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Shamblemaths - Shamblemaths 2 CD (album) cover

SHAMBLEMATHS 2

Shamblemaths

 

Eclectic Prog

4.32 | 179 ratings

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Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer
5 stars I must admit I get intimidated reviewing certain albums like this one and so I keep holding off the review plus I want to keep it in my play list for as long as I can. SHAMBLEMATHS is the project of Norwegian Simen A Ellingsen who is a multi- instrumentalist and composer. I gave his debut 4.5 stars and I feel that this is just slightly better and enough to hit that magical 5 star rating. Man I love the retro sound here with the mellotron then add Simen's adventerous sax work and compositions and man this is my album of the year right here. I was reminded of ANGLAGARD and that Swedish sound and it doesn't hurt that the liner notes contain some cool pictures of the "woods" in Norway which ANGLAGARD liked to do showing off those Swedish forests. There just seems to be a connection between the land and the music. This is often dark, mysterious and romantic.

Simen has a new musical partner who is a drummer plus we get many guests adding a variety of vocals, keyboards and bass. There's really only six tracks here spread over 47 minutes as that long track at 18 minutes translated "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" is divided into 4 separate tracks. That title reminds me of a combination of Zechariah 2:13 "Be still before the Lord all mankind because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling" and Habakkuk 2:20 "But the Lord is in his holy temple, let all the earth be silent before him".

Speaking of mysterious how about that short 1 minute opener called "Maneskygge" where we get that melancholic alto sax with the double bass helping out. "Knucklecog" is my least favourite only because of the bombast which isn't my thing but that's just a part of this 10 minute piece. Love those psychedelic calms as the keys echo. Jazzy drums and and picked guitar as well. Vocals arrive with mellotron in tow. It kicks in again as sax joins that beautiful atmosphere. Complex is the word 4 minutes in. Check out that sounds after 5 1/2 minutes! A calm follows as themes continue to be repeated then some female vocals after 7 minutes with sax, atmosphere and jazzy drums before kicking back in.

I am blown away by the remainder of this album beginning with the 6 1/2 minute "D.S.C.H." which starts with baritone sax before we are hit with power. Some nasty organ and man SINKADUS comes to mind, this is so good. It settles again quickly with some soprano recorder but that organ is nasty that comes and goes boiling away. Some mellotron as soprano female vocals arrive and other sounds that come and go. It kicks in after 3 minutes with the guitar out front. Soon it's a stampede! The sax is great here and the tempo continues to shift. So much going on at 5 minutes then a calm with piano only. Again it's brief as it kicks back in.

Next is that monster 18 minute piece called "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence"and it opens with solo female vocals before mellotron then some depth kicks in as vocals continue. Oh my! Check out those heavy outbursts. Jarring and powerful. She will step aside as the sax takes the lead in a powerful setting. Some beautiful keyboard sounds after 4 minutes as it has settled followed by mellotron at 5 1/2 minutes. It's building bringing ANGLAGARD to mind before we get another calm.

The next section is dark with sparse sounds. The piano echoes as we hear cymbals and atmosphere. So good! It turns fuller around 2 1/2 minutes. Man this section ends so amazingly with those nasty keyboards, mellotron, sax and heaviness. Come on! Mellotron storms in to end it as we get the next section that begins with female vocals then heaviness with sax. Complex. Love that electric piano and intricate sounds as we get a calm. Picked guitar and xylophone too. Bassoon! Mellotron is ravaging the soundscape 2 minutes in then check out the sound after 3 minutes! The final section opens with a child singing in a reserved way in atmosphere.

"Been And Gone" is a short 2 minute track that is haunting and dark like those woods in Norway. Double bass with experimental sounds along with some mellotron and whispers. "This River" ends it with Simen's understated vocals with piano. I am surprisingly drawn to this. We do get some mellotron, bass and female vocals joining in. Sax will follow as it gets a little fuller and check out that mellotron before 4 minutes. It ends with dual vocals and piano.

What a ride or should I say adventure. I need to do a retro list of my favourite albums I just love this style of music. So many great ideas on this album. I wasn't expecting the mellotron and Simen told me he thought I would like this new direction he went in given my penchant for Rio as he put it.

Mellotron Storm | 5/5 |

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