“After highly regarded releases on their own Intangible Cat label and Denmark’s Metaphysical Circuits, another friendly oddity of electronic-organic multi-aesthetic experimentation has arrived. This self-titled album collects 9 specially selected pieces from the heap of material they recorded between 2004 and 2007. As per their standard procedure thus far, these tracks have been sculpted from their original improvised form into more delicate and intensely textural states. Strongly informed by 80’s industrial/cassette culture artists and creation methods, they mingle the sensibilities of home-tapers with their love for more current electronic artists and technologies. Noisy, dreamy lo-fi psychedelic elements are placed against carefully sculpted hi-fi electronics. The members of the group have worked on other projects: Gushing Cloud (Cory Bengtsen), Homogenized Terrestrials (Phillip Klampe), Headless Ballerinas Underwater (Bob Newell), Dog Hallucination (D. Petri), and Rebekahs’ Tape (Cory Bengtsen and Mike Richards).” So Sez the press release, on to the review!!
PLINTH: Ah, industrial techno intensity. I wasn’t expecting that. Suddenly becomes very quirky strange with some 1967 West Coast guitarness. Yes, It’s all quite lovely. It’s pile-driving my space oddity party head. BORBORYGMUS IX: My definition of “Psychedelic” is music that is “other”, not retro!!! And that’s something Amalgamated understand!! Piano with driving space out-thereness. WIRES AND WEEDS: Ooh, this one is very modern, nasty and nice… keeps gettin’ bigger and better… could mebbe use some vocals but that’s a bit piddlin’. UNWORM ASCENDING: Wow, some true space rock, then the foonkey bass. My wife Sharon sez “this is kinda nice”… pretty badass track, trippy, rockin’ the deep space. GYNOSOME: More, more, Amalgamated needs more… space guitar beauty and intensity… kinda what you’d expect DMT to sound like. NO ANSWER: Experimental strangeness with pre-recorded vocals, radio etc. Then goes into rhythmic loop melody… very King Crimson-esque. Yes, we like it… keeps going and going… exits with tree frogs and various critter noises. EMBRYOLYMBIC: Electronic-ness with guitar etc… gradually builds in energy. Now it’s an industrialized steam engine chugging along… some funky bass; it’s a party now!!! Starts to be way out and wacky but in a good way! SENTINEL: Slowly transitions into some snappy rock guy drumming… becomes a cool electronic thing.
The press release sez these tracks were culled from several years of recordings and it sounds like that! Amalgamated are utilizing the special pieces of music that have a unique magic for various reasons; mood, playing quality, recording quality etc. Big classic guitar flourish on top of everything else which oddly makes sense. Gets still and strange and it’s over.
Stream, download and purchase from the Amalgamated Bandcamp site at: http://4m4lg4m4ted.bandcamp.com
Visit the Aubjects label web site at: https://aubjects.wordpress.com
Reviewed by Carlton Crutcher