Saturnia - Muzak
If ever there were a soundtrack to accompany a week-long smoke-haze than this would be it. Inspired by the likes of Syd Barret-era Pink Floyd, early-Hawkwind, and krautrockers Can, Saturnia is drugged-out, jam-based psychedelia in it’s purest of forms.
Based in Portugal, Saturnia initially got going over a decade ago, embracing a ‘community of artists’ approach, which involves a series of revolving door members and collaborations within the literary and visual realms. The project has released a number of recordings over the years including their most celebrated album The Glitter Odd in 2001 on New Zealand’s Cranium Music.
Muzak sees the ‘band’ reduced to a one-man deal with founder and multi-instrumentalist Luis Simões still tripping after all these years. Simões applies a variety of instrumentation, including guitar (acoustic, electric; bowed and e-bowed), lap steel, sitar, organs, synthesizers, harp, vibraphone, etc…. to create a space-like fusion of sixties psychedelia, seventies post-rock and modern-day drones, all with a Eastern slant though it’s scales and rhythms.
Hawkwind’s Nik Turner guests on ‘Organza’, a slightly chilled affair with an emphasis on rhythmic percussion, breezy vocals and guitar-pedal manipulation.
Light up and let go!
screaming bloody mess 04/2007 Warren Wheeler
