EPUZ

ULTRA ZOOK is a trio from Clermon-Ferrand, France that has been described as playing a tropical apocalyptic form of groove music with a post-modern touch. This group is fairly unconventional in almost every way by having released three EPs to date but no album with this first release titled EPUZ. Despite existing in an avant-garde reality, ULTRA ZOOK sticks to a classic rock instrumentation with Manu Siachoua on guitar and bass, Remi Faraut on drums and Ben Bardiaux on keyboards although they would add flute on their third release. This EP is only available as a digital download or Vinyl 12'.

The sound of ULTRA ZOOK is characterized by heavy thick groove pumped out by the bass which is melodic and even danceable but with tracks titled 'Dance Broccoli Dance' and 'La Valse Des Titans Gays' it's apparent really fast that these guys are all about exhibiting a humorous and surreal experience built around their hypnotic and often aggressive grooves. The music has been classified as a zeuhl type groove alongside avant-prog counterpoints that do indeed exhibit a highly erratic and angular demeanor. This makes me thing of what Zappa's craziest stuff would've sounded like if he was a speed freak.

These guys definitely exist in their own camp as i can't recall any other group that has so masterfully married the steady flow of zeuhl rhythms with the angular dissonant chords and bizarre time signature counterpoints of avant-prog that are mostly delivered by the keyboard attacks. With a steady beat albeit irregular, this is still the most danceable avant-prog i've ever experienced. The only word that comes to mind with ULTRA ZOOK is quirky and the closest thing i've ever heard perhaps is another French band Poil, although Poil Deviates into all kinds of musical territories whereas ULTRA ZOOK keeps to the same shtick with the thick bass lines and time signatures run amok counterpoints. Pretty cool experimental stuff but seems to be lacking enough diversity to put it over the top for me.

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