Monday 9 June 2014

October Equus - Saturnal (2011)



The third album from this Spanish band and my first ever exposure to them.

We are talking avant-garde music here. More a bit chamber rock without the chamber orchestra instruments. This seven piece band gives us saxophones, cello, bass, drums, flute, guitars and keyboards. Both the bass and the saxophones gives me some zeuhl vibes here.

Some avant-garde music tends to be very epic dark. Present springs to mind. Yes, and Univers Zero too although I have yet to check out my collection of their albums. October Equus is surprisingly..... ehh.... cheerful on this album. Their music is not that claustrophobic too. There is close to being warmth in their music. But not quite a full summer. The music is surprisingly melodic too. The music is fully instrumental off course. The solos and the music is both sax, guitars and keyboards driven.

I have heard far more complex avant-garde albums than this one. This one is really melodic without being that traditional melody focused. The problem here for me is that there is no really great melodies here and that the material tends to be very one dimensional throughout. Not light and no darkness here. Just the same for three quarters of an hour. When that is said, this is really a good album and I am determined to find some more albums from this band. I am intrigued. Truly intrigued.

3 points

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