THE VOID / CARGO

There are spacey effects and a trance like rhythm throughout. This is not Hawkwind but they have some qualities especially the repetition and space trills, though a more electronic sound is generated. After 6 minutes I was longing for at least some variation, the droning pulsating synths are nerve jangling. As if in answer to my thoughts the pattern actually changed, the monotone drone stops and becomes a more pleasant melodic drone. This is similar to early Can or Tangerine Dream's 'Phaedra' that was equally dull. Then the sound stops suddenly and a great little keyboard solo follows at 6:55. The bassline is hypnotic, the drums are sporadic: this is hardcore space rock! And it won't appeal to everyone. I'm not even sure how much I can take. Track 2 is Part 2 of The Void and it drones on for a whopping 14 minutes. The languid repetitive notes go on and on. There is little variation and it takes infinite patience to endure, like being stuck on a space craft unable to get off. The music entraps you and cocoons the environment. This is very claustrophobic music without room to breathe. There is a little synth solo though it is high pitched enough to make the dogs outside bark and the canary's head spin. At 6:12 there is a cool spacey effect that made me sit up and take notice and then the time sig changes? to a crawl and it gets increasingly dull, hypnotically lulling me to sleep.

Cargo in a number of parts is next. This is perhaps more interesting with more variation. It has some really weird vibes, random drum patters dropped onto a canvas of synth and some echoes of guitar. A genuinely ethereal and creepy sound is created. There is a lot of hi hat cymbal work, quite jazzy, and nuances of timeless little motifs from synth. Pt 5 in particular is exceptionally atmospheric, turning the room dark with its disturbing minimalism. The sound is fiendish, perhaps too chilling for repeated listens. Eventually the suite settles into a drone with pulsating hi pitched harmonics glistening like wet leather on the sandy grainy sonic vibration. The next section builds to a crescendo of a wash of synth and loud vibrant grinding piano. It moves into new territory with a thundering bass and galactic swells of coloured synth. This is certainly getting better, the dissonance of spacey effects against a sustained drone is unnerving, and a steady drum pattern hooks in. this goes on for minutes without variation and as the last part fades away you know you have been on a journey.

I think perhaps this journey is designed to be experienced once. As once the novelty wears off the music is too repetitive and non varied to have a sustained effect on the listener. The hypnotic effect is admirable but it is not exactly endurable. The sonic noise can become grating on the nerves and I can only recommend this to hardcore space addicts. Tread with caution.

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