PAUL KIDNEY EXPERIENCE WITH MANI NEUMEIER

As previously announced, they have finished an album in collaboration with Mani NEUMEIER (ex-Guru Guru) in late 2011 finally. Actually I've assumed that inorganic / dry-fruity riffs like typical Krautrock or rigid rhythm-based soundscape like Guru Guru may have been induced by his collaboration and drumming, but I'm pretty surprised and amazed at more eccentric production of them than expected.

Yes my expectation can be broken in pieces from the beginning. I can hear something like burning dry desert, blowing sandstorm, and sweat of travellers, suffering with serious hotness around them in the first track "Ocular Orbit". Mani's drumming and Matt's piano play can sound like cool glassy water in such a tough atmosphere rather than simple heavy fuzz. This mysterious and a bit mismatched mixture can fly like an eagle strongly. Not a simple psychedelic jam but a Krautrock-ish experiment they have shot, an interesting stuff. On the other hand, as the second "Phospheniac" or the fourth "Chromatic Aberration" (such a bizarre is Paul's infernal game devils play? Feel touches of freedom, a unique one), Paul's violent growl and shout reminds me the same smell like some grind-core projects, strongly and intensively so far. Their soundscape getting along with Paul's madness can kick us away into the great beyond. In these short two, PKE could launch their psychic power as usual I feel.

Ah the most confusing / problematic creation in this album for me is the third "The Canal Of Schlemm". Mellow, dreamy cool stream with Matt's quiet but dramatic piano solo makes me warm, and slow drone space rock (unlike PKE!) based upon Mani's steady, relaxed drumming knocks me into more confusion (obviously). As if all of PKE players would leave themselves to the spacey shower, this stuff (especially the former part) goes forward naturally and smoothly. In the latter a bit violent fuzz / buzz attacks me indeed, but it cannot alter the delightful stream at all (guess Paul might have felt something different from his usual works just upon this point) ... as a result, for both the players and the audience, this song could season eccentricity into them all I suggest.

So, in conclusion, as Paul may feel, this album has showed something versatile ... not only by Mani's collaboration but also by their soundscape shifted into more eclectic, in my opinion. An important cornerstone methinks.