ODDBALL IN THE CORNER POCKET

US-based musician Joel Lee most certainly takes his listeners on a trip with his Trip Lava project; in a manner that suggests that tripping while examining it or at least being familiar with that experience is an advantage to decode his psychedelic excursions here.

Cascades of droning sounds, slowly changing or abruptly evolving noise patterns and a dominant dissonant expression are key elements in these escapades; while some key elements remains mostly unchanged if not through an entire track then at least one stable factor is present in all segments. That the red thread may be a swirling, fluctuating light keyboard or guitar layer far back in the soundscape or a siren-like guitar wail just as well as a driving bass theme or energetic drums can make it taxing to find something to hold on to while immersing oneself in this venture though.

If this isn't already a given conclusion: We're dealing with freaked out, far out music here; instrumental and improvisational. And those who enjoy the more experimental acts in the early Krautrock-movement as well as fans of artists like Magikal Power Mako should take note of this album - as they should be a core target audience for this specific production.