Svartbag - Svartbag
[Rump Recordings]

Copenhagen-based three piece Svartbag operate somewhere near the meeting point of the sonic triptych that is Space-Rock, Shoegaze and Kraut-Rock. While there are palpable echoes of The Warlocks, Hawkwind, Faust and even The Velvet Underground in their sound, it’s their choice of weaponry (Guitar, Samplers and Electronics) that sets this debut outing on Rump Recordings apart from other homage-paying releases.

Powering-up like a huge, intergalactic aircraft, Svartbag accumulate a churning, gargantuan wall of coma-inducing noise, adding touches of psychedelia, acid-scuzz and drone as they go along. The pulsating “Black Capricorn” sounds like a mystical, electromagnetic storm, with the repetitive, droning riffs and off-kilter organ textures showering the towering percussion in a narcotic glow. “The Flutist” and “Loop #9” follow suit, as electronics collide with a labyrinth of guitar, keys and sampled effects. There’s little time to pause for breath as the band launch into hypnotic jam sessions one after the other.

Only “Cairo” deviates from these blueprints, presenting a rasping, venomous drum-free soundscape instead. When Svartbag sign off with the epical “Billy Name”, you can’t help but wonder, though, if they actually have the ability to depart from this formula (as impressive as it is) that they appear to have written in stone.

1. Black Capricorn
2. The Flutist
3. Cairo
4. Loop#9
5. Billy Name