Mesmer
Heliopause
Torture Music
Mesmer dedicates this release to those of us who are “explorers of inner/outer space and the cracks between to the womb and mother of space…” Who these individuals are, I haven’t the faintest idea, but intentions are relatively unimportant for most recorded music. The more salient question remains: does it rock? To this I can answer, absolutely not. Of course, that is a good thing for Mesmer. Mesmer, for all intents and purposes, appears to be little more than a collective of musicians playing a wide range of instruments (including the clariboo, violin, bass, talking drums, tambourines and who know what else) mediated and assembled by one Derek Eckland, also known as Cap’n Cut’n Paste. The sum result being six tracks of mostly instrumental music to aid your consciousness in its expansion either through meditation, a pint of good tea or a huge spliff.
As a cohesive album, these six tracks coalesce and segue well into one another. As ambient back ground music or atmosphere to one’s recreational pursuits, one could hardly find better accompaniment. Some of the tracks evoke the Japanese group Ghost at their most tranquil. The pulsing rhythms, digital effects and occasional swells in volume all combine for an overall effect that is carefully crafted to set and maintain a certain mood. Occasionally, as on the opening track, the music calls to mind spectral whale songs or a middle-eastern rhythm bent back, and carried across shifting winds. At other times, they achieve a hypnotic hold that bears a strong similarity to Flying Saucer Attack. In either respect, Mesmer creates an altogether uncommon listening experience, one that only grants its rewards after multiple listens.
Torture Music Records: http://www.torturemusic.com
