This is a short (roughly 20 minutes) EP that should definitely appeal to fans of modern King Crimson. While I don’t think anyone would mistake this to be a King Crimson disc, there are moments where it might pass. I can also hear Djam Karet in this. All the tracks seem to run together making it feel like one long piece. I have to say I like the disc a lot. It gets noisy and a bit crazed at times, but never to the point of being overwhelming or obnoxious. The vocals even remind me of modern Crimson.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2010 Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Identify
Ambient elements meet fusion and other sounds on this intriguing piece. It reminds me a lot of Djam Karet and others.
Ohm The general motif hasn’t changed much, but there’s some King Crimson built into this and it’s darker and more energized. There are vocals that again make me think a bit of modern King Crimson. This is cool. There is a tasty bass solo in the middle of this and they textural structures that rise up from there are awesome and we get some rather crazed guitar soloing beyond it. It gets rather noisy and chaotic later, but the comparisons to King Crimson are still quite valid.
Transition This is a very short (less than a minute) ambient piece that feels much like a piece of the number that preceded it.
Despair Coming out of the previous piece this fires out into more chaotic Crimson-like music. This is another with vocals that again feel very much like modern Crimson. It gets pretty crazed before dropping way down to ambience to end.
Reverence This is more ambient, textural music. It’s another short piece that serves as a nice respite after the chaos that preceded it.
Alter More Crimsonian jamming makes up this number. It’s heavier and darker and also has both vocals and Djam Karet like elements. We get some awesome guitar type soloing before it moves to ambient motifs to carry us into the final track.
Resolve Although this one gets louder, it focuses more on the mellower motifs. The vocals have an almost soulful texture, but still feel like modern Crimson. It turns much heavier and louder later.
