TRACKLISTING:
1. Entering the Sub Levels of Necroplex (11:00)
2. Everybody Likes Hornets But Nobody Likes Hornet Egg (5:00)
3. The Rage Within the Clouds (10:43)
4. The Electric Rectum Electoral (7:06)
5. Like Fun You Are (7:05)
6. The Current Beneath the Squarewave (5:54)
LINEUP:
David Lundberg, Mattias Olsson and Kristian Holmgren – keyboards, drum machines, electronics, sound effects
One year after the release of their acclaimed second album, A Glimpse of Possible Endings, the ever-busy duo of Mattias Olsson and David Lundberg (aka Necromonkey) are back with an album that may come as a surprise (or possibly even a shock) to all those who were expecting them to stick to their prog roots. In fact, whereas the supremely punny-titled Show Me Where It Hertz may well prove to be one of 2015’s landmark releases, it is also very much of an acquired taste.
Introduced by Henning Lindahl’s striking artwork and the band’s elegantly minimalistic logo, Show Me Where It Hertz stems from a performance that took place in January 2015 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Fylkingen, a club in Necromonkey’s home town of Stockholm. The show involved a specially-tailored setlist to honour the venue’s commitment to synth-based music, Krautrock and psychedelia. Olsson and Lundberg – joined for the occasion by Kristian Holmgren (who also guested on A Glimpse of Possible Endings) – swapped their rock instrumentation for drum machines and an array of mostly modular synthesizers, rearranging and reshaping their material to fit this new configuration.
The result of this experiment is 48 minutes of electronic progressive music, recorded shortly afterwards at Olsson’s own Roth-Händle studios – that bear the band’s unmistakable imprint of sweeping, mellotron-infused soundscapes on a backdrop of pulsating drum machines. Those who are familiar with Necromonkey’s previous albums will occasionally recognize a tune amongst the swirls and surges of the synths – as hinted by the titles of the six tracks. This almost Futurist exercise in deconstruction and reconstruction of a band’s own material is rarely encountered in a mainstream prog context – which often privileges note-perfect renditions – and bears witness to Olsson and Lundberg’s commitment to the creation of boundary-pushing music.
Despite the perception many people have of electronic music, Show Me Where It Hertz us anything but uniform. Opener “Entering the Sub Levels of Necroplex” – the longest track on the album at 11 minutes – chugs along, propelled by the almost danceable throb of the drum machine amidst the mad howls and whooshes of the synths, and the eerie, disembodied treated vocals muttering in the background, reminiscent of Kraftwerk, though not as glacially impassive. In the much shorter “Everybody Likes Hornets But No One Likes Hornets’ Eggs”, the melodic, airy sweep of the mellotron coexists with the robotic rhythm – a modus operandi that is further explored in the almost 11-minute “The Rage Within the Clouds”, where majestic, airy soundscapes lurk beneath the steadily pulsing synths and rhythm devices. This juxtaposition of icy, technical precision and atmospheric warmth (which brings to mind the work of Franco Battiato in the early Seventies) also characterizes “The Electric Rectum Electoral”, with its almost symphonic mellotron and drone-like synths, and the slow, stately closing track “The Current Beneath the Squarewave”. “Like Fun You Are”, on the other hand, delves deep into experimental territory, building up from spacey, hypnotic atmospheres towards a frantically pulsating ending.
Make no mistake, Show Me Where It Hertz is not for everyone. A high level of tolerance for the lack of traditional rock (or classical, for that matter) instruments is required in order to fully appreciate the album– as well as a taste for the electronic-driven subsets of the progressive universe, such as space rock and Krautrock. In any case, Necromonkey deserve kudos for their genuinely forward-thinking attitude, and their desire not to remain imprisoned in the cage of their followers’ expectations. I cannot think of a better summation of a genuine progressive spirit than their remark about the life-altering quality of the experience that led to the recording of this album. Though Show Me Where It Hertz is very far removed from anything that Änglagård or Gösta Berlings Saga have produced over the years, I would gladly recommend it to every open-minded prog listener.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Necromonkey/109218875773387
Sounds very intriguing! Happy to see you posting reviews again, they are always thoughtful and very well-written.
Thank you, John! I really appreciate it.
Once again, Raffa, you’ve written a review that makes me want to go out and hear the music (which is what I am going to do as soon as I stop typing this). You certainly have a tremendous gift with words–regardless of the language you choose to use.
You know, I have never written a review in any other language than English :D… Thanks for the kind words, and by all means give this album a listen! It is well worth it.
Another well-written review, Raff! I likewise received this CD from Mattias Olsson a few months ago and found it wonderfully experimental and refreshing. Thanks for posting!
Thank you so much! Looking forward to seeing you again soon.
Woo hoo, Raff! Great review, GREAT band!
I was so sorry to miss them at the Orion, but Mondays are impossible for us! Hope they’ll play again in the US next year. In the meantime, a happy holiday season to you and yours!
Hi Raff,
This is one of your best written reviews yet! I love the Battiato reference. As a big fan of krautrock/cosmic music and modular synthesis, I look forward to hearing this later today. (with a dog on my lap, of course)
The Battiato reference came to me all of a sudden when listening to Clic a few days before completing the review. I am so glad you liked it! Love those photos of your dogs.
Loved your reference to Kraftwerk, funny story I had tickets to go see the band in Detroit. But felt rather tired and not wanting to drive the 2hrs one way for the concert. So once I had come to grips with not going I went outside and discovered this in the post. I immediately came inside and put this in my player. What a treat it was, it made up for not going to the gig. The music was swirling around my livingroom it sounded as if it was in 5.1 surround and yet it was 2 channel stereo. Great music, great review! I think if people listen with even a tiny bit of open mindedness they will find this a real delight! Cheers! M
Thanks for the kind words, Mike! This album is definitely a grower, and will reward patience.