THE FABLED VOYAGES OF THE SENDELICAS

Welsh band SENDELICA have been an active recording and live entity for close to a decade at this point, usually with multiple releases to their name each and every year. They are closing in on two dozen releases in total at this point, if I have managed to keep track of everything, EPs and singles included. In addition they have contributes to numerous various artist compilations. "The Fabled Voyages of the Sendelicans" is a compilation of selected parts of their older material that was released on albums now out of print.

For those not familiar with Sendelica, an easy description of their music is that they create instrumental psychedelic progressive rock, and fairly often of the kind that is usually described as space rock. They aren't among the bands of this kind that relies heavily on keyboards and electronic effects however, bass, guitar and drum tend to be their primary chosen instruments.

All space cadets will smile happily when encountering the opening track on this album, as the key element on Standing on the Edge is one with a more than fleeting resemblance to classic Hawkwind. Brainstorm, unless I'm much mistaken. A slower paced, beefier riff is explored by Sendelica here, going along on a similar but not identical pattern as the Hawkwind riff I think I recall, and Sendelica's is rather more dominant too. Still, a short and concise effort that should please any fans of classic Hawkwind. The bass line in the following Manhole of the Universe is also one that I find familiar sounding, and again in a Hawkwind kind of way, but otherwise this song is markedly different with it's almost shrill, psych-dripping solo over pumping bass and firm rhythms theme that bookends a creation that shifts to a more cosmic oriented and effects laden expression as we visit the place in the universe this compositions have been named after.

Zhyly Byly isn't among Sendelica's most impressive creations, but I'll admit that this one has grown on me since I encountered it first time around a few years back. A distinct case of something you either enjoy or will be indifferent to, with elongated guitar solo runs as a key feature, while the following Screaming and Streaming Into the Night documents Sendelica in a more delicate mood with saxophone soloing, more liberal use of effects and generally a less intense guitar presence all around. Carningli (Hill of Angels) is another piece documenting a rather different sounding band, this one more of an atmospheric laden creation with stronger ties to ambient music.

Concluding track Spaceman Bubblegum is, at least for me, the least interesting track on this album. For me this one gets just a tad too repetitive in general. There are plenty of fine moments on this journey, but a few of the places visited does outstay their welcome as far as I'm concerned. This is obviously a matter of taste, and I know plenty of space cadets and otherworldly travelers that will appreciate the qualities of this track, even if I'm not quite as intrigued myself. Not that this is a bad track as such, in terms of my own experience this is pleasant listening all along rather than music that manage to captivate me on a superficial or a deeper level.

All in all this is a fine selection of material of the past, and these songs are a good collective match as well. Each of them documents a slightly different side of the band, they work well in the order they have been assembled, and each of them comes with their own set of strengths and dynamics. If Sendelica is a band you're curious about, this is a compilation that will give you a generally fair impression about what this band is all about. Recommended to space cadets and otherworldly travelers in general, and in particular to those amongst them that prefers their musical inspirations to be of an instrumental, rock based nature.