what they play, I play what I want for my part " which may be the most disastrous result of such live experimentations. Even if each track is unrehearsed, they follow a certain structure which should'nt have to frighten the potential listeners even the less receptive to experimental music. The opening number "Floating" is built upon dopey elastic dissonant walls of sounds where the combination of a rolling drums' pattern with some very 70's influenced keyboards develop some really blissful progressive accents which should please both avant garde and space rock communities.
The following cut "Clam" is the most ethereal number of the three, starting quietly with some wavering cosmic drones which lead the listener to a mental state close to sleep. Each instrument joins one by one the movement and finally harmoniously fill the place of the drones to follow a kind of rotational and repetitive sequence whose psychedelic flavours remind me of a coolest and dreamiest sort of "Opa Loka" almost progressive at the end. The last and most imposing track entitled "Head hurts" ( over 20 minutes in length ) is depositary of each of the aforementioned elements. During this number, the listener passes from a chaotic and distorded style of Kraurockish expression where the punchy style of the guitars wouldn't displease the most hard rocking fans to an untroubled sequence whose crystal clear nature and peaceful vibes should appeal to ambient freaks. And I was about to forget the multitude of short passages including a patchwork of noise inspired touches and mechanical rhythmics which give the track a multi-dimensional aspect as if Pressurehed had met Matt Borghi who had met Neu!.
Sh'mantra have a natural disposition to surprise the listener by developing it's music as a nebula of styles. There are no striking contrasts in terms of musical flow between each part which perfectly fits in each other to form a massive block of avant garde psychedelic ambient rock a bit after the manner of Cul de Sac. "Sub_ floating" is of the highest recommendation for those of you whom simply like to listen to adventurous music as this record should bring a large range of fans together. I think it would be the best reward for Sh'mantra."
Reviewed by Renaud Rigart.
perso.wanadoo.fr/zoopaloop