Zombi - Spirit Animal
Rating
RIYL
GoblinTangerine Dream
Don Caballero
Rush
Release Date
02/03/2009
Label
RelapseTracklist
1. Spirit Animal2. Spirit Animal
3. Earthly Powers
4. Cosmic Powers
5. Through Time
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Ladies and gentleman, please come with me as we venture to a time far removed from our own. Accompanying us on our journey will be Spirit Animal, the latest album from renowned Relapse Records multi-instrumentalists Zombi. In this new world, free from genre tags, labels, and defining musical qualities, allow yourselves to be immersed in the waves of sound crafted by bassist/keyboardist Steve Moore and drummer/keyboardist A. E. Pattera. Let Zombi serve as the soundtrack to your rebirth as a musical listener as you suddenly begin to question what exactly music is and should be.
Anyone familiar with Zombi knows they hardly fit the mold of the typical Relapse Records artist, despite the fact that they’ve toured constantly with bands like Dillinger Escape Plan, The Fucking Champs, Red Sparrowes, and Breather Resist. While retaining some of the heavy metal aesthetic commonly associated with their label, the duo is more comfortable creating lush, complex soundscapes using only electric bass, drums and an assortment of analog synthesizers. The end product is unlike almost anything heard before, a perfect amalgamation of Rush, Tangerine Dream, Goblin, and a tiny pinch of Don Cabellero.
The result, of course, is music more epic than anything you’re likely to hear this year. Spacey rhythms and cinematic orchestras collide over the course of the nearly hour-long album, alternating between bouncy polyrhythmic sections and soaring synthesizers. Many of the keyboard patterns are looped, ensnaring the listener with an almost hypnotic quality while the drums and bass actively drive the pace of each song. Without vocals and unhindered by traditional song structures, Moore and Pattera have the freedom to let each sound grow and evolve until finally climaxing into a cacophony of dynamic layers of sound.
Individual standouts of the album are almost impossible to pick, though the epic ending of “Spirit Animal”, the driving riff throughout “Earthly Powers”, and the overwhelming bass drone in closer “Through Time” are certainly high points. Few soundtracks have the ability to move a listener without accompanying images, and yet Zombi has managed to construct the perfect soundtrack for the listener’s imagination. The pulsing noises found on this album are so animated and energetic that it’s possible to emotionally connect to the album without visual cues, which is a rare feat in itself.
Please do not dismiss this album simply due to the lack of a vocalist or because it’s not “music” in the traditional sense. The key is to listen to this album multiple times, as tiny pieces of sound will suddenly begin to appear with each successive listen. I’ve listened to this album all the way through and I’ve yet to even approach the full capacity of what it has to offer. Put your headphones on and take a walk on a sunny day or pop this into your car during a long drive, and slowly but surely, you’ll begin to recognize the full scope of what Zombi has to offer us all.
--Matt Murphy
Comments
Milwaukee, WI
Sounds interesting. Not sure if I'll find it listenable, but I'm going to check this out.
West Haven, CT
Ahhh Zombi...Such addictive music.
I remember when my Zombi addiction started.
I saw Steve Moore on tour with Genghis Tron, he was amazing.
I then bought Surface To Air from a friend for $6.00.
And now here I am, blasting Spirit Animal.
The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.
lol when I listened to Spirit Animal I thought it sounded like "The Final Countdown" I was waiting for the singer to kick in.
Edmonton, AB
this music kinda scares me....