Saturnia-Hydrophonic Gardening
The trip continues!, and one thing is certain: this trip is truly indipensable!!
When you say that "Hydrophonic Gardening", the new album by the portuguese band Saturnia, sounds similar to to its 2001 predecessor, "The Glitter Odd", its a perfectly fair statement that is not negative criticizing but a real complement.
"The Glitter Odd" was brilliant and so is "Hydrophonic Gardening".
Once again Saturnia carry us to the heart of the live-pink floyd 1969-71 atmosphere.One who, today, dreams of experience one of those concerts canot truly satisfy oneself, but "Hydrophonic Gardening" comes real close.
Obviously Saturnia dont do a mere rip off, they manage to weave subtle psychedelic sounds with discrete sibilating, whispering, drum machine beats, thus creating an unexpected symbiosis, autonomous and of great quality.
The album starts with the title track, an escalade of celestial sounds wich dont get bombastic but hypnotic due to the absence of rhythm.Falling water drops, synthesizers that resemble flutes and ocasional guitars create the stalactite cave feeling until we get to the second track "Kozmische" where the well known Saturnia-mania starts: soft drum machines, spyraling synthesizers that sound old school and play long melodies, powerfull gongs, here and there unexpectedly violent sounds, some theremin, pure Hypnosis.
This ten minute track is the first high point of the album.The four following tracks remain faithfull to this style and belong to the "each one more beautiful than the other" category.Only the seventh-and last-track,"Omnia" stands out.
When listening to this one there are two possibilities:you can close yourself to this music or let yourself be carried by it.If you repetedly choose the later there is the real danger that the chills never disapear ever again.
With some luck maybe next year we may get to see Saturnia live, here in germany.
Eclipsed magazine-01/2003
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