SLIDING GLIDING WORLDS

SLIDING GLIDING WORDS is the fifth release that continued the free-cassette only releases of OZRIC TENTACLES during their 80s run as an up and coming psychedelic rock band of the ages before they would finally release a real first album titled 'Pungent Effulgent' in 1989. While very little sets apart these early releases as they are all a conglomeration of Hawkwind inspired space rock with the prog leanings, elements of jazz-fusion, electronica, dub and ambient sound effects, this one has a more chilled out vibe to it compared to the preceding albums that ranged from 'Erpsongs' to 'There Is Nothing.'

And once again, SLIDING GLIDING WOLRDS presents a fluid range of improvisational sounding pieces that continue the sampling and synthesizer attacks. OZRIC TENTACLES took two years to release this next cassette only hour long experience due to a lineup change where Tom Brooks left his keyboard post and was replaced by Ed Wynne which is possibly why this album sounds more relaxed with less heavy guitar outbursts and more of a cementing of a sound that would emerge in the 90s.

Really not much can be said about SLIDING GLIDING WORLDS that can't be applied to the entire 80s run of cassette-only releases. For the most part they are practically indistinguishable by the time they get to album number five as the beats, tempos and timbres are familiar territory however OZRIC TENTACLES still retains their very own distinct sound that they are slowly refining with more world music influences. As with the other early releases, i personally don't find SLIDING GLIDING WORLDS to be any more essential than any other of the era, however this if you are seeking out the raw early primeval material from the OZRICs then this one is as good as any other.

While the original is practically impossible to come across these days, as with all six of the cassette-only releases SLIDING GLIDING WORLDS was eventually released in 1994 by Dovetail Records on CD and today can be found digitally remastered and available in the 'Vitamin Enhanced' boxed set.