Saturnia - Muzak (2005/Elektrohasch Records)
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Artist: Saturnia
Album: Muzak
Released: 2005
Elektrohasch Records (elektrohasch 119)
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Space-Rock
It seems that this is the first and only Saturnia album that has been covered here in any way. I was disappointed there were no reviews or discussion of any kind on their four albums they've released since 1999. A fellow SR.commer kindly hooked me up with burns of their first two impossible-to-find albums (The Glitter Odd and the self-titled), and I was able to track down their third, Hydroponic Gardening, through some other site. Again, not easy to locate. Had to be imported from Italy. But now the fourth, Muzak, is on Elektrohasch Records and should be more easily obtained.
Saturnia is a two-piece band from Portugal that plays psychedelic jams right up my alley. Sitars, chimes, gongs, samples, mellotrons, tabla, synth, flutes, sounds of nature - Saturnia delivers it all. Maybe people could accuse them of coming close to a hippy-dippy vibe (or being exactly that), but I think the psychedelia they craft is done so carefully, thoughtfully, beautifully, I completely give over to the ride. Each record does have a track or two I find hard to sink into (like a six minute loop of birds in a forest with subtle flute behind it). At times a little Talvin Singh, at times a bit Iron Butterfly, Saturnia’s psychedelia is very "Age of Aquarius" school, with gentle, soothing singing. I love how calming this guy’s voice is, and it never gets angrier or louder than that. If you like Lamp of The Universe, musically and vocally, you’re going to dig this. I like this much more than Lamp, for it’s more rounded out, developed and risk-taking.
I should add while each record has a weaker link as mentioned, each one too has a couple that send it right out of the stratosphere. It’s serious head music for headphones, closed eyes, and sitting in the sun. For Muzak, so far, I’d have to say it’s “Infinite Chord.” Now that’s a serving of trip-hoppy psychedelia, complete with "ohm" chant in the background, that makes me keep starting the song over right after it ends. After self-medicating daily with fuzzy, THC-soaked guitars and pounding rhythms, Saturnia is a necessary yang to that order of yin. I LOVE this stuff.
Highly recommended if you like Lamp of The Universe or flower-power 60’s/70’s psychedelic head passages.
Review by Scrit (StonerRock.com)
Track List:
01. Mindrama [0:06:02.52]
02. Organza [0:06:11.06]
03. Kite [0:05:04.29]
04. Infinite Chord [0:06:01.14]
05. Analepsis [0:07:02.11]
06. Aqua [0:07:17.58]
07. Nipple [0:06:36.52]
08. Utterly Luminescent [0:04:35.57]
09. Hedge Maze [0:04:48.74]
10. Syrian [0:10:43.72]
Line-up/Musicians:
- Luis Simões / vocals, electric & acoustic guitar [picked, bowed and e-bowed], lap steel guitar, guitar pedals, acoustic sitar, tampura, bass, philicorda, Hammond organ, synthesizer, theremin, bisel flute, vibraphone, dulcimer harp, gong, chimes, sampled keyboards
- Francisco Rebelo / Rhodes electric piano (2)
- Daevid Allen / spoken word (10)
- Nik Turner / flute licks (2)
- João Alves / acoustic six string guitar (3), acoustic twelve string guitar (5)
- Flopi Simões / mid-section flute solo (2)
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