SHAMAN

A modernized take on the music that CAN and NEU! and even POPUL VUH, ZAO, Franco Battiato, and AREA were experimenting with in the 1970s. Sounds as if BRIAN ENO were to have produced CAN back in the day.

1. "Juice" (4:14) rhythm-based psycho-babble/chant. A Top Three song for me. (9/10)

2. "Nights'n'Days" (4:48) bass, percussives, atmospherics, and heavily treated vocal ramblings. Throw a little DAVID SYLVIAN-JON HASSELL-sounds in there and what you have is awesome! Another Top Three song. (9.25/10)

3. "Meeting At CO" (4:57) drone like opening strums with hand drums and other percussives establish an odd-time base upon which vocal whisperings and moans enter and float around. Hypnotic STEVE JANSEN-like rhythms and HOLGER CZUKAY-like sounds! (8.75/10)

4. "When The World Breaks" (4:32) throw in a little Mississippi swamp slide guitar with some deranged-sounding vocals and you have a song! (8.25/10)

5. "Void?" (1:24) theatric scare tactics. (4.75/5)

6. "Tribunus Ultra [Hats Off To Figrin D'An]" (4:30) full on CAN with some more modern keys interspersed among the hand drums and drums. Very cool imitation! (8.75/10)

7. "Nebel" (4:32) more meditative like POPUL VUH or ENO-HASSELL collaborations. (8.25/10)

8. "Raga Muffin" (7:20) organ arpeggi open this one before bass and percussion make themselves prominent. Ultimately a pretty and very hypnotic if slightly long song. (12.5/15)

9. "Out Of The Can" (4:45) full on drums with congas, bass, and organ! A real song with a rock format! And it's awesome! Great swirling organ play, great jazzy bass lines, great drumming, and awesome "lead" from the synth and, later, the screaming electric guitar. My final Top Three song from this highly satisfying album. (9.5/10)

Total Time 41:02

4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of 1970s-style Kosmische Musik and a very worthy addition to any prog lover's music collection.