PSICOMAGIA

The keyboards have way too much space on the left channel and the rest of the band is crowded on the right channel. I want to get into that relentless groove but the distorted and constantly dominant organ (synth?) keeps me from doing so.

Strangely it was mixed by Brian Ellis and I can barely hear his saxophone most of the time.

The first track is easily the best one though and gives a glimpse of how better this album could have been. It clearly deserves a remix.

3 stars.

Up first is my favourite song "El Memorioso" and I should clarify here that my complaints above refer mainly to the two part track "El Congreso" which takes up about 27 minutes of this 39 minute recording. Back to the opening tune and it starts with intricate pinging sounds that almost echo before this Eastern vibe arrives. It kicks into a full sound before 2 minutes with the sax playing over top. Just a great sound to this one. Next is "El Congreso Pt. 1" and it really comes across as being an improv with no structure to start. It does settle back as spoken words arrive. He stops around 3 1/2 minutes in then that "shrill" sounding organ kicks in and it's relentless. Where's my codeine? We get a break 6 1/2 minutes in as the drums impress then the tempo picks up. This is good until the organ returns before 9 minutes pretty much to the end, although we get some nice sax that comes and goes.

"El Congreso Pt. 2" is chaotic with that organ sound early on. Spoken words after 2 minutes and they stop around the 6 minute mark. The organ dominates the rest of the way. "Simplon" is more like it as we get this uptempo start with drums, bass and sax leading the way. It does settle right down but then the organ shrills join in as it gets intense. Nice bass though before 2 minutes. It does settle down again and I like this so much better when it does.

I'm a little shocked that i'm not giving this 4 stars after all I read about it but this just doesn't do a lot for me for the reasons stated in my intro. I'm sure many high ratings will be forth coming but that's my 2 cents worth.

I think is better to analyse the musician's contributions more than the actual songs, as strong compositions though they are, the music substance itself is so unique.

Firstly, the rythm section is just crazy. The drums literally do not let up for one second, showcasing a fluid but technical style that really adds to the experimental vibe. In places, the drums lock with the deep bass lines, such as the poetry section in the second part of il congresso, which creates an amazing grove, and a solid foundation for the music. The drumming in the crazier sections is phenomenal.

Brian Ellis is here present on sax! He lays down some wonderful melodic sax lines which recur, and lend a sense of cohesion to the music bubbling away beneath it. It tends to appear when you want it most. There is also a gorgeous spaced out sax solo in the opening number.

The organ. This is probably the most appealing aspect of the album for me (though I am especially partial to some good organ), as it is just so different and engaging. I'm not sure what is used, but it often sounds like the weirdly melodic extended feedback from a guitar! Throughout Il Congresso it slides in and out, saturating the music, and creating lovely rich sound thick with psychedelia. It serves as a melodic counterpoint to the clean sax, and they often swirl around each other.

The poetry is not really central, but it is definitely an interesting (and welcome) addition to the music! It reinforces that the album is so unique and original.

This album it a definite melting pot of many different genres, though I would say it is heavy psyched out jazz fusion. Though anyone that enjoys experimental music will find plenty to love here, and that description doesn't really do it justice.

My only gripe would be that the album can be a bit too full on, but in the context of the generally masterful flow of the album, this is a small niggle indeed.

I wrote this review, as there aren't any here yet, in the hope that the album would become less obscure, as it is literally to good to miss! Also, the vinyl edition is rather fetching, as it is black marbled with green.

Hnrz