Saturnia: Muzak
Portugese musician, multi-intrumentalist Luis Simões is the master-mind and performing artist behind the project called Saturnia. The concept was established back in 1996 as a community of artists dealing with music and visual arts got together, and after a long series of different colaborations between Simões and other performers, succeded by a line of releases, this present one-man project is finally released on German label Elektrohasch Records. Simões has written all music and lyrics himself and the 10 tracks of this album were recorded between 2003 and 2005. Album title "Muzak" is an ironic understatement: Wow! This is one of a kind! Organic dub meets strange sounds from outer space in a melting pot of humming vocals that might remind the listener somewhat of Pink Floyd, arabic-sounding scales, floating keyboard-drones, delay-guitar, the sound of a tennis-ball generating the beat on one tune, transcendental avant-garde, and a very advanced, yet totally succesful post-production of the music. This is no question one of the most interesting and innovative releases of the year. So many layers of details to be found on this atmospheric release that it seems like you can listen to it a thousand times and still find something new to it. It gets under your skin. I'm impressed and completely blown away. Don't waste your time - get this album right away!
Lowcut magazine #42 04/2007 Foxy
Saturnia- Muzak
Nice cover, eh?? This is basically a one man band by a guy from Portugal named Luis Simõnes who knows how to create a psychedelic trip! Let's get into this cool CD on the great Elektrohasch label. Mindrama is very much like 1968 Pink Floyd and features a very heavy bass line and all sorts of spaced out sounds and great organ. Next up is Organza, which features Nik Turner from Hawkwind on flute. This track has a heavy drive to s tart but then gets totally spaced out to the max. Heavy head stuff… Kite is a mellow piece taking you again back to the late 60's. Infinite Chord is based on a heavy bass drone (will overwhelm your stereo if you don't turn down the bass) and then loads of spaced out layers of synths, organs, and sounds.. Cosmic music is the best description.. Analepsis begins with some people playing tennis and the spacey Pink Floyd like guitar and spacey David Gilmour influenced vocals slowly floats in. It is very cool how nearly every song develops into a sort of cosmic space jam.. Aqua is another quite dreamy song and very Pink Floyd (old) like. Nipple begins with some tribal like drums and the Richard Wright organ from the old Pink Floyd that we all love.. Around 2 minutes the cosmic ride begins and develops into a very cool spaced out piece. Hedge Maze is free floating and psychedelic and this leads into the last closing track, Syrian which features the spoken words of Daevid Allen from GONG! This track stands out as quite unique compared to the rest is a sort of raga with sitar, tabala drums, and the cosmic space of Saturnia. Amazing record….
Lowcut magazine #42 04/2007 Scott
