Review: Sula Bassana - Organ Accumulator

Ah, it's my favourite time of the year....that time when a new offering from the Sula Bassana drops. This time around it is a new solo album, that time when the searing spacerock and lysergically charged, guitar based psych is dropped in favour of Sula's electronic musings. The last solo album, 'Shipwrecked' (reviewed here) was a triumph of kosmische sounds and cinematic electronica but, with 'Organ Accumulator' he has surpassed even his extremely high standards - it is a wonderful album that channels kosmische, Carpenter, Vangelis with flashes of spacerock and krautrock.

'Lichtbundel' gets this synth driven extravaganza under way. Created on pretty much just a Casiotone 403 it is a slice of pure electronic kosmische, drawing inspiration from the Berlin school of the seventies. It has a lightness of touch (no pun intended on the title!) that belies the creative process beneath and the result is a track that 'feels' good, in the same way that Tangerine Dream's early output 'felt' good. A real cracker to start with. 'Morgentau' sees things take a more ambient turn, with some very Pete Namlook phrasing and vibes - that is to say, this isn't ambient in a fluffy, new-age way but deeply chilled and tranquil. 'The Frogs' is my favourite on the album - drawing deeply from the same well that John Carpenter taps in to with his synth driven soundtracks. It has that glorious retro feel that brought Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon (from Survive) so many plaudits for their 'Stranger Things' soundtrack. It has a sense of foreboding that lingers in the background and has a cinematic drive propelling it onwards....it's tracks like this that remind one that Sula could turn his hand to pretty much anything....classical magnum opus in the future? The title track, 'Organ Accumulator' (I don't have to tell you guys that this is a play on a Hawkwind title do I?) and, as befits its title, has a distinct spacerock vibe and takes us back to the previously mentioned 'Shipwrecked' album. The spacey effects juxtaposed with driving synths have sci-fi feel to them but when the trademark Bassana guitar kicks in it changes the whole track and becomes some pretty ace, straight-up spacerock. 'Grashamster' is another truly majestic track and the most out-and-out krautrock one on the album. Built around a motorik beat it encompasses flourishes and touches of some of the great electronic krautrock artists, but all put together to become something distinctly 'Bassana'.....without doubt a tour de force! The album is closed by 'Nebelschwaden' which the man himself says is a 'slightly Vangelis influenced song' and who am I to disagree. The Vangelis influence can be clearly heard in the structure and the phrasing; a solid rhythm and rich swathes of synth combine to produce a beautiful piece that is dense with sounds but never overwhelmingly so.

The CD comes with a rather special bonus - the whole Sula Bassana side to the split LP with 3AM. I'm guessing there are many people who missed out on this beauty and so now is the ideal time to get it! This bonus consists of 3 tracks, the first (and title) track is 'Disappear', a ten minute long excursion in kosmische. Despite the fact that it was released 3 years ago, it sits exceptionally well with the 'main' album, indeed, if you were not told that it was a bonus, you would think it was the same album. This track has been a favourite of mine for some time and it is gratifying to see it get the greater exposure it deserves. The delightfully named 'Grong' is a pulsating track full of electronic beats and twanging guitar - it fair cracks along with a hauntological vibe. 'Smoof' (another great title) is another fave - a melancholic track rich with atmosphere that again harks back to the seventies but with a contemporary edge provided by the inspired use of instrumentation.

'Organ Accumulator' is simply fantastic! Packed with electronica delights that are inspired by and also pay homage to the inspirational kosmische/electronic pioneers. The fact that Sula Bassana is a gifted musician adds a technical nous to proceedings that raises this way above some of the neo-kosmische being produced (that being said, there is some fantastic stuff being produced!). This is an album that ensorcells, enthralls and envelopes the listener.....divine stuff! The CD (complete with the 'Disappears' bonus) is released by Sulatron on 17th Feb and there will be a vinyl version released by Deep Distance later in the year.