LIVE IN BERLIN 2018

Fully improvised, no matter whether recording in the studio or performing live, the Øresund Space Collective return with a double CD set `Live in Berlin 2018', actually their twenty-ninth release in just under fifteen years! Recorded on the last show of a nine concert tour that saw them performing in Berlin for the first time, guitar and keyboard-heavy spontaneous space-rock is their sound, and as expected from the group it's another delirious trip of the colourful and lengthy instrumental jams that they always excel at.

Opener `Improv to the Other Side' is the band at their most unhurried and joyous, a floating drift of slow-burn guitar dreaminess and flighty synth trills, reminding instantly of their previous `Out Into Space' live release from 2015 that saw the band at their most chilled, and it takes flight for an up-tempo sprint in the second half. The dusty violin that weaves in and out of `Sneaky Snake Jam' sounds like Embryo's `Steig Aus' making sweet love to the Ozric Tentacles, with permeating eastern moods infiltrating the lightest of near-reggae touches and swirling synth wisps between biting guitar wails and strident percussion stomps.

The instantly up-tempo groover `Henk's Jam-o-Rama' that kicks off the second disc straightaway picks up in fire with a flurry of relentless drumming urging the piece constantly forwards, a snarling chugging guitar grind rising over spiralling synth effects that captures a Hawkwind-like grunt (and dig Dr Space's manic electric piano run in the middle!) before a smouldering wail to simmer down on in the climax.

The tough `Freaks of Berlin' is overloaded with slithering, dirty and bluesy twin guitar and bass grooves, but best of all is the closer `Another Jam for Sabine'. This cracking jam begins as a laid-back eastern-flavoured meandering raga, all wisps of Theremin flitting about relentless percussion patterings, rising/falling synth winds and ragged violin cuts, eventually melting into a manic, thrashing and punishing surge of mantra-like guitar strangulations before the most mellow of come-downs.

You can't go wrong with any of the ØSC releases, but `Live in Berlin 2018' particularly boasts a perfect balance of alternating tranquil and frenetic moods, frazzled heavy grooves and endlessly out-of-control drumming behind infectious synth-noodling! If unpredictable and vibrant psych/space jams are your thing, no one do them better than this crew.

Four stars...and don't delay in picking up one of the 500 CD copies - not many left!