THE GOLDEN VOYAGE TO SAMARKAND

"The Golden Voyage To Samarkand" is a 17 1/2 minute EP and one long song. I really like the idea behind this and the cover art here gives us a glimpse of part of that journey. I feel the start and some other sections are great for the imagination, trying to picture and feel what this long trip was like. Unfortunately I also feel there's sections that don't seem to fit this idea at all. Maybe I was spoiled starting with their second studio album "Trip Hazard" which blew me away. Expectations were high I'll admit but I really feel this is a mixed bag when it comes to my personal taste in music and Electronics.

I like the start as we get almost a buzzing sound with that atmosphere as a beat joins in then spoken words giving us some brief narration. It's hot. A minute in the beat stops as atmosphere dominates very briefly before a new sound with drums and Arabic sounding synths takes over. Sequencers join in before 2 minutes and the tempo speeds up. Sounds like bass sequencers if there is such a thing. I'm pretty sure I hear sleigh bells too, in the desert? It all stops abruptly 4 minutes in as we get wind and hand percussion. Synths start to swell as another beat joins in. Other synths arrive 5 minutes in. Sounds like a melancholic flute as well. I like this section.

Sequencers take over after 8 minutes as the previous soundscape ends. This is fuller with lots of synths and electronics and a catchy beat. Another calm before 9 1/2 minutes as beats and what sounds like melancholic flute arrives. Sequencers are back before 10 1/2 minutes. Some experimental sounding synths I believe that are high pitched join in before 11 1/2 minutes as the sequencers continue. A calm after 12 minutes then these Arabic sounding synths that are loud take over with beats and more. A change after 15 minutes as we get a calm then the sequencers return. Drums follows.

Most reviewers seem to like this EP more than I do so there's that, but for me 3 stars is just right. If your into Electronics you really need to check this band out.