STRANGEITUDE

My journey to explore Ozric Tentacles' music started when I listened to the band's The Hidden Step album. For me, Ozric Tentacles has been consistent with their music direction as their music was composed mostly instrumental (without lyrics, some of their tunes are with vocals even though not that many), usually using the same tagline rhythm section that flows repeatedly (with some variations, of course) enriched with soloist and / or sound effects throughout the song musical passages. The other characteristic is on the flow of moods where usually the song starts mellow and moves up in crescendo and sometimes faster tempo and it returns back to its original tempo. This Strangeitude album shares similar characteristic with other albums. Even though most of Ozric's albums are similar, each has its own uniqueness that makes it an attractive album.

The album opens with White Rhino Tea (5:55) that comprises a great combination of ambient, spacey and psychedelic music with traditional roots music as demonstrated through flute work. The bass lines used here is very inventive and provide an excellent sound that enrich the music. The structure has some variations that make this song very enjoyable from start to end.

Sploosh (6:24) is an energetic track with upbeat tempo. It has repetitive drum work at the beginning part but it changes in the middle especially when electric guitar solo takes its part. Again, this represents the true characteristic of Ozric music. I really enjoy the sound effects part even though the rhythm section is repetitive. Uplifting track with relatively minimum tempo changes.

Saucers (7:30) starts with excellent acoustic guitar work followed with jazz-rock fusion music and sound effects. Acoustic guitar plays lead melody. Thin solo keyboard appears in eastern music style before it finally demonstrates sound effects. Compared to other tracks, this one is probably less spacey at the beginning. Electrical guitar finally takes solo part in the middle of the track with excellent bass line and keyboard work and provide spacey elements at the end of the track.

Strangeitude (7:29) opens with an ambient traditional sound that reminds me to middle east music. The ambient part exploring various sounds takes half of track's duration until it flows into a space music with the entrance of drum beats in constant tempo and repetitive in nature. Some distant voices are added on top of the music. Bizarre Bazaar (4:04) brings the music back into more upbeat tempo exploring dynamic drumming and excellent flute work continued with electric guitar solo. I can hear the solid bass lines and various sound effects used - percussion and distant vocals. In the middle of the track the tempo turns slower followed with quiet passage but it then continue with stunning guitar solo in high register notes augmented wonderfully with flute work. Bass guitar is also given a chance to play obviously and characterizrs the rhythm section. Wonderful track.

Space Between Your Ears (7:46) is mellower than previous track. And as the title implies, it has a strong spacey nuance with excellent combination of solid bass lines and drums / percussion works. Electric guitar solo continues the flow with long sustain style. Sound effects, as typical with Ozric music, is widely used in this track. Sometime the music turns into quieter passage and giving chnace for drums to enrich the nuance.

Live Throbbe (7:16) has a very strong traditional music background especially with the work of flute at the opening combined with floating keyboard sound. The drum sounds enter the music combined with repeated keyboard effects sound in floating style. The music flows in slow / medium tempo with some male chanting at the background. Electric guitar continues the melody augmented by the keyboard effects and dynamic drumming. Bass guitar is played repeatedly. Even though there are repetitions but this track is enjoyable because the soloist (guitar) and the effects that come oute throughout the track.

My CD has bonus track Weirditude (5:13) that is also an excellent track exploring a combination of guitar solo and keyboard punch in floating style.

Overall, I recommend you to buy this album. Keep on proggin' .!!!

Progressively yours,

GW

Review #301