Release Date: September 29th 2023. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Formats: DD
Úma - Tracklisting
Gunman
Dead Space
Runis
Wake
Úma
Pigs
Time
Void
Release
Members
Kristoffer Norgren (Guitar & vocals)
Anton Höög (Bass)
Oskar Melander (Drums & backing vocals)
Review:
Úma is the new album from Swedish Fuzz/Grunge/Stoner Rockers I Am Low and their fourth overall. This is my first exposure to the band and I'm mightily impressed by their style of classic sounding 90's based Fuzz, Desert Rock and Stoner Rock with a murky Psychedelic Grunge attitude hidden within the background. The album also has that vibrant Psychedelic and Spaced Out sound that Swedish Stoner Rock bands are masters at. With a familiar sound to LOWRIDER in places but with the Grunge aspect allowing I Am Low to play a multitude of heavy different sounding grooves that harks back to the days of KYUSS, Fu Manchu and Monster Magnet with a slight Soundgarden influence on the later stages of the album.
Opening song Gunman is a vibrant Desert/Stoner Rock sound with a surprisingly sludgy metallic sound which allows I Am Low incorporate Psychedelic soundclips into their music. The sound is always full of Dangerous FUZZ rock attitude that wouldn't go amiss from an early-era Truckfighters album such as Phi. The vocals are not overdone but performed with the right amount of Stoner based showmanship with the music perhaps being the standout element of the track alone.
Second song Dead Space opts for a Post-Stoner or Post-Rock sound with lush waves of Psychedelic Fuzzy sounds which is played at a beautiful slow-to-mid pace. I Am Low take their time with this track and the mellow creative attitude is thrown out of the window for the sludgy Fuzz grooves that showcases a different style of heaviness from the band. The vocals have a dreamlike quality which fits right in with the Alternative Rock journey of the whole album. I wouldn't say it's full on 90's Space Rock or HUM style Shoegaze but there's a more full-on sound you wouldn't expect which remains hopefully realistic and upbeat despite the gloomy tensions held within the vocals.
Third song Ruins is a fast-paced number which is mostly a Punk driven Fuzz/Desert Rock style that has a more aggressive feeling to it all. The instrumental work is always engaging with the music being played at a frantic pace. There's some wicked sounding Hard Rock guitar solos hidden amongst the Punk Rock themes of the track. If you ever wondered what KYUSS would sound like as a pure Punk Rock band then Ruins is about as close you're going to get.
Fourth song Wake is one of the heaviest and trippiest tracks on the album with I Am Low playing a more aggressive style of Guitar Reverb, Feedback and Amplifier Distortion where the Bass Guitar delivers the most powerful sounding moments held on the album. The 90's dreamlike vocals appear yet again with I Am Low bringing a more thunderous style of Psychedelic Stoner Metal that ranks as one of the best tracks on the album.
Fifth song Úma is up next with a more Post-Doom delivery appearing which is quite moody and sullen compared to the previous tracks on the album. Waves of haunting vocals encapsulates the 90's Alternative Rock scene yet again. Elements of Post-Rock become more aggressive and move slowly over to the WEEDIAN masses of heavy grooves. The lyrics are emotionally charged with I Am Low living upto their Fuzz Rock creative surroundings. There's a sense of wicked rebellion where the band has a more volatile delivery and message with their music.
I Am Low continues with their style of Distorted Fuzz and Trippy Stoner Rock/Metal heaviness on the remaining four tracks of the album with Time, Void and Release being the other standout tracks of the album. I Am Low follow a similar path to King Buffalo on this part of the album but still delivering their own great style of world-weary Fuzz/Stoner Metal. The music can be too slow at times but when I Am Low deliver a punishing AMPLIFIER DISTORTED riff merged with a heavy slice of cinematic Post-Doom sounds then there's no denying that I Am Low have delivered the goods with this album.
Sublime production values help I Am Low deliver one of the most superbly entertaining and FUZZED out records of the year. With the power of Majestic Mountain Records releasing this album then you know you're in safe hands and ready for a bloody great time.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the promo.
Úma will be available to buy on DD via Majestic Mountain Records from September 29th 2023.
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