BULBUL
"6" (Exile on Mainstream; 2008)
Reviewed by Metal Mark
This album is my first exposure to Bulbul. Quite honestly, I don't know a whole lot about them. I know they are from Austria and they have a new album out but, other than that, all I really know is what I hear on this disc.
What my ears tell me is that this album is flat out weird. I mean that in the best way possible though because this band makes odd sounds and patterns an art form. It's not always a full-on chaos. Instead, they start with simple beats and then build swirling mounds of madness around that central beat. There is a sense of subtlety to their approach and they are always in control.
Bulbul stir in bits of funk, dance music, pop and shreds of other styles as well. The variation is important, but their mastery of arrangement is even more important. They know how to scatter sounds and they know when to add more and when to pull back. Despite the large amount of sounds, they still manage a good sense of balance. They keep a heavy bouncing foundation and never lose site of keeping the pace going.
Now, it did take me some time to get into the album. At times they were throwing so much out there that it was tough to absorb. Repeated plays solve that problem though because, by the second turn, I was beginning to bask in the layers of sound that they were building.
Maybe this isn't for everyone, but it's a fine choice for those looking for for heavy music with a refreshing approach.
For more information, check out http://www.bulbul.at or http://www.myspace.com/bulbulshit.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2009 by R. Scott Bolton. All
rights reserved.
Revised:
15 Apr 2024 14:51:33 -0400
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