Baked Tapes provide the impetus for the rare human to ingest kush from the celestial vine. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)
The first rays of heavenly light manifest unexpectedly, warming the parched landscape. The nearby body of water shimmers in its presence. Soon, its concentrated energy will reach the apex, giving rise to an archetype. Though billions of iterations will eventually appear, none possess the genetics of this Rare Human - the recent nug from sonic explorers Long Distance Poison on Baked Tapes. Long Distance Poison is a Brooklyn-based trio that makes psychedelic music residing in the electronic realm. Rare Human is comprised of two long-form pieces that underscore the wonderful qualities of this band. First, these pieces are not slabs of music without direction. Rather, there appears to be a unifying theme that, regardless of the position in the track, is omnipresent. Instead of tangents, these adroit fellow travelers explore beautiful, intricate environments, all the while staying on track. Furthermore, they must have an honest bag full of ideas, which is evidenced by the gorgeous textures, juxtapositions and layering of sound that is present throughout. The attentive listener will notice with joy the manner in which the tracks develop, subtly change and, at the end, reflect on the beginning. Faithfully follow the wave as the archetype negotiates its way through this surreal climate.
From the beginning of side A, a mystical drone resonates and envelops the listener, while various sounds circulate in the background. As the sound reverberates, poignant synth expands into consciousness. From here, the sound is decidedly heavier as more elements are introduced. The gorgeous drone from the beginning appears. Soon, a lovely pattern of synth is juxtaposed to piercing noise and opaque sounds. Expansive synth rushes forth with the energy of steam escaping a vent. At this juncture, the piece feels in flux and anything can occur. As one takes a step from the shadow, the nourishing, resonant drone of the beginning permeates the head with its edifying energy. The flipside is just as beautiful. Another facet of this trio appears on the flip: the ability to explore subtle variations within a movement of sound. It commences with an ominous drone and a modulating beam of sound that create a foreboding climate. Emanations from the periphery approach furtively. The playing at this point reminds me of Zawinul's evocative - subdued and mysterious - synth. With each passing second, the energy and unpredictability is enhanced. The parched earth crumbles and from it concentrated sound accelerates. With only occasional stimuli present, light sounds echo placidly. The minimalist feel at this juncture - compared to the other parts of the track - is lovely.
The new batch of Baked Tapes is awesome! Along with Rare Human, the Andrew Scott Young and Opponents tapes have been a constant presence in my cassette deck. The artwork for Rare Human corresponds nicely to the vibe of the music. Produced in an edition of 75, one may purchase a copy directly from Baked Tapes.
peace and love, friends :)
