Album Review: Kohoutek - 'Curious Aroma'.

Experimental psych journiests Kohoutek are back with their magnanimous new opus, 'Curious Aroma'. The album is split into two tracks: titled 'Part I' and 'Part II'. Coming in at just over 42 of your universal minutes this is an album that, while having two distinct flavours, blends them together to form a wonderfully star-infused record.

Now, before we do crack on, dearest reader, it must be said that if you are not a fan of meandering-yet-mesmerising, stripped back, acid-haze music ('Part I' - a mere slip of a track at 18 worldly minutes) which then morphs into hard-edged psych-rock ('Part II' - weighing in at a somewhat colossal 24 minutes) then perhaps this isn't the record for you. In short, you need to listen to it as a whole - certainly for the first few times - to appreciate it's splendour. All that said, and trust me here, if a musical journey is what you want and an opportunity to get lost in sound is also on the list, this most certainly is the record for you.

So, ladies and gentlemen, 'Part I'. I don't profess to be a gifted musician but what I do possess is a wickedly wonderful imagination and a keen ear for sounds that get me thinking. 'Part I' was, for me, the scene-setter, the beginning of the journey, the path that lay before me and opportunity to, well, get lost. A gently bubbling cauldron of plucked and, towards the latter part of the track, strummed guitars sprinkled with electronic stardust belay an edge to the music that could go supernova at any moment. However, quite simply: It doesn't. The track eloquently drones along, taking your mind with it, imploring your imagination to dive down whatever corridor the aforementioned guitars and gentle electronic beeps and buzzes will take you.

 'Part II'opens in a similar fashion but then the heat gradually gets turned up and the cauldron of noise begins to bubble more vociferously. Moody and heavy drums unashamedly announce their arrival to the track, screaming guitars bludgeon in and the whole atmosphere switches to banging heavy rock - albeit with an infectious, psychedelic edge. After 24 minutes, I didn't want the track to end.
What you end up with here is a record of two parts, worldly different, that showcase the broad spectrum of planetary talent that Kohoutek possess. It's both a thinking record and a raucous record that clash but co-exist, symbiotically. Perhaps it shouldn't work but it does and long may Kohoutek continue on whatever space-way they choose to travel along next.

Words of Dave Dingle



Kohoutek: Facebook