- Melbourne label La Sape have released a new project from Horatio Luna (aka Henry Hicks) under the moniker The Psychedelic Freaks. As the former bassist for 30/70 Luna has really honed the sound developed in that outfit through collaborations and solo projects. This brings us to the new album Passing Through The Doorways Of Your Mind, yet another groove-heavy record that explores fusion styles.
Passing Through The Doorways Of Your Mind sets the suitably raw tone of the album right at the start, with its title track. The Chosen Path slows things down a bit with a shuffling drum bit and languid guitar and bass. The drums start picking up while keyboard and synths (brought to you by Brisbane’s own Rohan The Intern) start to thicken out the soundscape, again giving way to a propulsive groove. I love the blown-out, distorted bass of To The Funk Valley and its general free-funk vibe. Watch out, this one is particularly dank. Similarly Illuminated Waterfalls has some absolutely bent playing. The Next Level touches on Luna’s afro-beat influences while I See Absolute ends the album on a beautifully melodic note.
Although electronic elements are still present, the album is less housey / dancefloor oriented than previous releases. That being said, Luna’s signature style is expanded upon, retaining the deft musicianship and improvisational feel. As ever there’s a real jazz-fusion flavour to the tracks here, with much of it sounding improvised, with touches of The Mothers Of Invention or The Stark Reality. Interestingly Luna himself picked up a guitar and a wah pedal for this project, as opposed to the usual bass guitar and programming. As we should probably expect from a record titled Through The Doorways Of Your Mind, and Horatio Luna himself, a welter of 1970s sounds is sublimated into something mind-bendingly unique.
- Hillfolk.