A NEW AND EXACT MAP

This is the fifth album by this San Francisco improvisational band and has been released by September Gurls in Germany. It is a totally instrumental album, and although it is described as being progressive, experimental and with space rock elements all I can say is that it is bloody weird. It sometimes comes across as a bit like VDGG, but for the most part this is off the wall. It does have two songs hitting about fifteen minutes, but this is one I doubt will be played much by me again (and looking back at this review twelve years later I don't think I have played it even once...)

Originally appeared in Feedback #61, Feb 01

A strange title for a strange album. "A New and Exact Map" features more synthesizers than SUBARACHNOID SPACE's previous records. The mood is still dark psychedelic rock, but not as oppressive and tortured as usual. The featured instrumental compositions are less improvised, more experimental and stretched. However the exact problem of this disc is its monotony...

"Prism" is a soft dissonant rock piece with a strange sound. An average opener, as it does not seem to go anywhere. Recorded live in Las Vegas, "Drink Me" is rather ambient, nothing really happens. "Indy Maru" displays extended organic synthesizer and organ textures, sometimes reminiscent of PINK FLOYD's "Obscured by Clouds" and"More" soundtracks. This track has good moments but not many variations and is a bit lengthy.

Then comes the intruder, as well as the only good track, of the record: "Fruity Drinks with Little Umbrellas". This surprising composition resemble more OZRIC TENTACLES than SUBARACHNOID SPACE. A cool space dub/rock, more melodic than the other tracks, however a little out of place. Featuring no real changes in 18 minutes, the calm "Melted" concludes the disc in a hazy atmosphere.

"A New and Exact Map" is maybe the most ambient album of SUBARACHNOID SPACE, but certainly one of their rare weak records. Not recommended to discover this talented and trippy band.