Artist: 23Fish (Javi Canovas & David Paredes)
Trackliste:
Nightwatchers [16:58]
Underground Voice [20:37]
Architeuthis [20:02]
The Twenty Six Gills Man [19:58]
If you think of an album along the lines of an even more intense version of ‘In This Moment in this Place’ accompanied by the most wonderfully understated electric guitar courtesy of David Paredes you will not be too far off the mark.
‘Nightwatchers’ starts with electronic effects of what sounds like some sort of alien craft taking off. A warning siren cries out. Little guitar licks quiten things down and sooth the nerves. Two excellent sequences break through, one heavy while the other high register and percussive. They mutate wonderfully gaining more oomph all the time while subtle melodies float over the top. Things build to incredible proportions. Exciting stuff!
‘Underground Voice’ uses very quiet little percussive and windy effects to set a suitably subterranean scene. The gentlest of guitar touches add a little caressing light to proceedings. This is excellent soothing and relaxing stuff. Of course a sequence does make an entrance but to start of with it doesn’t intrude on the blissed out atmos too much, just providing a little crystalline structure. Things become more intense and complex with the arrival of another sequence then before we know it there is a surge containing more notes a second than I could possibly count. It’s like a wave of incredible power or an earthquake. Whooshing electronic pads (or it could even be processed guitar) heighten the intensity still further. Crikey!
Dark brooding tones and arcing electricity effects give ‘Architeuths’ a rather sinister sounding beginning. A bright sequence completely changes the mood and we are soon bounding forward on a surge of positive energy. Ticking high hat and contrasting bass line impart added oomph. Things are cranked up even further with the arrival of another sequence. Processed guitar gives added bite. For a short time the guitar sound becomes more conventional, growling wonderfully in the middle of the mix as once again the energy levels increase to incredible proportions. Things then moderate a little, the intensity of it all ebbing and flowing as we go.
Little guitar touches over subtle chimes get ‘The Twenty Six Gls Man’ underway. A lovely melodic loop is formed. This is gorgeous stuff, ideal of relaxing to on a lazy sunny afternoon. The storm clouds start to gather though and before you know it one sequence after another is brought in, fizzing energy flying from the edge of the pulsations. Guitar shimmers act like solar flares. All then subsides, as an eight note bass sequence becomes the main focus. This retreats into the mix as yet more sequences fill the energy gap, weaving little melodies of their own as they carve their own devastating paths. As with previous tracks the sheer power levels reached at the peaks of the surging pulsations just have to be heard to be appreciated.
Javi and David have created an awesome album here- a real monster in fact!
