ODD TRIP

Karmamoi are proving to a difficult band to review. These Italians have a style somewhere between the psychedelia of Pink Floyd and the distortion power of Rush. Of course, they mix all sorts of styles into one cohesive stew, including a heavy dose of electronic experimentation. It's pretty impressive in an odd sort of way.

Speaking of odd, their latest album is called "Odd Trip", and I completely agree with this title. It's all over the place, and that's okay. With funky interludes and a great mix of surreal ballads and hard-edged, guitar-driven progressive pieces. The musicianship is wonderful across the board, though I think the vocals from Serena Ciacci may be what stand out the most. She has a beautiful tone and she likes to experiment with some interesting off-key vocal exercises that she adds here and there like a sprinkling of personality. With great range, she pulls her performance off effortlessly.

The band behind Serena are great at what they do. The guitarists especially know how to drive songs in spiraling riffs that are a great contrast from Serena's voice, but they also provide plenty of delicate fingerwork and beautiful tonal changes. The rhythm section is also really busy, especially the bass guitar. This album is saturated in a dynamic bassy goodness that often steals the show.

There are quite a bit of stand out tracks on this album, including the eerily ethereal "If I Think of the Sea", the driving "Yours", and the sweeping title track. Honestly, the whole album is quite good from start to finish. It's certainly an odd trip, and one can sense the artistic passions the band has.

So, if you like a bit of technical work, plenty of melodic eccentricity, and a band devoted to their sound, give Karmamoi's "Odd Trip" a try. It's definitely a grower, but after the third or fourth listen I started to get it. It's pretty subtle at times, and in your face in others, but there's a masterful mix to it all that I didn't expect. Give these guys a try.

3.5 stars