Review: Maat Lander - Dissolved In The Universe

Back in May of last year I reviewed a digital album by Maat Lander - 'The Birth Of Maat's Galaxy' and I seem to remember I dug it very much. Thankfully since then a label has had the good sense to give these guys a vinyl release. That label is Clostridium records and the new vinyl, the band's debut in that format, contains live (in the studio) reworkings of tracks found on 'The Birth...' and a couple of new tracks. It must be stressed that this is NOT a re-release or re-issue but a re-birth of some tracks. And I don't mind telling you...it's a belter. Maat Lander are Ilya Lipkin (guitars), Ark Fedotov (bass, keys, synths), and Ivan Fedotov (drums, percussions). Lipkin is guitarist for heavy rock revivalists The Re-Stoned and the brothers Fedotov normally ply their trade with ethno-prog psychheads Vespero.

'Dissolved...' opens with 'Intro', a languid, Floydian foray into psychedelia; ambient guitars meandering over a drone. It is a tranquil and relaxed manner in which to open an album and is very Carlton Melton. 'The Comet Rider' is the first of the reworked tracks from 'The Birth...', it starts with some spacey effects and some very Tangerine Dream synths but soon gets into its stride and morphs into a heavy space rock number. The difference between the tracks on this album and those on 'The Birth....' are that these are played 'live' in the studio; no overdubs and plenty of improvisation and that serves to give these tracks a more spontaneous feel and this is all for the better. 'To Johannes Kepler' is pure electronic krautrock..a hazy melange of Tangerine Dream, Grobschnitt etc. It flows from the speakers to envelope the listener in a kosmische cloud of peace and tranquility...a musical balm guaranteed to sooth the most fevered of brows. 'Aquarius' is another track that borders on ambient; at times there are vague tracings of 'Tubular Bells' and at others Floyd like psychedelia. Towards the end the tempo picks up and the track evolves into strident psychedelic prog. 'Amnilan' is tinged with eastern mysticism, the sound of the souk flowing into some more lush psychedelia..a beautiful track indeed. 'Space Scum', a new track, initially hits like a bolt from the blue....fast, frentic space rock with driving guitars and pummeling drums. It is so out of step with the pastoral restfulness of the preceding tracks, but does not appear incongruous, in fact it adds to album a visceral hardness. But even this track finds its own level and while jam packed with psychedelic guitars, it retains a grace and elegance.

Between them Maat Lander and Clostridium have produced an album of immaculate class. The reworking of the tracks has added an extra dimension to what were already fantastic pieces of music. I suppose we shouldn't be surprised bearing in mind the combined musical lineage of the members, but sometimes the mixing of two great groups do not make a third...however in this case it does. An essential purchase for any psych lover. The vinyl can be bought via the Clostridium website or as a download via the Maat Lander Bandcamp page.