VIRTUAL VINYL

This is the latest TRIBE OF CRO album so far from 2007 containing three extended jams with a total length of 44 minutes. As for that the title 'Virtual Vinyl' is supposed to be a pun - because this music is only available via download from their website - for free! Recorded under live circumstances at BBC Maida Vale Studio, London this is offered in excellent sound quality and shows them in a really playful outfit.

First song The Trench is a damned grooving thing although starting first with circulating spaced-out guitar and electronic gimmicks in the vein of the 'Berlin School'. A relaxed rhythm section is the backbone later for diversified dual guitars and synthesizer quasi duelling each other. This sounds great - similar to Oresund Space Collective btw. If you're a fan of them you shouldn't ignore this album. Next one Cardinal Puff links to the forunner as for the groove. I could listen to some other versions of this song before and can confirm that they all sound totally different. This proves the improvisational attitude of this band.

Besides the two guitars a sitar is appearing surprisingly and must be generated by samples/electronics because I'm quite sure they didn't use overdubs for the mixing. Making out the longest track here we have a weird interlude included like an electronical playground until they move forward in a more heavy punching way like Hawkwind often does. Twittering synths all over there naturally ... Fading into Blue Lined Tang it all developes to something laid-back in a dub mood - but not for a long time until the band changes the lane once more with an intensive gripping heavier part. The last four minutes of this song are reserved for electronical gimmicks once more - not everyone's taste but confirming the band's experimental approach so much the more.

'Virtual Vinyl' offers lots of playful guitars and synthesizer goodies in the vein of Oresund Space Collective, Hawkwind, Ozric Tentacles. A great experience - don't miss that!

Originally available only on their website, the rise in use of Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music etc. may have prompted Tribe of Cro to put this album out to a wider audience. That appears to have happened in 2015, with track lengths revised - ten minutes cut from track two and ten added to track three. Such is the improvisational nature of the album that this can happen.

The Trench is Space Rock 101, a slowly building groove that suits any manner of instrumental improv played over the top of it (exactly what happens). Cardinal Puff continues where The Trench left off for the first four minutes - but now includes a sitar which works incredibly well in duel with the guitar and accompanying the grooving bass. The groove continues but fades back slightly in the second half to allow a variety of electronic and space battle FX noise in - but still with the sitar/guitar duel in tow.

Blue Lined Tang begins full of atmospheric synths - judging by the previous review, the 'electrical playground' interlude of the longer Cardinal Puff track has simply been moved to the start of Blue Lined Tang on this version of the album, as after 4 minutes we return to the duelling space groove and FX we had before, and move into a new almost reggae vibe on the ten minute mark. This is a neat interlude which slowly builds and develops into a section made heavier by bringing drums to the fore as well as more aggressive guitars. Section peaks and troughs gradually, slowing down and fading away leaving just the electronic noise and random FX for a full 4 minutes to the end. Personally this is an unnecessary four minutes sounding like a badly calibrated 90s games console and the only negative point of the album for me, but isn't grating enough to stop me thinking this is a 5* example of 21st Century Space Rock