variegated jams diffused over the spectrum - they make Jane's crystals glisten. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)
There is no need for a map on this journey. One can discard of certainty, as there is no shining light at the proverbial end of the tunnel. Rather, such a strong aura is exuded over 40 minutes that you faithfully follow that feeling until the last fragments of blown out psych and evocative folk have delivered you to the end point of ecstasy. Even the tracklist, which reads like a message, is a sign that this trip is anything but linear. Let Us Pretend That We Have No Place To Go, from Metal Rouge on Kendra Steiner Editions, is a work of great depth that vacillates among different genres. Originally from New Zealand, Metal Rouge (Helga Fassonaki and Andrew Scott) currently reside in Los Angeles where they operate the Emerald Cocoon arts collective and label. On this release, they are joined by Warm Climate's Caitlin Mitchell on drums and trombone.
Hypnotic rhythms and fragile strings infuse energy into the still sanctuary, while woozy astral transmissions bathe the dome in warmth. Liftoff occurs when a blazing hash rocket jam explodes over the landscape, disseminating bits of distortion over the denizens. Soon, mutating tones manifest in different shapes - a pure drifter. Helga's voice is stunningly beautiful. And, it's not long until her lovely, treated vocals ascend ever so slightly as the tones shimmer serenely - a lovely folk imbued track. In some places, i'm reminded of the otherworldly beauty of Raajmahal. In the latter half of the cd, Helga's voice resonates with fealty, while jangly strings and Caitlin's trombone coalesce to create a profound track - the crests are beautiful. The cd ends with a propulsive live track.
Hopefully your top shelf isn't too crowded. 2013 has been a prolific year for music and Metal Rouge are firmly positioned on the holiest of holy shelves - the place where the finest nugs glisten. If you are digging the recent Sloow tape, then you need to secure a copy of Let Us Pretend That We Have No Place To Go. This release will please admirers of Charalambides, Vibracathedral Orchestra, Raajmahal and Grouper. Much like this wonderful release, KSE's map encompasses many genres. Whether it's Matt Krefting, Heather Leigh Murray, Derek Rogers, Mike Griffin, Ernesto Diaz-Infante, Djin Aquarian/Sir Plastic Crimewave or Metal Rouge, there is a wonderful variety of experimental sounds on this Texas-based label. Bill Shute is doing great things with this label. Contact him through email to order a copy of Let Us Pretend That We Have No Place To Go
peace and love, friends :)
