KALLOCAIN

Immediately after having pushed the play-button one is being sent barking up the wrong tree. During no more than a minute one thinks to be in the middle of a gypsy camp, wondering what musical journey one got in to now.

But not to worry, after this minute the fiddle is replaced by a psychedelic piece of music with quite heavy parts in it. The music may be psychedelic, but what really makes you dizzy is the voice of Petronella Nettermalm. She creates a special, dreamy atmosphere that almost sucks you into the music.

The violence of the first track isn't maintained: from "Holding On" onwards creating this gloomy atmosphere is the main message. The Swedish band PAATOS, led by the amazing voice of Petronella, gets your feet of the ground and takes you to unknown heights. They call their own music melancholic post rock. Combine PORTISHEAD with (a very good) HOOVERPHONIC and add a delicate David Lynch-sauce (remember the mysterious tv-series Twin Peaks?), and what you get is a very addictive cocktail. Petronella Nettermalm is compared with Bjork, but her voice comes closer to the one of Julee Cruise (Twin Peaks) and Imogen, who worked with Terry Oldfield (Mike's brother). Her voice is fragile and strong at the same time, dreamy and heavenly seductive.

The music is subtle and at times prominently present accompanying Petronella's singing. The production is perfect. Marvellous mellotron sounds are supported by nice drumming and subtly added guitar.

If you love PORTISHEAD and HOOVERPHONIC and like the mix with YES- ("Happiness") and KING CRIMSON-influences (the dramatic "Stream", with a guitar solo that reminds of the former EARTH AND FIRE), and if a hallucinating musical trip doesn't frighten you off, you've just got to buy the timeless "Kallocain"!

Strongly recommended!

>>> Review by: Luc Descamps (9/10) <<<