Spanish Space/Psych/Kraut rockers Mechanik follow up their 2013 Velut Stella Splendida album with a fresh set of mostly instrumental Space Rock and sound explorations. The R.A.I.G. web site explains that the album was conceived “as a non-stop psych-out transmission with the tracks organically flowing into one another”, and references “themes of Death, Mysticism, Gnosticism, Time Travel, Drug Abuse, Spiritualism, Outer Space, Decadence, etc”.
Non-stop indeed! Nesmrtelnost opens the set and blends propulsive Space Rock with cosmic electronica to create a groove rocker that is somewhat Motorik but much smoother ’round the rhythmic edges. The spacey Frippoid guitar leads that characterized the last album are a commanding presence, winding an acidic snake-like path as showers of molten bubbling electronics surge and wind tunnel waves sweep across the sonic plane. This theme continues its high intensity development as the track cascades seamlessly into A Vechnost, which includes heavily efx’d robot vocals that add an electro-dance vibe to the deep space rocking maelstrom.
The gears shift dramatically with To Tzeitel, a dynamic slab of soulful Psychedelic Funk that’s surrounded by gurgly grooving electronic patterns. Ein Heller Stern lays down a more overtly Motorik pulse that serves as a foundation over which majestic guitar leads soar and a combination of buzzing alien electronics and blizzardous synths explore. I like how the music veers into more purely atmospheric territory, creating the ebbing and flowing feel of an interstellar storm. The appropriately titled Howl features a recitation of Alan Ginsberg’s infamous poem to what is the most straightforward hard and heavy Psychedelic Space Rocker of the set. KILLER attack guitar leads!
The mouthful titled Particulas Subatomicas en el Jet de un Agujero Negro and Eclairs de Vie Apres la Dernier Souffle both play like one, being a sound and soundscape exploratory piece that is both meditatively beautiful and corrosively intense. This melts smoothly into the closely track, Sgt. Shamar Thomas, a melodic blend of Shoegazey Dream-Pop and all the electronic pulses, bubbles and howls that have characterized the album. Very impressive… Mechanik have created a genuine ALBUM that must be heard from start to finish to be fully appreciated.
For more information visit the R.A.I.G. web site at: http://www.raig.ru
Stream, download and purchase all R.A.I.G. releases at https://raig.bandcamp.com
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz