Interactive Poll 2021 0010: Duos of Contrast

Last year I reviewed “Sada”, the second collaboration between the Spanish jazz fusion and RIO guitarist Ángel Ontalva and members of Russian psychedelic space-prog rockers Vespero. I made the comment that I have enjoyed several of their releases, but somehow missed their first collaboration. Needless to say, after thoroughly enjoying “Sada”, I did indeed go back to sample the delights of “Carta Marina” (2018). One of the tracks on that album I enjoyed the most was “Sea Orm”, so it probably comes as no surprise that when I saw that this third collaboration between Ángel Ontalva and members of Vespero was made under the name Seaorm, my interest was piqued even more than it might have been otherwise. The reason for this is presumably because Seaorm includes only two members of Vespero, and I hope it is also because this trio will continue to make further releases under this name - because Olkhon is a fabulous album!

I’m somewhat indebted to Asian Death Crustacean, too, as their 2020 release Baikal led me to read more about this great lake, so that I recognised the names Olkhon, Lusud-Khan, Angara and Shaman Rock. That recognition and knowledge, along with the cover art, the name the trio had given to themselves, and the musicians that made up that trio, all added up to a whole heap of excitement and anticipation for an album I’d not yet heard a single note from. I was aware that I already had such high expectations, I might well be disappointed. Of course, you will have gathered already that this was far from the case.

If we consider Lake Baikal to be an inland sea, then Lusud-Khan is the Sea Orm that inhabits it. An orm is a serpent or dragon, and Lusud-Khan is the mysterious such monster that is said to inhabit Baikal. It provides an eerie, almost primeval, opening to “Olkhon”, and fluid, watery notes that are reminiscent of “Sea Orm” from “Carta Marina”, before moving into an almost post-rock groove with eastern notes reminiscent of Asian Death Crustacean’s “Baikal” - which came as a complete surprise to me. Now there’s absolutely no way Asian Death Crustacean could have had any way of knowing what Seaorm would sound like, and I am quite sure the members of Seaorm have no knowledge of Asian Death Crustacean. So what this says to me, is that both bands have done a terrific job of giving a sonic description of Baikal. Even though they are completely unrelated releases, and probably unknown to each other, I can’t help but think of “Baikal” and “Olkhon” as being yin and yang, and (respectively) physical and spiritual descriptions of the lake, the land, and the people of the Baikal region.