REQUIEM FOR MANKIND

Sendelica were formed in Cardigan Bay in 2005, with Pete Bingham (guitars and electronics), Colin Consterdine (beats, synths) and Glenda Pescado (bass) but they often bring in guests when the need arises and that has happened again this time with the addition of Santtu Laakso on keyboards ("Chaos") and Calli on vocals ("Requiem For The Planet"). Their music has been described as blending the hypnotic pulse of Can, the atmospherics of Pink Floyd, the motorized proto-punk of Neu, the guitar pyrotechnics of Jimi Hendrix and the otherworldly ambiences of The Orb, but all I know is that every time I hear them I feel I am falling deep inside of a world I am not sure I ever want to escape.

Although this is a mostly instrumental album, it is also the fourth in a series of studio albums examining Man's relationship with religion, magic, myths, himself and the planet he inhabits. It commenced in 2021 with 'And Man Created God' which looked at man's relationship with religion, while 'One Man's Man' was released the following year, and examined the history of Homo Sapiens. 'Man, Myth & Magic' in 2023 explored man's myths and was originally designed to be the final album in the series until Pete Bingham decided it was not the right way to end things which is why we now have this. It contains six songs, but the double vinyl has been set so that each side is a continuous piece of music with Side Two featuring "Let There Be Light" and "Requiem for the Planet" and Side Four is "Chaos" and "Requiem for Mankind".

Lee Relfe has provided saxophone on the other albums in the series, but here we rely on the keyboards and guitars to provide the melodies as the layers of sound cause us to move away from the real world and into a different plane of reality. This is music which must be played on headphones when. One has time to drift into the psychedelic world of the Welsh Wizards. It feels like a musical comfort blanket, with elements of Ozric Tentacles here, Steve Hillage there, plenty of Floyd and some Can for good measure, all of which makes for a very interesting sonic experience which one never wants to end.

Fruits de Mer continue to be one of my very favourite labels, and Sendelica one of the standout performers on it, and long may their relationship continue. If you already know the band then you are aware of what this will be likely, and if not then you have something to look forward to and enjoy.

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