EPUZ

One of the things I love from Progarchives are its forum, where people can write about this music we love so much, and recommend or give some tips. In one of the topics someone recommended Ultra Zook and mentioned their music was free to download in their Bandcamp page. So I did it, and now I am reviewing their first release entitled "Epuz" which is a 5-track EP that lasts 17 minutes, in which we will listen to experimental or avant-rock music, good for the ears.

So if you can, try listening to this French band, it is worth it and now I'll tell you why. The EP opens with "Dance Broccoli Dance", a 4 minute track that starts with claps and a repetitive voice saying weeeoohaaah; seconds later bass lines appear and little by little the song is flowing, now with the introduction of a keyboard atmosphere as background, until at 1:30 the music changes, drums appear and the rhythm becomes faster in the symphonic vein. Then the voices disappear and there is an instrumental crescendo for some moments that create a cool but tense sensation; later the explosive symphonic tune returns and the song finishes. Excellent!

"Papier Bitte Schnell" has a clear reminiscence of Zeuhl bands, after all Ultra Zook are for france, so I assume some Magma albums might be in the musician's collections, though the music reminds me more of Japanese Zeuhl, which is also great. "Pasta Diva" follows the same path as the previous, its zeuhl-esque sound can be appreciated by the vocals and bass lines, though later the song changes a little bit, becomes even crazier with the great use of keyboards and put a nervous touch that makes it even better.

"La Valse des Titan Gays" has a fats sound but this time with a post-rockish tendency provoked by guitars and bass at least for the first minute, then it changes and becomes darker and experimental. Let me tell you this is a power trio, maybe not in the same league than other better known power trios, but it doesn't matter, Ultra Zook has its own style and I like it. The last song is "No Phono Sound" starts with a creepy keyboard sound and some seconds later drums and bass join and start to create a cool structure in that zeuhl mood.

If you like this kind of music, then you will have a good time with Ultra Zook, otherwise, do not even dare to listen to it. The music is cool, however, and according to my narrow procedures, I will rate it with only 2 stars, because I never (only in very special cases) give more than 2 to 20-less minute records.

Enjoy it!

ULTRA ZOOK is a trio from Clermon-Ferrand, France that has been described as playing a tropical apocalyptic form of groove music with a post-modern touch. This group is fairly unconventional in almost every way by having released three EPs to date but no album with this first release titled EPUZ. Despite existing in an avant-garde reality, ULTRA ZOOK sticks to a classic rock instrumentation with Manu Siachoua on guitar and bass, Remi Faraut on drums and Ben Bardiaux on keyboards although they would add flute on their third release. This EP is only available as a digital download or Vinyl 12'.

The sound of ULTRA ZOOK is characterized by heavy thick groove pumped out by the bass which is melodic and even danceable but with tracks titled 'Dance Broccoli Dance' and 'La Valse Des Titans Gays' it's apparent really fast that these guys are all about exhibiting a humorous and surreal experience built around their hypnotic and often aggressive grooves. The music has been classified as a zeuhl type groove alongside avant-prog counterpoints that do indeed exhibit a highly erratic and angular demeanor. This makes me thing of what Zappa's craziest stuff would've sounded like if he was a speed freak.

These guys definitely exist in their own camp as i can't recall any other group that has so masterfully married the steady flow of zeuhl rhythms with the angular dissonant chords and bizarre time signature counterpoints of avant-prog that are mostly delivered by the keyboard attacks. With a steady beat albeit irregular, this is still the most danceable avant-prog i've ever experienced. The only word that comes to mind with ULTRA ZOOK is quirky and the closest thing i've ever heard perhaps is another French band Poil, although Poil Deviates into all kinds of musical territories whereas ULTRA ZOOK keeps to the same shtick with the thick bass lines and time signatures run amok counterpoints. Pretty cool experimental stuff but seems to be lacking enough diversity to put it over the top for me.