Drone worlds collide on Orbs & Channels, which comes from the co-owners of the BLWBCK label, is mastered by Byron Christoloudou (Golders Green and The Felt Collective), and is released as a cassette on Hands in the Dark Records. It’s wonderful to know that our friends are getting along so well!
Cassette is the best way to hear this release, as the tracks segue together as one; those who download it should make sure their settings eliminate transition pops. Oddly, the end of A and beginning of B blend together as well; perhaps we should each be ordering two cassettes? The whole produces a dense narcotic effect, as silence is barred from the gate. When played without distraction, the impact builds from start to finish. One begins to think of St. Paul’s warning to the church at Ephesus: we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
An early highlight appears in “Hieronimus”, whose title provides an indication of the timbre. A shadowed voice echoes throughout the center, but is vanquished by organ chords. This battle between dark and light continues throughout the album, with a host of waves descending like demon hordes or warrior angels. The difference is weighed in gradations, like those of the soul, representing the tipping point between good and evil, hope and despair. Even at the end, it’s hard to tell who has the upper hand.
The cover art adds to the allure, yielding hints of ancient art: battalions assembling in heaven, preparing for the final battle; or even Milton’s Paradise Lost. The choral sounds embedded in “Forever Late” add to the feeling of spiritual struggle. Are the whispered, processed voices found throughout the album meant to be the tuggings of temptation or the reminders of a lost life? When “Cavalcade” ups the ante with knocks and pops, does this mean the end is near? Or are we reading too much into the recording? (A later choral-inflected track is simply titled, “Hangover #8”). The album ends with the sound of wind and chimes, an indication that we are on the right track: heaven remains, although just out of reach. The penitent pilgrim is urged to keep striving.
This is our third Saåad review, a rare feat as we only get to review a fifth of our submissions. This may not seem fair (lucky bastards!), but we believe in what these guys are doing as an act and as a label, and Orbs & Channels should convince any who are still holding out. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 