FORMULA ORANGE

SH'MANTRA have struck gold with their second album "Formula Orange" mixing the minimalistic tones of RADIOHEAD with the spacey spectrum of PORCUPINE TREE and PINK FLOYD. This space-rock quintet serve up some pretty far reaching music with lots of space background atmospheres. Their music is quite involved and offers a wide range of tempo and mood swings. Infrequently they inject heavy freaked-out KING CRIMSON'ish interludes over their carefully etched musical canvass. They seem to love to play in the "space/mind music" realm with their pattented airy tunes which are given lots of space to meander about. Songs are deep and involved with lots of spacey riffs and lighter rhythm sections. For the most part SH'MANTRA concentrate on playing mostly instrumental music, however at times droned vocals do surface (I think this is where perhaps I get the RADIOHEAD feeling).

My personal favourite parts are when they layer on great space guitar and keyboard expressions over intoxicating percussive landscapes. Without a question fans of PORCUPINE TREE/IEM will drool over the music of SH'MANTRA. Hypnotic yet still very progressive and never repetitive. A real mind melt for sure......I love this album and find it to be a perfect Sunday evening listen. Inquiries about SH'MANTRA can be made at the following link... www.users.bigpond.com/dovoxe

The Australian band SH'MANTRA was formed in 1995 under the name CORNUCOPIA. When the released their debut CD "Cornucopia" in 1998, they changed the name to SH'MANTRA.

Now they have released a double CD independently named "Formula Orange". The music is a blend of slowly progressing and mostly instrumental ambient, jazz, psychedelic rock and space rock. SH'MANTRA has reminiscences to Brian ENO, KING CRIMSON, PINK FLOYD, RADIOHEAD, SOFT MACHINE and TANGERINE DREAM.

If I should mention any Swedish bands, they have a lot in common with Joakim SKOGSBERG, The SPACIOUS MIND, TRAD GRAS OCH STENAR and ALGARNAS TRADGARD. t

It's necessary to like this kind of music to really appreciate this album, because it's not that easily accessible, and can be really annoying if you're into harder music. On the other hand there's some songs that could serve as relaxing music. Not bad at all, but not my kind of style.

This is Psychedelic music at it's best. These Australians really impressed me with this double album released in 2003. Lots of melancholic and spacey soundscapes contrasted with outbursts of pounding drums and fiery guitar. These guys can play but they also have some great ideas, and yes PINK FLOYD did come to mind several times. Oh I should mention they thank Greg Dixon "for instrumentation, inspiration and turd polishing".

"Kiuti" opens with these loud hums that come and go with a spacey backdrop. A vocal sample from "Mission Control" follows before the main melody comes in. This sounds so good with the thick atmophere floating powerfully in the background while a guitar line is repeated. Drums 3 1/2 minutes in. It kicks into gear after 5 minutes. This is great ! It turns experimental then spacey. Drums are back to the fore 7 1/2 minutes in as it builds. Here we go ! It then settles with vocals before 10 minutes. "Robots On The Beach" opens with bass and then percussion joins in. Guitar then almost whispered vocals follow. I like this. Drums before 4 minutes. Nice. Heaviness follows. Amazing ! "Pit And The Pendulum" opens with laid back guitar. Drums and a spacey soundscape before 1 1/2 minutes.This is FLOYD-like and it building. Vocals after 2 minutes as it settles. Love his vocals (reminds me of ANEKDOTEN) and the way this sounds.The tempo picks up 8 minutes in then it fades out. Great tune and one of my favourites. "74040S167.20E04:46:18" opens with slowly picked guitar as synths ping then this hum comes in. Spacey winds after 8 minutes.This is a trip. "Sweat Of The Sun,Tears Of The Moon" opens with strummed guitar as a second guitar comes in then drums. Good song. "<~~>" is 5 seconds of noise. "Sunburst On The Cayman Trench" opens with gentle guitar before a darker sound with drums takes over. It's building. Spoken word samples before 4 minutes. Electric guitar after 5 minutes as it kicks into gear.

"Absence_Substance_Quantity_Quality_Relation_Action_Affection_Position_Time_Lo cation_Condition_Place and State_Presence" is a long song title. Guitar feedback as vocal samples come in and FLOYD-like synths that come and go. Drums and a change after 2 minutes. Love it ! It kicks in heavily before 4 minutes then the guitar starts to solo 2 minutes later. It turns spacey 9 minutes in.Drums are back.FLOYD-like organ after 11 1/2 minutes. What a song ! If I was rating disc one alone I would seriously consider 5 stars. Disc 2 begins with "Recurring Nocturnal Habit II" a shortish song that opens with some cool bass before the guitar joins in. Keyboards too as it builds. A TANGERINE DREAM vibe here. "Inanimate Articulate" is all about the beat; bass joins in then a guitar line.The guitar starts to make some noise then it settles again. Contrasts continue. "TWS" is the almost 25 minute closer. This is spacey. Drums before 3 minutes as guitar comes in too. A calm with electronics 5 minutes in. Piano comes and goes starting around 8 1/2 minutes. Eerie sounds also come and go as well. Guitar and drums lead the way 19 1/2 minutes in as the sound changes.This is killer ! The guitar is excellent. Vocals before 22 minutes. What a way to end it !

A must for all you space cadets out there. I'm really impressed. Easily 4 stars.