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Mos Generator / Isaak - Stoner Split of the Year (2015)

If you're following this blog, chances are that you're already a fan of heavy music and aren't new to hearing about either of these bands. American made Mos Generator have been turning out their own type of spacey, tripped out Heavy Rock for a while now. Matching them with the hard hitting Italian act Isaak is one of those face palm inducing moments where you think to yourself "Of Course!".
The way it was presented to me, Side A was the Mos Generator side, so we're going to address it first. Opening with a few heavily distorted guitar notes and a rather eerie keyboard part, it all fades away to be replaced with what could pass as a galactic radar noise searching for intelligent life somewhere, the kind that it seems like you can feel your heart rate and brain waves sync up to. From there, the harmonic noise ends and the right hand of Heavy Rock lands a hay maker to the gut, the harmonic vocals like a cruel taunt against the back drop of bludgeoning drums. With a roaring guitar solo, and quick jam session the song could end and feel complete, but we all know that's not their style, instead everything drops off and you're left with a slow, and quiet passage where the vocals make another appearance, further adding to the Pink Floyd vibe this section of the track has. And at twelve minutes in length, there's plenty of track to work with, and lots of room to roam. Isaak's offering on this album builds up from a single monotone hum, slowly building through cymbals, a melodic guitar part, and a Jim Jones sample before launching into a heavy Stoner Rock trip. The riff slams the track into high gear and everything else is forced to keep up. The visceral heaviness of the band's tirade is offset by the harmonica part that gives the song an expansive sound, like being crushed by a mountain as opposed to a simple boulder. While song takes a quiet turn, with things slowing down a bit, it's only temporary. Think of it as sonic waterboarding, the crushing sections suffocate you and simulate drowning, but they'll let you breathe again...for a minute. They're guaranteed to go through the process a couple more times, with the breathing sections becoming shorter and shorter, luckily this seems much more enjoyable than being on the wrong end of that bucket.
While the album isn't out for public consumption yet, it won't be long. Being put out on Heavy Psych Sounds, you can get your preorder in for vinyls over on their website, with a choice of standard black, or black with red marbling. You'll also be able to pick up a digital version on the same page once the 14th of the month rolls around in a little over a week, but we'll be sure to remind you, as this one is far too good to miss.
~Skip

For Fans Of; Wo Fat, Black Sabbath, Across Tundras

Mos Generator Facebook • Isaak Facebook • Mos Generator Store • Isaak Website

A Split From Reality...

Felipe Arcazas/Vintage Cucumber - Split (2013)

Well played, universe, the irony is not lost on me that I'm doing this review of a split right now just when The Heavy Eyes, which were planning a split with All Them Witches I looked forward to a whole lot, has called quits. Well played...
That isn't something I can hold against Felipe Arcazas & Vintage Cucumber ofcourse, quite frankly this split has been able to turn my frown upside down. First of all because it's a split, I cannot stress enough how much I love those, and secondly because it's both Mr. Arcazas and the Cucumber. The Brazilian and the German (their bio says, I'm convinced they're both from outer space) have created something that can best be described as a sitter. For who isn't familiar with the term, a sitter is basically the designated driver for psychedelics, and the reason I'm calling their split a sitter because the music is something that can definitely guide you through a trip. It's mellow, it's ambient, it's spacy, weird, never too intense and absolutely very chill. Just as you'd expect.
That's where my only complaint comes in play when it comes to both Arcazas and Cucumber, and it isn't even about the music. The both of them create music which is weird, spacy, etc etc, but meanwhile anything but experimental. Why? Because the first time you do something new it can be an experiment, but when you keep doing that, your experiment has turned to something solid, which it has and their creations only get better from that, but just because something is weird or very much so out of the mainstream doesn't mean it's experimental. That'll be the end of my mid-review terminology rant.
Back to the music; the split is set up with first three songs by Felipe, then three songs by Vintage Cucumber and as cherry on the pie a song made by the both of 'em. Now that's teamwork! The first songs by Arcazas are a bit more musicish, while it slowly transcends into Cucumber's more ambient realm, and their collaboration is one of the best ends to an album I've ever heard, it combines the rythm of the Arcazas, the vibes of the Cucumber and a whole bunch of great samples.
Overall, Felipe Arcazas does steal the show in my opinion, because he provides a more swinging deal to it all, but the split really should be listened as a whole. That's where the collaboration really shines, and when you listen to it like you're supposed to (high as a kite) then you won't (and probably can't) turn it off anyway.
Oh, it's also for free over at ther bandcamp, thought you'd like to know!

~Ruben

For Fans Of; My Sleeping Karma, Sun Grazer, Tigre, Papir, Andy McKee

Felipe Arcazas ~ Facebook • SoundCloud • Bandcamp

Vintage Cucumber ~ Facebook • LastFM •  Bandcamp

Felipe Arcazas/Vintage Cucumber (320kbs)

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