Important Records, 2010
The follow-up to their 2009 opus Totem One moves into deeper, darker territory. Less gamelan, less rocking out but far more focus on orchestration and intensity of drone ritual. Phenomenally powerful atmospheres and transformations, in "Bardo Chonyid/ Master Of All Visible Shapes" a super-heavy orchestra of percussion, massive horns made of bone, and doom-drone feedback announce the arrive of the thousand-headed god of gods, his light then cascading in shimmers of raga guitar upon a mountain-sized temple throne infested with jungle. "Perde Kadirma" is a ceremonial feast of ney, baglama, and heavy drums recorded in Turkey performed with an improvisational flourish I haven't really seen outside of peak Don Cherry/Trilok Gurtu work (see next post). "The Heresy of Origen" is a Biblical epic of organ, harmonium, and synth in a sort of Klaus Schulze/ old Tangerine Dream mode fit for scenes of massive exodus and tribulation. "Coincidental Oppositorium" continues the semi-orchestral vibes with a cinematic and emotional string + brass piece, themes for the miracles and mysteries found on the desert voyage. "The Crystal Reformation" psychs out in a kind of short Sunroof!/Skaters drone freakout. "Patmos" ends the album with a glorious full-band piece with vocal harmonies above an uplifting string orchestrale, in a sort of sacred upward movement similar to some of Popol Vuh's most sheerly beautiful moments. Kind of like the way sunnO))) ended Monoliths & Dimensions with the uplifting "Alice." I want to kind of go on parade saying these guys are now my favorite band, but they really gotta change their name before I can do that :P
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