Less than a lunar cycle after the preceding melodic venture ‘poise‘, the borderless improvisational avant-gardists in bunsenburner, with Ben Krahl at the helm, make their glorious return. The band’s forthcoming auditory sculpture, ‘Rituals‘, is set to emanate from Krahlโs own domain, bensnburner records, on August 11, 2023.
Where ‘poise’ marked the bandโs first cohesive foray under the bunsenburner moniker, ‘Rituals’ amplifies the foundations set by its predecessor. Like an awe-inspiring monolith, it stands tall and mighty, a monument to experimental progressive and psychedelic stoner rock. Embellished with ambient and doomgaze elements, this work of art shatters the limitations of genre constraints, fostering a sense of unity through diversity.
In the vast expanse of twelve songs spanning over fifty minutes, the harmonious blend of the band’s different musical backgrounds is evident. The end result is an album that caters to a broad range of musical tastes while remaining a coherent representation of current contemporary music at its prime and most vibrant.
Members of bunsenburner have honed their skills in fields as varied as free jazz and extreme metal. This eclectic sextet’s composition feels like an exhilarating musical journey, a testament to the harmony that can be achieved by individuals coming from wildly different backgrounds yet sharing a singular focus.
The most enthralling aspect of this musical journey is that despite the complexity of the music, it remains accessible. This is a testament to bunsenburnerโs ability to create a thrilling and enjoyable body of work that can be savored by anyone with an open mind and a receptive heart.
In the spirit of ‘poise’, ‘Rituals‘ was also recorded live, embracing a jazz-like improvisational approach. Although certain segments and motifs were planned in advance, the magic of ‘Rituals’ emanates from the open-ended, collaborative spirit that permeates the band’s process.
The striking difference between ‘Rituals’ and ‘poise’ lies in the band’s unity. The bond among the members has strengthened, infusing the music with a newfound sense of direction and unity. Despite the multitude of details embedded in each song, the overall result is an image of refined wholeness, a testament to their growth as a collective.
bunsenburner deftly treads the delicate line between compositional prowess and the exuberant humanity overflowing with the joy of creation. Their material, while undeniably serious, is driven by mutual passion, with each note revealing the joy they take in their craft. The sonic landscape that unfolds within ‘Rituals’ is an open invitation to dive into bunsenburnerโs world.
Daring to explore new musical horizons and push the boundaries of what’s considered traditional, bunsenburner has once again delivered a unique and compelling sonic experience. ‘Rituals‘ serves as an indelible marker of the band’s evolution, a testament to their creative vision and musical unity. It leaves a lasting impression on the listener, one that you willingly revisit, always with a glimmer of anticipation in the corner of your eye.
‘Rituals’ is set to ignite on August 11th, 2023. Ready yourselves for a journey into the heart of bunsenburner’s world and check out our special track by track rundown below.
โDustbowlโ opens Rituals with a disjointed rhythmic barrage and sinister melodic edge, providing the framework for what can be expected of the album. The stoner-esque riffs sprout to mind the bandโs earlier works, further emphasized by the aerial middle section which includes something of a solo from Bene, with his record player routed through a space echo and accompanied by an MS-20 synth Bassline by Phil, not too dissimilarly to the tonal angle that was introduced already on poise, yet more intimate and holistic than before.
The second track โPack Huntโ starts with industrial percussions before advancing into a sludgy beating that gathers mass throughout the songโs duration, getting constantly slower and all the more pummeling towards its end, after the left-field lead runs of the middle section.
This aesthetic continues on the vivaciously pulsating โPathfinderโ โ ending with Floโs pedal steel and Beneโs sample work for maximum emphasis on mood โ demonstrating how the sextet has developed to a new kind of beast in a very, very short time.
As โCascadesโ continues on a wall-of-sound note, it also clocks in softer spots and steers to a more emotional direction. The stop-and-go prog section in the middle demonstrates bunsenburnerโs main strength in fluently bringing a vast scope of leanings together effortlessly.
The fifth song, the lynchian โThrenodyโ centers around the concept of loss, further ensuring that any listener will get absolutely immersed in the record, as it burrows deep into your psyche regardless of what sonic edge its presenting.
The mood-wise sullen tone continues on โCCCโ, a cover originally by Dualizm, a cut that made the record due to Ben wanting to reinterpret a simple lo-fi beat in a full band setting, working in the context of the record perfectly. With a steadier pulse and driving melodies, it paves the way for the jazzy goodness of โGot A Light?โ โ a Twin Peaks-inspired Excercise in freedom from structures, that is filled to the brim with feeling despite its unnerving and mischievous mood.
As the wails subside, โRain Chantโ takes the forefront with an acoustic folk-esque pace. For its first half, the song explores plenty of differing keys and vibes, settling on a post-rock-ish drive on the latter half, keeping the pulse up and alive for another three minutes, before fading into obscurity. โMinor Case of Serious Brain Damageโ is inspired by an Electone C-605 organ that Marsen found mere days before heading to the studio, celebrating a fever dream ambiance without a clear heading.
After this palette cleanser, bunsenburner kicks in another cover in the form of โJourney in Satchidanandaโ, originally recorded by Alice Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders in 1970. This tribute sits in the albumโs dramatic curve comfortably, before the (officially) last track โ/imagineโ. Being inspired by the current โAI versus real artโ controversies of today, bunsenburner makes a point that artists are free to use anything as a tool and source of inspiration, and shouldnโt fear evolution in that sense. The song itself is a swaying epos without distinct edges, carrying Rituals to its end in a tonally extravagant manner.
The bonus track โMinus Worldโ discovers a deeper layer of emotion painted by means of free jazz and the sweetly deranged instrumental choices. Referencing some of the earlier floating elements, โMinus Worldโ is an appropriate second ending for this complete body of work.
