PAPIR MEETS ELECTRIC MOON: THE PAPERMOON SESSIONS

I wish I knew the background how these two bands got together to record this album but at this point PAPIR had released two excellent records while Germany's ELECTRIC MOON had released several. This was recorded at the Dragons Hule in Copenhagen, Denmark August 9 2012. We get the trio of PAPIR and that's bass, drums and guitar while ELECTRIC MOON arrives without their drummer but Dave Schmidt(SULA BASSANA) is here playing mostly guitar and effects along with Komet Lulu their bassist and she's awesome, she also adds effects and did the cover art. The sixth member is ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE member Morgens Deenfort on keyboards a local Danish guy who's been on a ton of OSC albums including the self titled debut from 2006. This was recorded and mixed by PAPIR while EROC mastered it. Three long tracks and this is the third review in a row I've done where the album has had just three songs.

Man this is a beast with those synths swirling and growling and creating another layer as the ELECTRIC MOON duo is either playing their instruments or adding effects. Two guitarists is great and Schmidt is amazing at creating these guitar expressions and sounds. This isn't a perfect record as that final track doesn't start exactly the way I like but man that few minutes is it as far as music that doesn't simply blow me away. These guys had to be feeding off each other, showing off their stuff and having a blast doing it all. The opener "Farewell Mr. Space Echo" is my favourite at just over 16 minutes. Just a flawless Space Rock track as far as I'm concerned. This is very much a slow build until at 9 1/2 minutes it's a frenzy. It settles back around 12 minutes in.

"Red Dust" proves Mr. Space Echo is still around as we get plenty of that from the guitar and synths on this the shortest piece at 6 minutes. It's brighter with lots of atmosphere, trippy too. The bass is quite nimble on this one. The closer "The Circle" is over 21 minutes long and I'm not big on the start and it sounds like they started recording while this was being played. It's mostly the guitar style I'm not into for the first few minutes then before 4 minutes as calm with powerful atmospheric sounds taking over quickly. No structure here. Some cymbals and sparse beats come and go then guitar expressions and bass all before 6 minutes. It's starting to move some after 7 minutes. It's after 11 minutes that it moves quicker and turns much more powerful. Great sound! The guitar is wailing after 14 1/2 minutes.

Incredible the buildups of the opener and closer on this recording then add the short bright track and man we have a classic Space rock record right here folks!