ninehertz

By chance, I am writing two reviews of bands from Adelaide one after the other. The first, from Sundowner, is so miserable and bleak it makes you wonder if there are local environmental factors involved in their state of mind, but then along follow Sons of Zöku, from the absolute polar opposite end of musical approach to counter those claims.

This is psychedelia of the lightest of touches, music to float away with, gentle and chilled. It is best consumed as a whole, as an aide to meditation perhaps. It is pure 60s psych vibes, made of mellow vocals, frisky flutes, twiddling guitars and shuffling drums, all serenely playing together from the beginning, with later songs introducing Goat-styled world music, prog and lounge jazz.

There are times that is so light when it becomes almost paper thin, washing over the listener without making a mark, but generally speaking even when the album is away from its best moments it is hard to get upset by it, impossible not to feel relaxed in its presence.

And there certainly are high points – In You’s change up as pulsar beats and beautiful vocals illuminate, even reminding me a touch of Massive Attack’s Teardrop, oddly yet endearingly. Raga and Indian influences light up the end of the album with up-tempo beats, and there’s a sub-half-minute instrumental interlude that surprisingly grabs me also.

As stated, Everywhen is an expansive record best consumed as a whole, taking you into Sons of Zöku immersive world of colour and groove.