Release Date: 02nd February 2024. Record Label: Subsound Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl
An-nûr - Tracklisting
Selk'Nam
Au-Nur
Due
Tredici
Solaris
Ayahuasca
Members
Tiziano Giammichele
Mattia Lolli
Matteo Nuccetelli
Review
An-nûr (meaning Light in the Arabic Language) is the debut album from Psych Instrumental Stoner Rockers The Black Flamingo and it's quite a politically charged release even for an instrumental release especially within the title track which walks along in solidarity with the Palestinian people. The album is a mixture of warped soundscapes, obsessive Space Rock rhythms and intense Psychedelic Stoner grooves. The Black Flamingo have a more jazzy and carefree attitude with their music which allows the album to be its own cinematic style of monolithic sounds.
Opening track Selk'Nam is a "normal" sounding instrumental Stoner Rock song with dark Space Rock elements that transform into a more reflective style of music with heavy dominant Doomed Out moments as the song arrives at its natural conclusion. The song does become more COSMIC obsessed with swirling noises and Post-Rock themes showing an epic style of music from The Black Flamingo.
Second song An-nûr is where the album becomes more politically charged, especially what's happening with Palestinian people. This may put some folks off depending on their own political beliefs and choices. I'm reviewing the music itself and this is a very powerful song with hard-hitting themes which uses multiple politically aware soundclips matched against a backdrop of Space Rock passages. This is a way of delivering music that I haven't heard before, especially within the instrumental field. The Black Flamingo draw upon SONIC textures and heavy drone based Psych Stoner Rock jams for a song that fully becomes heavier as the song progresses. The emotional content can be unflinching at times but that's the powerful aura the album contains. Shades of Earthless, Yawning Man and Pelican appear within this track with an eerie Psychedelic atmosphere becoming quite metallic along the way.
Third track Due is where The Black Flamingo delve into a classical style of Instrumental Doom/Stoner Metal which has that Spaced Out swagger played out to a fine melodic tone. Areas of Noise Rock and Industrial measures allows the song to have moments of pure SONIC distortion and screeching guitars shows a different side to the band. There's a slight Sludge Rock attitude starting to appear with The Black Flamingo slowly becoming more confident with their style of DOOM & GLOOM which wouldn't go amiss from an UFOMAMMUT record. Perhaps one of the standout tracks on the whole album.
The second half of the album continues with dark style of Heavy Doomedelic sounds whilst keeping the constant flow of Desert Rock/Stoner Metal groove flowing at a fast pace on other standout tracks such as Tredici and the epic fourteen minutes final track Ayahuasca. The Black Flamingo expand their Progressive journey across more Sonic/Cosmic based territory with moments of experimental Ambient sounds which feels like it's being played from a different band. Middle Eastern Chants held within Tredici has quite a dominant feel of gloominess and darkness which is the most experimental part of the album.
However, The Black Flamingo still play moments of Ethereal Post-Rock which soon changes into heavier and aggressive Stoner based grooves An-nûr is an unapologetic style of Post-Doom/Stoner Metal tracks which is quite challenging to hear but always brilliantly original in it's own right. The production values are intense and impressive which allows The Black Flamingo to provide a politically charged journey told through the power of Instrumental music.
An-nûr is a sublime record and it's even more impressive for being a debut release. This is beautifully original and one that demands multiple listens for the full cause and effect of the album.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Metaversus PR for the promo.
An-nûr will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Subsound Records Sounds from February 02nd 2024.
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