Release Date: 23rd February 2024. Record Label: Tonzonen Records Distribution. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Lost In Kelp Forest - Tracklisting
1. Voyage
2. Emerald Maze
3. Renegade One
4. Silent Echoes
5. Ascension
6. Revelations
Review
Lost In Kelp Forest is the album from Instrumental Psych Stoner Rock collective Schubmodul which sees the band transport the creative action of Outer Space of their celebrated debut album to the realm of the underwater world. This is a concept record based upon the mysterious deep blue sea and certain explorations that meet an unexpected end.
Schubmodul explores the Psych Stoner Rock sound through Instrumental passages, Ambient Themes and multiple narrator voices which all combine for a rather exciting and original story. The music itself veers into areas of Heavy Prog, Cinematic Rock, Post-Doom and Post-Rock soundscapes. Taking sounds and extended jams from bands such as ELDER, King Buffalo and even heavier bands such as Dream Theatre and Mastodon in the more gloomier and heaviest parts of the album.
Lost In Kelp Forest never goes the way you expect with a wonderful array of Post-Rock or Post-Stoner delivered sounds which include moments of Shoegaze and Spaced Out Rock within the excellent batch of opening tracks Voyage, Emerald Maze and Renegade One. Subtle flashes of Prog Rock/Metal come out of nowhere which transports the listener to the darkest and deepest depths that Schubmodul explores some of the album's bleakest moments especially on tracks such as Renegade One, Silent Echoes and Revelation.
However, all the tracks work better as one contained story with Schubmodul playing multiple different styles of Stoner Rock/Metal which all have a dreamlike creative substance to them. The instrumental work is absolutely sublime and you find it hard to believe that the band recorded the entire album within six long days. The multiple vocal passages add a contemporary fantasy/horror feel which retain a real-life sensibility to them especially within today’s Global Warming crisis.
The album is at its most thrilling when Schubmodul allows the science-fiction and horror aspect of their creative vision to direct the action which allows the second half to be more daring when compared to the first half of the album. This is perhaps my favourite part of the entire album. However, the first half contains the finest Psychedelic and Spaced Out aspects of the album which remains superbly melodic and majestically addictive at the same time.
Lost In Kelp Forest is a major step up in quality compared to their debut album and I’m a huge admirer of Modul I. However, Lost In Kelp Forest drags you kicking and screaming into their Aquatic world which you’ll find very hard to beat. This is an absolute gem of an album that could only have come from the Psychedelic Stoner Rock underground scene.
Lost In Kelp Forest could become one of the most inventive and standout instrumental Psychedelic Stoner Rock albums before the year is out.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Creative Eclipse PR for the promo.
Lost In Kelp Forest will be released on DD/Vinyl via Tonzonen Records from Friday 23rd February 2024.
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