BECOME THE OTHER

A very good CD. If you are open minded and want to listen to some impressive experimental techno rock this is the music for you. Best tracks Become the Other, Wob glass and plurnstyle. Well recommended. If you want me to email some sample tunes to you drop me some mail. Keep on tripping!

Here's an OZRICS album that sorta fell through the cracks. The reason for that was it was originally released only on their own Dovetail label and never had an American release on the IRS label (like "Arborescence", "Jurassic Shift" and "Strangeitude" did) because IRS was in deep financial trouble that caused it to go belly-up. Keyboardist Joie Hinton, who was with the band from the start had left, as well as Merv Pepler. They wanted to concentrate fully on EAT STATIC, a more straight-up techno outfit. Two new guys came in, one was Christopher Lenox-Smith, better known as Seaweed on keyboards, and Conrad Prince, better known as Rad on drums. These two new guys were in a band called DAMIDGE, which also featured ex-OZRIC bassist Roly (brother of guitarist Ed - unfortunately Roly died in 1999 from suicide). This lineup of Ed, Zia, John, Rad, and Seaweed would last until the beginning of 2001, making this one of their more stable lineups. This gave the band a bit of a more techno-leaning. Become the Other ended up as one of the more experimental albums, with some more ambient experiments, as well as techno. Rad used more electronic drums than Merv before him.

To me, I don't think this CD quite lives up to the heights of "Arborescence" because there are a couple of pieces that seem meander too much, it's almost as if this was the sound of an album with new members not quite adjusted. But you can't beat that trippy artwork from Blim, and if you're a fan, this is still worth having.

A more progressive record, driven with more force and less fusion stuff, however uses a lot more electronics as main and ambient sounds, the guitar handles a cleaner sound but looses its roughness. As a main core, the band changes members again, this time the keyboards and the drums, but the new additions works fine and the "sound" still works as trademark with no major changes. This is an important record, not a masterpiece beacuse the evolution is still in transition, but a clear path to the next musical venue. Th ebest piece has to be NEUROCHASM, but GHEDENGI has the ozric sound. good record, solid with a lot of soul.

If you want early "raw" Ozrics this is not for you.

The first studio album with Zia Geelani (Bass) and the new addition Rad (Conrad Prince) on drums. The change in texture already glimpsed in Juassic Shift and evolving in Arborescence reaches new heights with the introduciton of Seaweed on synth.

The title track has an almost Satriani feel at the opening: then a mellow mood is set for flute and the inevitable return of the guitar. Neurochasm epiomizes these new dynamics. Bass & drums explore new rhythms with synth providing backing and an overlay of wild guitar (more Vai than Satriani). For me the key change in is the influence of Geelani. His style of bass playing is quite markedly different from Roly Wynne's and this, for me, altogether changes the feel of Ozrics. Geelani's playing seems the perfect match for both Ed Wynne and Rad.

Plurnstyle, like Become the Other, has a polished smoothness, missing in earlier offerings. Cat DNA is one of those numbers which begs to be heard live. The version on Spice Doubt is superior.

My personal favourite is Wob Glass (with Plurnstyle and Neurochasm close behind). There is an intersting 12" of Wob Glass mixed by Will White worth a listen if you can lay your hands on it.

For me this one is an essentail part of my collection and would be an excellent addition for those who do not yet have a copy.

In the beginning, all Ozric Tentacles albums were fresh and stylish... But after some time they started to repeat themselves, never creating something totally new. This album is still enough creative and has lots of good moments, like in track called Ahu Belahu, for example. First one is rock song with some electronic effects which make no effect to me. It really makes me hate these instrumental rock tracks that were made by Ozrics. Ahu belahu has great sound and effects, but it is too short. Ghedengi is also excellent track, but Wob Glass ruins it. It is just percussive track, but rhythm of it is nothing in compare to some electronic or drum and bass musicians who do the same. Next song, Neurochasm is excellent dance-trans piece with fantstic guitar work, that goes heavily in psychedelic effect. Become the Other has only one good bass line to remember, other sounds are boring to me. Vibithi is also classic track, one of the best of this band. Guitar leads listener through experience of exotic extasy. Great accoustic guitar played in Arabian ethnic mode, mixed with some nice flute makes easier parts of this piece. Plurnstyle is slow and relaxing track that leads you into bed, and hopefully nice dreams.

Oh, dear. While ERPLAND was some of the most amazing original stuff I had heard in a long time, I have to say I found myself being quite less than impressed with BECOME THE OTHER, the additional album of theirs that I happened to pick up at the same exact time.

While I respect any band's decision to branch out and try new things, an all-too-techno influence is in my opinion a very easy, unskilled, unimaginateive way to go, but for whatever reason, the Ozrics felt compelled to do much more electronic music in this, and the Psychedelic aspect of the record suffers for it, I think. Where as electronics were used in ERPLAND to add the dreamy atmosphere of a good Space-Rock journey, this time we hear many beeps and boops directed at apparently making the rest of the music seem more 'catchy', instead, in my opinion, the res of music becomes bogged down and desaturated by this overly-artificial-sounding wall of sound that at times in the past has been enjoyable on occasion, bugt this time it feels to me at least as if we are being beat over the head with it and too much of the fake, sampled sound of electronic music has caused what may have been a very good record to suffer ultimately for it. At least, that is my way of seeing it. Viewing it. Experiencing it.

That is not to say that the instrumentation that IS present isn't any good, but on the whole, I don't think I will be in a big rush to listen to this record much. Especially when I know that Ozric Tentacles have clearly done much better work. Neat idea, I suppose, but poor execution. Three stars.

I am desperately looking for an Ozric album in which I will find some emotional space-rock anthems. But it won't be thanks to Become The other.

This album is full of synthesized sounds (I won't even mention anything about the repetitious aspects, which are the essence of their work). All these techno beats are dreadful and the guitar seems less important in this work (except the upbeat and good "Cat DNA").

This album sounds as if it was released in the eighties, when these rhythms were invading the musical production. They are so poor! Here and there, there are some short passages which are better: the spacey intro of Ahu Balahu, a short guitar break during "Wob Glass". But this is not much.

Most of the time, one has to face unbelievable moments of boredom ("Neurochasm") which are really painful. At the end of the day, I received the atmospheric "Become The Other" which such a relief: at last something different. Aerial keyboards and fine crescendo building. The second half of the song is not of the same calibre unfortunately.

Another good break in this album is the Oriental "Vibuthi". It is by far the best track of this album (also the longest one). The band investigated already these influences before; most of the time these tracks were amongst the best of each respective album. The same applies to this piece of music as well.

It is a very interesting blend of fluting, psychedelic tastes, soaring guitar and great rhythmic. The track is really an explosion of furious sounds. It is my personal fave from the band (together with Dissolution from Pungeant Efflugent). I wished I had more of this type of music.

Two stars (and a half).

Become the other,nice title,and nice name for a ozrics album,it starts with "cat dna"and at start with eds guitar and rads[new comer] drums and nice bass from zia and seeweed [new comer] on synths they all work together well here and seeweed showing hes got what joie has got to so a good welcome from him and rads drumming,the bass here is what for me really makes the song carry on,this track really is a good ozric track its got what an ozric fan all needs in this track and a great opener to the album to sounds a bit like haunting a bit in parts to in the background from the synths,"ahu belahu"strarts with what for me sounds like the electronics are trying to talk like,and then it gets going with a sound i cant kind of explain but sounds good its mellow and like a kind of african drum beat like,"ghedengi"starts with synths twirling lightly and an eastern sound from the synths like and goes like this for a bit and about the 3.30 minute mark it quietens down and a really nice mellow synth bit comes in and i love this bit and after a little bit it gets back to how the track was like kind of at the beginning then ends,"wob glass"starts with electronics and nice bass and nice calm drumming and the synth playing,though not my favorite of ozrics tracks its ok just a bit carryon a bit for me but still is ok when eds guitar comes in at around the 5.20 minute mark it makes the track better and then the rest of it sounds alot better after,"neurochasm"starts with synths going up and down like and a few notes of bass though i do like the synths here really going ozricy like,the bass here is nice to kind of same level as cat dna,then calms down with synths going up and down like and drumming going well and eds guitar really great to[could be synth but sounds guitary] and synths to and eastern sounding stynth bit sounding good,eds guitar comes in and really sounds great and then ends,"become the other" starts calm with drumming and really calm guitar from ed sounds really chilled and calm sythns playing alone with all,this track sounds great with just a lamp on in middle of the night,then flute comes in playing along a little,this track is a track which could make you fall asleep,then the bass comes in more like and nice bit of bass to really fitting in well with the track the background sythns sounding really nice,then eds guitar gets going more and the bass getting faster like,then it gets back to how it started like which is nice the flute in background is really nice here then it ends,"vibuthi"starts with ed on acoustic like sound guitar sounding eastern and nice playing to then the flute lays along with it which sounds great and eastern sounding then the bass and drums come in and fitting together really well eds guitar making this track most of all then the guitar gets more electric sounding and faster and the rest getting faster this is enjoyable track with the flute going together with eds guitar well,then eds guitar playing along nicely,then a really nice synth bit comes in really to me like ghostly a little then flute comes in and really i love the flute here playing a really good bit of flute here,then eds guitar comes in again and going at a nice speed here really good,then at the 6.40 mark it really gets going more everything then just is like lighting going as it should to me,at the 8 minute mark around just after the synths come in and sound a bit organ like in background kind of,and with sythns playing it really is good sounding,then eds guitar comes in again and drives the track more again and sound really exciting and goes to the end which makes this the best track on this album,"plurnstyle"starts kind of low[quiet] with electronics styths and bass and calm drumming this is another track which is nice with just a lamp on in middle of the night,a nice bit of bass and calm to[a kind of track to make a baby go to sleep maybe],at the 4.30 mark eds acoustic sound guitar comes in and sounds calm to then back to how the track started like,the bas carrying on and really mellow and electronics sounding like there chanting a bit like for few seconds,then eds guitar[electric] comes in calm and nice,this is a nice calm ending to a good album,but this album isnt the best ozrics album for me as it more electronic and not as much guitar which sounds to me that its more of a seeweed album than other but thats my opinion but the tracks are still good,i give this 3 stars as there is better ozrics albums.

Just like Strangeitude this Ozric album seems to put even more focus on dance rhythms and grooves then usual. The sound is less rocking and more techno in a way. I can appreciate the change of direction, but rather for of the fact that there is any change at all then because of the resulting quality of the material.

After the creative laziness of the preceding album, a change of style was sure needed, but I doubt very much that this is the kind of change fans were waiting for. Well, a band shouldn't listen too much to what fans expect and do whatever they feel like doing. While Become The Other won't offer the space-rocking bliss of Erpland, the new direction at least testifies of a rekindled excitement for the material. At least on the more techno inspired moments such as Ghedengi, Wob Glass and Neurochasm. The obliged style exercises such as the Arabic Vibuthi and the ambient dub of Plurnstyle sound a whole lot less inspired.

Become the Other is a bit of an odd album from Ozric Tentacles. I guess the techno-leanings are an unwanted style-break for fans. Unluckily for the Ozrics, their typical sound, tempos and compositions aren't dissimilar enough from other albums to really attract any new fans. Overall, not bad though.

Become the Other is an Ozrics album recorded following a mild disruption to the band's lineup, with some members leaving to concentrate on Eat Static, which had previously been a side project.

I suppose it's understandable, then, that the group decided to say in comparatively safe territory - albeit with a few more dance music influences than usual, and it's this latter influence, used to particular shimmering electronic effect on Wob Glass, which adds a new flavour to the Ozrics formula on this album and helps save it from being yet another rehash of their admittedly highly flavourful space rock formula.

On the whole, it's another collection of reasonably entertaining compositions, but between the impression that the band are playing it safe a little and the production quality, which is a mild step down from the gorgeous sound of Jurassic Shift, it's not an Ozrics album I'd steer newcomers to the band to. Nonetheless, on relistening I find that it shows more evidence of musical growth than I had previously given it credit for.

The 1995 representative of the on-going development and evolution of Ed Wynne's Ozric Tentacles.

1. "Cat DNA" (6:28) an all-out hard-drivin' rock 'n' roll song with some extraordinary guitar work impressing over the solid bass and drums rhythm section and synth interplay, the sound of this one is so good: with all instrumentalists sounding truly inspired and fully-engaged. The music is a little rooted in old rock 'n' roll forms and palettes, but it's good. Ed, in particular, is on fire with his electric guitar play--both soloing and chord play. It's weird: according to the credits John Egan is playing flutes but my ear cannot detect them--which means that they're probably so heavily- treated that I think they're a synthesizer. (9.125/10)

2. "Ahu Belahu" (2:55) the sounds of large animals (predators by the mood being cast by the music) carousing around an exotic stream. Nice percussion and synth work from Conrad, Zia and Christopher Lenox-Smith. (8.875/10)

3. "Ghedengi" (5:41)a very TANGERINE DREAM-like song whose musical sounds all feel computer generated--even the bass and drums. Scenario-like AL DI MEOLA like guitars enter in the second half of the second minute. Cross-melodies are expressed in the third minute before a stoppage and eerie wait-for-the-volcano-to-stop-spewing delay before the band restarts the initial motif to play out to the end. (8.875/10)

4. "Wob Glass" (7:50) an okay rhythm track that again has me thinking that the bass and drums are totally computer- generated. Synths lay down some interesting sounds and textures over the top. This is not a bad song except for the fact that I keep waiting (and hoping) for something extraordinary to burst out at me, but, alas! it never happens. Even the cool weave in the fifth minute and Ed's "breakout" guitar foray in the sixth fall short of what I'm hoping for. (13.125/15)

5. "Neurochasm" (6:47) nice palette of instrumental sound choices (and a song in which drums and bass finally sound like drums and bass) but, even though it's a fairly hard-driving rock song, it's not until the 3:20 mark that anything exciting really kicks in. Ed's guitar feels as if he's trying to reach for Satriani/Vai territory. Not bad! Flutes in the fifth minute (yes, real flutes)! (The longer the song goes on the more I hear TONE LOC's "Wild Thing" bass line!) (13.125/15)

6. "Become the Other" (6:24) another lush sonic landscape that sounds as if it came from AL DI MEOLA's Scenario album. Multiple guitar tracks, sometimes mellow and moody, sometimes fiery, or even very pregnant (as if he's holding back--just building up to something fiery) keep the listener enrapt with expectant tension. Finally, around the four-minute mark--in the background--it starts to happen! But then it returns to the moody, ethereal Scenario motif for the final two minutes. Nice music; it's just that, again, I was kind of expecting something ? more. (9/10)

7. "Vibuthi" (10:52) acoustic "guitar" of some sort seeming to solo while sitting next to a waterfall inside an Indian or Middle Eastern temple grounds or ashram. At the 90-second mark flute joins in with Ed's virtuosic melody-making for a bit before the rest of the band finally kicks in at the 1:52 mark. Definitely a music that is directly derived from some Oriental tradition--the study of if not the direct copying of. The flutist, bass player, and drummer all perform admirably. Even when Ed takes the melody play to his electric guitar the music remains quite true to its traditional world music roots. And what's even nicer is that the melody and harmony lines all remain catchy and engaging throughout. As the music slowly moves more and more into full-on rock 'n' roll in the seventh and eighth minutes it really rocks! But then it pauses to reconsider and then falls back into its more ethnic world music instrumental palette and melodic sensibilities. Interesting appearance of two organs in the ninth minute: sounding as if two small organs in a Jerusalem church were duelling with one another. Though the song loses its charm a bit when it keeps sliding over into the rock realms, it is quite an admirable feat of ethnic captivity--as well as quite a convincing display of teamwork. (18.25/20)

8. "Plurnstyle" (7:46) bass player Zia Geelani's style hugs a bit too closely to Reggae traditions in this one for my tastes (and enjoyment), but the laid back weave created by the rest of the musicians is quite pleasing--and even impressive. It is always such a pleasure to experience the otherworldly (or alternate-world) places that the beautifully-engineered soundscapes of any Ozric Tentacles song takes one to. After six and a half minutes of just messing around, Ed steps in with his axe to do some shredding. Again it feels as if he is trying to reach for heights that others have achieved: but somehow it comes out more like emulation than the realization of original sounds or ideas. (13.25/15)

Total Time: 54:43

An album of quite-listenable and competent songscapes that somehow manage to fall short in terms of reaching the heights one might hope for from these seasoned musicians.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of spacey world music prog.