PUNGENT EFFULGENT

Turn up the amplifier to 11 and get ready for a wonderful ride my children... "Pungent Effulgent" marks yet another exceptional album full of lovely space vibes from our friends The OZRIC TENTACLES. "Pungent" is a wonderful mixture of "spaceness" with "ambience" all coiled up in some strange liquid atmpospheres. Once again we are treated to the creative genius of Ed Wynne on the lead guitar and Joie Hinton's rich yet ethereal keyboard work. "Pungent" stands out for me in comparison to many of their other albums offering in contrast a wider range of musical thought and sense of exploration. This is achieved without forgoing the classic OZRIC sound or "GONG-like" bizarre split like personality. Truely mind blowing jams which breaks new ground... essential!

After releasing a handful of cassettes the band produced and made themselves, it was about time their music got wider distribution, rather than just obtaining their cassettes in the back of their tour van during live gigs, or UK underground mail order catalogs. There was a label called Demi-Monde. This label was owned by Dave Anderson, who was no stranger to the progressive space rock scene for he was a member of AMON DÜÜL II for two albums ( "Phallus Dei", "Yeti"), and HAWKWIND for one albums ("In Search of Space"). He signed the OZRICS to the label, and this album, "Pungent Effulgent" was the results. The big drawback: it was only released on vinyl (which probably irritated some people who probaby gave up their vinyl at that time for cassettes and compact discs). But now the band was really able to get to business. They were able to get a more professional production, and Blim, their cover artist was finally able to do those colorful psychedelic artwork that (he? she? I thought I heard somewhere Blim was a she) wanted to do.

The album opens with "Dissolution", one of the rare times vocals appear on an OZRIC album. The one thing that struck me of this piece is the use of delayed guitar, similar to what's heard on PINK FLOYD's "The Wall" or Steve HILLAGE's "Green" (OZRICS did that sort of thing on "Erpsongs" and "Tantric Obstacles" but laid off it until this album). There's a remake of "O-1" off "There is Nothing" with real drums, rather than '80s sounding drum machines. "Phalarn Dawn" is a mellow ambient number, something I'd probably ignore had they not placed a didgeridoo in the middle part. "Kick Muck" makes its appearence again (they simply snatched it from their "Sliding Gliding Worlds" cassette and used it again here), but they removed the ambient experiment.

Apparently the band had a falling out with Dave Anderson and Demi-Monde at some point (likely before 1989 ended), likely because the fact "Pungent Effulgent" was not available on cassette and CD as well, and the band would obviously get better sales had it been available on cassette and CD (since it was 1989, and most people gave up on vinyl at that point). In 1990, they launched Dovetail Records, released "Erpland", and reissued "Pungent Effulgent". This reissue was available on all three formats like the band wanted, plus there was some added-on material as well, like the addition of "Wreltch" from "The Bits Between the Bits".

So, contrary to popular belief, "Pungent Effulgent" is not their debut album (since they had six privately issued cassettes prior), it is their first proper-label album. Great stuff, but I thought their following, "Erpland" was even better (as many would agree).

Space Psychedelic Progressive Rock

Having enjoyed the "Hidden Step" album that I got it by accident when I was visiting local CD store couple months ago, weeks later I purchased this album from the same store. Before the "Hidden Step" experience, I had not tracked the band for the last couple years, about 5 years, I think. I'm impressed with this album. Yes, there is obvious disco or house music infected style in this album but it's more than that, especially when I observe the drumming, guitar work and multitude of sound effects / synthesizer. The music of Ozric is adventurous and experimental, I would say. On top of the musical part, the sonic quality of the CD is good, especially when I play it loud. The detailed soundscape can be heard clearly. It's advised that if you spin the CD, you should play it loud with a decent stereo set. Don't ever use a mini stereo set at first spin as it may produce inferior sounds resulting lack of appreciation to the music and imperfect experience for you.

I find the band has its own category. Yes, there are influences of other bands, probably, by Pink Floyd, Gong, Hawkwind, or even Yanni (new age) or Robert Miles. But it is not a real or obvious influence, I believe, as Ozric music is original. It's probably a "space psychedelic progressive rock" - the closest definition. There are lot of sampling or programming techniques used in Ozric music. If you fail to enjoy at first spin, give another chance of at least 4-5 spins, it will grow dramatically!

The Tracks

I'm not going to review each track the album offers, but some tracks of peculiar interest include the following:

"Dissolution" starts mellow with keyboard work with repeated chords in a spacey style. The music flows in with a mark of dynamic drumming.It forms a beautiful opening part. The music then continues in crescendo style. FLOYDIAn guitar work then continues to flow nicely. It then creates a guitar sound that reminds me to the intro of Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell" (especially the live version). It's a very cool solo guitar; it provides a rocking nuance. The music then continues to flow in faster tempo. The howling guitar sound is really stunning. Drum work is dynamic. Keyboard then follows with spacey nuance. There are lyric-less human voice that enriches the song. Excellent composition. This seems like the band's classic favorite as it is featured in the double disc live set at Pongmasters Balls (see my previous review).

"O-1" is the band's experiment with a jazz-rock fusion but maintaining its spce psychedelic style. As in typical Ozric style, the music moves in crescendo style through sound exploration of synthesizer sounds and guitar solo.

Usually I don't favor any reggae music but this band has played reggae in a unique way through "The Domes of G'Bal" track. The intensive use of sound effects in a spacey style has made this track different with any UB 40 or Bob Marley- like bands. When the electric solo guitar enters the music, it does not really sound reggae at all.

"Ayurvedic" opens with a quiet passage through sound explorations with keyboard and guitar works. This opening is then followed with a soft bassline (solo) that lifts the music up through a spacey style of background keyboard. Drum sounds increase its appearance to accentuate the music. The flute sound then fills in the music followed nicely with soft guitar solo. In the middle of the track the music turns into a faster tempo with intensified sound effects. It's an uplifting track. My CD has a bonus track of this track live version with a running time of 19 minutes. I actually like the version much than the studio one.

"Kick Muck" kicks off with an electric guitar melody in the vein of Alex Lifeson of RUSH. This guitar work reminds me to "The Spirit of Radio" intro. An interesting track in a fast tempo exploring wide variety of sounds. Excellent rocking track.

"Agog in the Ether" is a track that truly explores the richness of percussion sounds. It reminds me to the ethnic music of West Sumatra (Padang) - one province of Indonesia.

My Overall Recommendation

Recommended album that is excellent addition to any prog collection. Rating 4/5. If you are okay with repeated rhythm / melody and rich sound explorations, this album might suit you. You are the final judge on the CD purchase. Keep on Progging .!!!

Progressively yours,

GW - Indonesia.

This recording signals Ozric Tentacles' arrival to their musical mature age; after years of nurturing and developing their own strategic combination of jazz-rock, ethno-pop, trance, prog, fusion, and electronic psychedelia, you can tell by paying close attention to what you can hear in the "Pungent Effulgent" repertoire that this combo has conquered their own territory in the world of contemporary popular music. The instrumental ensemble works as a unit where all sounds are perfectly interconnected. The firs two tracks 'Disolution (The Clouds Disperse)' and 'O-1' are catchy and energetic enough to capture the listener's attention at once, and actually they turn out to be quite emblematic of the OT-paradigm, real OT classics. The ultra-cosmic ambience portrayed in 'Phalarm Dawn' serves as an appropriate interlude to 'The Domes of G'Bal', a reggae-inflicted number. 'Shaping the Pelm' persists on this combination of exotic airs and electronic modern sounds: so, tracks3-5 are mostly sonic portraits that aim towards the relaxing and contemplative, marking off a notable contrast against the exhilarating energy displayed in the first two pieces. But the frantic excitement are not gone forever: in fact, 'Ayurvedic' makes it come back with a vengeance, exploring in a mixture of "You" era Gong influenced jamming and white techno-reggae. The same Gong-based thing goes on with 'Kick Muck', if a bit fierier. Once again things get back to the realm of cosmic reflectiveness in the Hindu- inspired 'Ago in the Ether'. The album's official closer 'Wreltch' starts with a very ethnic driven section, too, then turns into an incendiary rock jam, among the late 60s psychedelic stuff and your regular hard rock. The bonus track 'Ayurvedsim' is basically a different, early version of 'Ayurvedic', taken from one of those early cassettes that inaugurated OT's discography back in the mid 80s. As I stated at the beginning of this review, the mayor significance of "Pungent Effulgent" consists of being OT's first consistent musical statement regarding the perspective of their entire discography: but in itself it also makes an amazing experimental rock item that would make a good entry in any good prog collection, since it's full of attractive ideas and effective performances. Mark: 3 ½ to 4 stars!

This is a seminal Ozrics album. It is always the first I recommend to friends. A great place to work back from and appreciate the cassette phase, and equally a superb starting point for the second core line up (Ed Wynne, Roly Wynne, Merv Pepler, Joie Hinton, John Egan and Paul Hankin). Ozrics do seem to be quite a bit more fluid than other bands: members seem to come and go, pop up here and there, despite there appearing to be progression of core members.

Disolution (The Clouds Disperse) opens with a dlayed guitar. You wonder if we going Pink Floyd here ? Not a chance. The tempo rises, the bass kicks in, driving forward. Synth ripples and floats across the new musical landscape. Unusually for the Ozric there are vocals: heavily delayed and more like an instrument.

O-1 introduces a heavy bass & drum hypnotic rhythm interspersed with eastern synth. The tempo rises and turns fast and funky before returning to the eastern overlays.

Phalarn Dawn is pure ambient. Very slow. Deep primeval arboreal feel (didgeridoo used to good effect) with much tinkling and bird song. John's Flute providing a uplifting sylvan feel and the song eventually fades to a quiet dawn chorus.

Domes of G'Bal opens with a simple synth line before the bass, drums and guitar drop in with a reggae beat. The synth line continues in the background before a middle break. Pulsating bass, laughs in the distance. What's round the corner? The flute lures us in, Ed's guitar licks greet us. Somehow there's a mix of that eastern influence within the guitar: a strange mix. And, the track ends with that eastern feel.

Harp-like synth patterns begin Shaping the Pelm. Percussion (some sort of ethnic drums) presumably from Paul Hankin maintain an ethnic feel throughout. It's not specifically based on any type of music I'm aware of: but it conjures thoughts of mild evenings chilling out in the late 80s in the English countryside at a festival (maybe that's as circular an argument as you can get).

Ayurvedic has a rolliing bass line over which Ed lays more delayed guitar lines. The track builds before breaking down to another reggae track.

Kick Muck is a fabulous track. Straight in,a great riff and quickly backed by a thumping beat . This one rocks live. Blow your speakers to this one, fry your brain: this is Ozric Tentacles and for me the closest you get to a live experience from any of the studio recordings.

Agog in the Ether returns to an ambient forest landscape. Bird call, mellow synth. Ethnic drums take over.

That's where the Demi-Mionde album ends. THe second incarnation of the LP also has Wreltch and the digitally remastered CD has a live track Ayurvedism.

The least I can say, is that I wasn't really impressed with OT's previous releases so far.

But my perseverance has been rewarded. Finally! When I discovered the opening song (yes there is vocal in here!), I was rather impressed. Great beat, excellent structure, a short vocal part: at least they moved away from their jamming only sequences and offered an excellent hard-psychedelic song. It is a highlight and by far their best number ever so far.

Needless to say, production & mixing is much better than on their prior cassette works: this album is the first to have been produced by a true label (even if of modest size and reputation).

For the very first time, there are noticeable differences between the tracks and "O-I" is a rather upbeat and pleasant one. The start is a bit difficult but the bass/drumming combo is very efficient. Some Oriental atmosphere is welcome: the band already investigated these sounds in "Sliding, Gliding Worlds" (more specifically during "Kick Muck" which was my fave from this album).

After the atmospheric and repetitive "Phalarn Dawn", the band couldn't resist in the release of another reggae party ("Domes Of G'bal"). Same as usual: press next.

For the first time as well, an Ozric album features longer tracks, which is more related to the space and psyche rock music. At least I feel so. The longest piece on this album is "Ayurvedic". No wonder that it is also influenced with Eastern flavours, but not only.

These eleven minutes of music are rather varied (at least according Ozric standards.). Fine atmospheric parts, very good drumming, harder sections: this sounds again as a good track thanks to combination of different rhythms; but the finale falls again into the reggae trap. A major Ozric disease.

I don't know why the band released a shorter version of the great "Kick Muck" (see comments above). But even in this format, it remains a great song: wild from A to Z. Another highlight.

This is by far my preferred album of the band. The first one which I can rate with three stars.

After a couple of limited edition cassette releases, the Ozric's career finally takes off for good with this very strong debut album. It's a well-known criticism that the band never deviated much from their basic formulas, and indeed, everything the Ozrics would ever do is already firmly in place here. But the band is inspired and enthusiastic throughout and the album flows without a flaw.

So what do we get? A instrumental fusion of jazz rock, space-rock, middle-eastern scales and rhythms, upbeat tempos, dub, groovy bass licks, gorgeous synth tapestries, delicious guitar work and a few scattered ethnic influences. That about sums it up. The references to Gong, Hawkwind and maybe Tangerine Dream as well are obvious, but they don't match the creative power of those originals yet.

Ozric Tentacles are a fine band with an extensive discography of which I would recommend most of the 90's albums. The debut is a good start, but later albums would regularly improve the sound that they laid down here. 3.5 stars.

Many feel this is the first album where it all came together for the OZRICS. Personally I think it was "Erpland" but that's just my opinion. I like all my OZRIC albums but this one isn't in my top 5. Still there's lots to enjoy, I just find it a bit of a hit and miss affair.

"Disolution (The Clouds Disperse)" is a great way to start,especially when it picks up before 2 minutes then gets fuller.The guitar starts to light it up as well. Voices after 4 1/2 minutes echo ala HAWKWIND. A top three track. "O-1" is dominated early by drums. It picks up after 2 minutes. Guitar comes to the fore before 3 1/2 minutes. An okay tune that could have been much better. "Phalarm Dawn" opens with the birds chirping. Acoustic guitar comes in and builds. It settles again as drums slowly beat. Some flute later on as the birds continue to chirp. Cool track. "The Domes Of G'Bal" features lots of synths as drums join in. A reggae rhythm to this one as well. Guitar after 3 minutes starts to solo.

"Shaping The Pelm" is eventually led by a steady beat with synths. "Ayurvedic" is fairly dark as sounds pulse. It starts to brighten and pick up before 2 minutes. Drums a minute later. Flute as it settles some. Guitar follows. It kicks in heavier at 6 minutes. Voices too. Drums and bass lead after 8 minutes. That reggae groove comes in before 10 minutes. "Kick Muck" is my favourite. It just sounds so good. Turn it up ! "Agog In The Ether" opens with nature sounds. Tribal-like drums before 2 minutes. Cool section. "Wreltch" takes a while to get going but it does after 2 minutes and it sounds amazing especially when the guitar joins in. A top three track.

If the band had quit after this album I would give it 4 stars, but there's so many better albums that will follow this one. 3 stars.

Though I was quite into Erpsongs, I'm not to keen on the other Ozrics tape albums - the production values on them tended to be variable, recorded as they were on a shoestring budget, and they were rather used as a laboratory for the band to experiment with different sounds and test different ideas.

Their vinyl debut, Pungent Effulgent, is another matter entirely, with the band rising to the challenge of recording with a proper budget and production with admirable gusto. With influences ranging from reggae to traditional Middle Eastern music (as heard on The Domes of G'Bal), the album is a carefully constructed and brilliantly performed summation of the band's entire musical scope as it existed at that time, as well as a powerful statement of intent for their prime-time career.

Stepping into the world of professionally-engineered music and record company production and distribution, the Ozrics release their first album that will define their sound stylings and high quality engineering standards for the rest of their career.

1. "Dissolution (The Clouds Disperse)" (6:15) opening with over a minute of one of my all-time favorite Ozrics techniques: the delay-echoed fast-arpeggiated guitar chord picking, the song eventually builds, morphs and changes at 2;15 into a hard-drivin' space rocker that tries very hard, with the addition of vocals, to channel the space-psychedelic mastery of GONG and BRAINTICKET. (9/10)

2. "O-I" (3:58) a weird, sometimes blues-rockin' jam that introduces many sounds and instruments that will become Ozric mainstays for decades (to this day!) (8.75/10)

3. "Phalarn Dawn" (7:34) layers of bird noises and spacey acoustic guitar fast-picking arpeggi open this before relenting to the deep bass thrum of cosmic silence. Eden emerges and sensuous drum and percussion begin to emerge and establish the heartbeat of Life to a new world. This drum-centric song is quite reminiscent of the work being done at the same time by David & Steve Gordon for their own Earthlight Center and Sequoia record labels. I like it. (13.25/15)

4. "The Domes of G'Bal" (4:35) moving into another of OT's signature musical styles: Cosmic Reggae, we get a nice foundation over which Ed does some nice soloing on his stripped-down acoustic-sounding electric guitar. (9/10)

5. "Shaping the Pelm" (6:08) more "exotic jungle" rhythms and sounds merged into a kind of Pat Metheny ethnic imagining. (8.75/10)

6. "Ayurvedic" (10:57) for the longest time this has quite the polished MAHAVISHNU sound and feel to it: as we're just waiting for Jan Hammer or Jerry Goodman/Jean-Luc Ponty to break out into some fiery solo (which actually does happen at the six-minute mark). But this is a much more multi-faceted, multi-styled song, crossing through many cultural/ethnic domains before finishing. The first half is most excellent; the Reggae-based final third not so much. (17.75/20)

7. "Kick Muck" (3:53) funk rock and roll! Great bass play from Roly Wynne with very engaging drums and percussion to help drive it all beneath, the sound chosen for the delivery of the lead instrument (guitar) is so odd as to detract from the great groove being provided by the rhythm section. Usual GONG-like Ozrics' space synth noises flit in and out throughout. Sad, disappointing "cut out" ending. (8.875/10)

8. "Agog in the Ether" (4:05) again with the jungle noises! Slow-building gamelan-patterned synth textures are eventually infused with saw-guitar and many other synth noises and hand percussives. This is such a brilliant weave! Very dreamy/meditative and relaxing (despite all of the activity around!). (9.25/10)

9. "Wreltch" (8:31) cool muffled bass percussion wending its way beneath a show of tuned percussion play for over two minutes before a solid, hard-driving jam opens up at 2:25. At the three-minute mark Ed launches on a most excellent solo while John Hinton's synthesizers offer full support. This is, however, short-lived as the lead torch gets handed off (as do the stylistic motifs above the drums and pulsing bass) over and over among the percussionists and synths. Drummer "Generation John" is most excellent in his song-driving (at times disco) play. A sprawling song exposition held together by that solid rhythm section (mostly the drums). (17.75/20)

Total Time: 55:56

I must say, the sound quality and overall production of this album are definitely steps above those of their previously self-made and self-released albums (all released as cassettes, I believe). Also, is it possible that some of the members of the band have some South/Southeast Asian heritage or have spent some time there? (compared to the Caribbean influences--which stand without question.) Their eclectic musical expressions seem to indicate a lot of cross-cultural pollination.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music and definitely a fine addition to any prog lover's music collection. Definitely the album you want to start your Ozrics addiction with.