ELECTRIC MOON

That little grey puddle on the floor you're politely avoiding is what's left of my brain, after being introduced to the single-minded intensity of this Acid Rock power trio from somewhere in Germany (by way of Alpha Centauri, no doubt). Discovering the band was not unlike meeting the business end of a sledgehammer aimed at your head: if nothing else, you have to respect the sheer visceral impact of the experience.

The entire album, all of it instrumental, has only two lopsided tracks. The opening fusillade, "Mental Record", immediately charts a course toward the outer cosmos, but it's only a prologue to the all-too aptly named title track: a relentless 52-minute juggernaut of a jam session (and no, that length is not a slip of the fingers). So, how does one develop an almost hour-long, one-chord improvisation without it sounding completely self-indulgent? Very slowly, as it turns out, and with a lot of stamina.

Hell, even the most amateur punk rocker typically needs three chords to form a band. But that's a few too many for interstellar voyagers like Electric Moon. The effects-driven lead guitar of Sula Bassana sets the pace; the unfussy bass playing of Komet Lulu provides the anchor (she also created the eye-frying lysergic cover art: another facet of the band's admirable DIY aesthetic). And the stock of cool pseudonyms apparently ran out before reaching Alex the drummer.

There's nothing particularly complicated here, no true instrumental virtuosity or thematic musical development. Just pure, hardcore psychedelia, played at punishing length: the perfect diversion for all you cosmic rock masochists (and you know who you are). Why bother indulging in recreational drugs, with music like this to bend your tender psyche into möbius strips?

This is only speculation, but I'm guessing the group's albums are more or less interchangeable. So this one probably works as well as any other, with a caution: if played loud enough and long enough, it may ultimately prove fatal. But what a way to go.

Mind the puddle, on your way out...

New space rock from the Germany/Austria region - this forces to explore the line-up immediately ... and what a surprise ... real-whizz kid Sula Bassana is involved here too (of course, one or two may say). Some references to projects like Interkosmos or his solo stuff are obvious. As a multi-instrumentalist he thoroughly could have played all the equipment on his own, but this time Sula collaborates with Pablo Carneval (drums) and Komet Lulu (bass), who is also responsible for the nice album artwork by the way. Which means Sula handles the guitars and organ this time. And altogether they are ELECTRIC MOON.

Except the well-placed Eric Burdon remake Hotel Hell the other four songs are written by the complete band and beyond the ten minute mark. Cosmic jamming is the name of the game once again. 'Dangerous Planet Girls' ... ohoooo ... Gefährliche Planetengirls is the album's opener and a highlight for sure. First this sounds like they are linking to the Nasoni Pop Art Experimental Band in some way. Wah wah and organ serve a 70's feeling. Gradually a groovy hypnotic beat emerges, the rhythm mates are playing solid where Sula Bassana cares for all the other goodies speaking of tons of soaring and echoed space guitars. This sounds like they put heart and soul into it.

The same applies for the title track dominated by double tracked guitars, more fuzz styled this time and nicely spaced out at the end. Despite all the ups and downs on Brain Eaters Lulu's bass is mysteriously stoic and doomy, equivalent to the spaceship's secure working prime machine which is absolutely useful to get along on a dangerous trip. And above all Sula arranges massive guitar walls.

The extended Moon Love starts trippy hallucinatory, is seemingly meandering disoriented for a while accompanied by whispering voices until it's gathering speed really, reaching for some heavy maybe even stoner moments. I have problems to get it nevertheless - all in all this 23 minute monster track lacks of inspiration a bit - too much of a good thing as for my impression.

The band's debut 'Lunatics' was released on NASONI and is made of hypnotic grooves and spacey respectively fuzzy guitars. Hence here we have another proper effort inspired by Dave Schmidt's cosmic attitude and headed by his guitar skills. This album does not provide something revolutionary new, except the line-up if you will. Surely a must have for die-hard space rock lovers though.