Review: 2 from Russia/Ukraine; Vespero - Lique Mekwas/Был замечен - стало ещё только хуже
Over the course of writing this blog I have heard and spoken to many, many fine bands from Russia. I'll admit that before this I had very scant knowledge of music from that area and it came as a surprise that the psych scene over there is producing many great bands at the moment. I have reviewed many (Maat Lander, The Grand Astoria, Polska Radio One to name but 3) and here are 2 more. Vespero will probably be familiar to people already having established a name for themselves over the course of 6 albums. Byl Zamechen are lesser known, but hopefully their name will become familiar as well
Vespero are one of the flag bearers of Russian psych. Formed in Astrakhan in 2003, they have honed their artful fusion of psychedelia, space rock and krautrock with ethnic flourishes and flashes of prog rock and improv. The band consist of Arkady 'Ark' Fedotov (bass, synths, flutes, voice), Ivan Fedotov (drums, percussions), Alexei Klabukov (synths, keyboards, accordion), Alexander Kuzovlev (guitars, electronics), Vitaly Borodin (violin), and Alexander Timakov (percussion, drums).
'Lique Mekwas', the bands seventh full length, tells a story of a young man who was appointed to serve the Crown Prince of Abyssinia as a guard-impersonator, and after the years of hard trials and adventures got to know that he had always been a true King of his country. It is the first part in the band's Abyssinian Tales dilogy. It starts with 'The Course of Abagaz', a sixteen minute journey into the realms of spacey prog. An insistent, drum pattern, bordering on afrobeat, holds together some fine guitarwork that straddles the divide between prog and psych. The synth adds some spacey effects that give it a cosmic feel. The track starts at a mid-tempo rate but settles into something more sedate with touches of jazz before once again hitting its stride, this time with added sax. 'Ras Dashen' is a gentle space rock number with more fine guitar and synth effects. The addition of the sax again (courtesy of Pavel Alekseev) lends it a smooth, almost lounge, jazzy feel, while the passages with violin have an ethnic, acid folk feel. I can't think of many other bands who can mix so many disparate ideas and yet come up with a seamless product. 'Oromoo’s Flashing Eyes' is an hypnotic track, again mixing prog, psych and space rock influences....it feels at times very Ozric Tentacles. It is a track with so much going on that the listener is left feeling a tad discombobulated, but in a good way. 'Abyssinian Ground' starts as a sophisticated, syncopated prog track before evolving into an upbeat number with definite ethnic flourishes. 'Isidore’s Prophet' sees the band yet again embrace the jazzier side of life with the sax and the jazzy drums. As the track progresses it grows into something with a real seventies groove. 'Follow the Fitawrari' is probably my favourite from the album....a 'showcase' for the album in that contains pretty much everything...some wonderful wah-wah guitar, an insistent rhythm, some ethnic touches all mixed up in a prog/psych package that fair rattles along. 'The Emperor’s Second Self' closes the album; a long, hypnotic number with some laid-back prog/psych that closes the album in a classy manner.
'Lique Mekwas' certainly sees Vespero take another direction from some of their earlier outings - it is built on a more progressive base and has definite jazz influences. This is by no means a bad thing and it combines well with the trademark Vespero ethno-rock of the past. There is no doubt that the band are technically astute and accomplished musicians and the album is put together in a thoughtful way. A fine album that rewards the listener with its flurries of activity and then more sedate passages. It can be purchased via the R.A.I.G. bandcamp page here and is available as a download or CD.
I don't know a great deal about Был замечен (Byl Zamechen) except from an email I received from the band. What I do know is that they play some lo-fi, psychedelic noise that is pretty darned awesome. (I've just found out the band are actually from Ukraine, not Russia....many apologies guys!)
'глазницы (Orbits)' (English translation of titles courtesy of the band) starts in a noir way; sultry bass and echoing guitar chords before the Russian vocals intone impassionately over the top. There are regular bursts of heavy guitar, a matter of seconds in length and it carries on like this for 3 or 4 minutes until all hell breaks loose....the guitars wail and the drums crash and it all sounds like something that Amphetamine Reptile would release. This glorious cacophony breaks down into bursts of feedback and reverb before the vocals kick in again. It continues like this until the end....passages of heaviness alternating with more sedate (relatively speaking!) passages...exhilarating stuff! шифровал (Encrypted) is more glorious noise...after a Zappaeasque, discordant intro the band break into a psychedelic/noise track that is a joy to hear. There is some authentic organ and a female chorus of 'da da da da' and on the face of it it could be a jaunty little homage to the swinging sixties....but it is sheer madness...the guitars are in overdrive, the organ is hammered and there is some skronky sax mixed in. The overall effect is like if Zappa was in the Jesus Lizard and playing some sixties psych/garage...it is mad, refreshing and damned enjoyable. 'в один конец (At One End)' starts with a hum of feedback and drone and some skittering percussion and there are some vaguely audible vocal chants discernible in the background. Treated vocals, again in Russian, wrestle with some eerie whispers and sonic twists and turns. The effect is one of a Russian Nurse With Wound or very early 23 Skidoo. About halfway through this miasma of experimentation stops abruptly and a softly strummed acoustic guitar can be heard. The strumming becomes more urgent and is joined by a shrill penny whistle or recorder and it all sounds like someone has spiked the punch at a local fair with amphetamines. then the comedown hits and it becomes more sedate and downbeat. 'они (They)' starts as a psych/doom number with some Sabbath riffs before the organ joins in and proceedings become very seventies psych rock, bordering on Krautrock, only the Russian vocals belying the fact that ut doesn't originate in Germany in the 1970s. As is becoming apparent by now, things don't stay this settled for long....there are breaks of noise rock where everything goes into overdrive before settling again in the seventies vibe. As the track progresses along it's 14 minutes length there is a definite shift towards the groovier side of things with the drums laying down some serious groove and there are some spacey electronica effects to give it all a funky cosmic feel. Another cracking track. 'молчаливый космос (Silent Space)' is the last, and the longest track at a shade over 20 minutes. It starts with silence punctuated by an occasional deep drum. A drone is introduced with some Gregorian style chanting and snippets of spoken word vocals. Some reverb drenched guitar chords herald a change in style; the atmosphere remains funereal but there is some doom added to the drone. Some spacey effects are also added and it all comes together nicely and it really does feel like a trip into the darkness of the cosmos.
Albums like this are why I enjoy writing this blog...chances are I wouldn't have got to hear this frankly amazing album, and this is an album that deserves to be listened to. It is lo-fi; no sleek production values, but it is bold and adventurous and full of creativity and imagination. But, possibly more importantly, it is a damned enjoyable listen. You get the feeling that this band really enjoy what they are doing and this is reflected in the music. One of the most varied, enjoyable and imaginative albums I've heard in a while. 'стало ещё только хуже' will be released digitally on 12th May and can be purchased via the band's bandcamp page. As for physical formats, the band consider themselves as a tape-band and conceptually releases their stuff only on tapes, in this case released via Robustfellows Prods and can be pre-ordered via the bandcamp page here.
Vespero are one of the flag bearers of Russian psych. Formed in Astrakhan in 2003, they have honed their artful fusion of psychedelia, space rock and krautrock with ethnic flourishes and flashes of prog rock and improv. The band consist of Arkady 'Ark' Fedotov (bass, synths, flutes, voice), Ivan Fedotov (drums, percussions), Alexei Klabukov (synths, keyboards, accordion), Alexander Kuzovlev (guitars, electronics), Vitaly Borodin (violin), and Alexander Timakov (percussion, drums).
'Lique Mekwas', the bands seventh full length, tells a story of a young man who was appointed to serve the Crown Prince of Abyssinia as a guard-impersonator, and after the years of hard trials and adventures got to know that he had always been a true King of his country. It is the first part in the band's Abyssinian Tales dilogy. It starts with 'The Course of Abagaz', a sixteen minute journey into the realms of spacey prog. An insistent, drum pattern, bordering on afrobeat, holds together some fine guitarwork that straddles the divide between prog and psych. The synth adds some spacey effects that give it a cosmic feel. The track starts at a mid-tempo rate but settles into something more sedate with touches of jazz before once again hitting its stride, this time with added sax. 'Ras Dashen' is a gentle space rock number with more fine guitar and synth effects. The addition of the sax again (courtesy of Pavel Alekseev) lends it a smooth, almost lounge, jazzy feel, while the passages with violin have an ethnic, acid folk feel. I can't think of many other bands who can mix so many disparate ideas and yet come up with a seamless product. 'Oromoo’s Flashing Eyes' is an hypnotic track, again mixing prog, psych and space rock influences....it feels at times very Ozric Tentacles. It is a track with so much going on that the listener is left feeling a tad discombobulated, but in a good way. 'Abyssinian Ground' starts as a sophisticated, syncopated prog track before evolving into an upbeat number with definite ethnic flourishes. 'Isidore’s Prophet' sees the band yet again embrace the jazzier side of life with the sax and the jazzy drums. As the track progresses it grows into something with a real seventies groove. 'Follow the Fitawrari' is probably my favourite from the album....a 'showcase' for the album in that contains pretty much everything...some wonderful wah-wah guitar, an insistent rhythm, some ethnic touches all mixed up in a prog/psych package that fair rattles along. 'The Emperor’s Second Self' closes the album; a long, hypnotic number with some laid-back prog/psych that closes the album in a classy manner.
'Lique Mekwas' certainly sees Vespero take another direction from some of their earlier outings - it is built on a more progressive base and has definite jazz influences. This is by no means a bad thing and it combines well with the trademark Vespero ethno-rock of the past. There is no doubt that the band are technically astute and accomplished musicians and the album is put together in a thoughtful way. A fine album that rewards the listener with its flurries of activity and then more sedate passages. It can be purchased via the R.A.I.G. bandcamp page here and is available as a download or CD.
I don't know a great deal about Был замечен (Byl Zamechen) except from an email I received from the band. What I do know is that they play some lo-fi, psychedelic noise that is pretty darned awesome. (I've just found out the band are actually from Ukraine, not Russia....many apologies guys!)
'глазницы (Orbits)' (English translation of titles courtesy of the band) starts in a noir way; sultry bass and echoing guitar chords before the Russian vocals intone impassionately over the top. There are regular bursts of heavy guitar, a matter of seconds in length and it carries on like this for 3 or 4 minutes until all hell breaks loose....the guitars wail and the drums crash and it all sounds like something that Amphetamine Reptile would release. This glorious cacophony breaks down into bursts of feedback and reverb before the vocals kick in again. It continues like this until the end....passages of heaviness alternating with more sedate (relatively speaking!) passages...exhilarating stuff! шифровал (Encrypted) is more glorious noise...after a Zappaeasque, discordant intro the band break into a psychedelic/noise track that is a joy to hear. There is some authentic organ and a female chorus of 'da da da da' and on the face of it it could be a jaunty little homage to the swinging sixties....but it is sheer madness...the guitars are in overdrive, the organ is hammered and there is some skronky sax mixed in. The overall effect is like if Zappa was in the Jesus Lizard and playing some sixties psych/garage...it is mad, refreshing and damned enjoyable. 'в один конец (At One End)' starts with a hum of feedback and drone and some skittering percussion and there are some vaguely audible vocal chants discernible in the background. Treated vocals, again in Russian, wrestle with some eerie whispers and sonic twists and turns. The effect is one of a Russian Nurse With Wound or very early 23 Skidoo. About halfway through this miasma of experimentation stops abruptly and a softly strummed acoustic guitar can be heard. The strumming becomes more urgent and is joined by a shrill penny whistle or recorder and it all sounds like someone has spiked the punch at a local fair with amphetamines. then the comedown hits and it becomes more sedate and downbeat. 'они (They)' starts as a psych/doom number with some Sabbath riffs before the organ joins in and proceedings become very seventies psych rock, bordering on Krautrock, only the Russian vocals belying the fact that ut doesn't originate in Germany in the 1970s. As is becoming apparent by now, things don't stay this settled for long....there are breaks of noise rock where everything goes into overdrive before settling again in the seventies vibe. As the track progresses along it's 14 minutes length there is a definite shift towards the groovier side of things with the drums laying down some serious groove and there are some spacey electronica effects to give it all a funky cosmic feel. Another cracking track. 'молчаливый космос (Silent Space)' is the last, and the longest track at a shade over 20 minutes. It starts with silence punctuated by an occasional deep drum. A drone is introduced with some Gregorian style chanting and snippets of spoken word vocals. Some reverb drenched guitar chords herald a change in style; the atmosphere remains funereal but there is some doom added to the drone. Some spacey effects are also added and it all comes together nicely and it really does feel like a trip into the darkness of the cosmos.
Albums like this are why I enjoy writing this blog...chances are I wouldn't have got to hear this frankly amazing album, and this is an album that deserves to be listened to. It is lo-fi; no sleek production values, but it is bold and adventurous and full of creativity and imagination. But, possibly more importantly, it is a damned enjoyable listen. You get the feeling that this band really enjoy what they are doing and this is reflected in the music. One of the most varied, enjoyable and imaginative albums I've heard in a while. 'стало ещё только хуже' will be released digitally on 12th May and can be purchased via the band's bandcamp page. As for physical formats, the band consider themselves as a tape-band and conceptually releases their stuff only on tapes, in this case released via Robustfellows Prods and can be pre-ordered via the bandcamp page here.
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