I've always had a soft spot for the music of Ozric Tentacles, and it's no surprise that Technicians of the Sacred, their latest release, is filled with just as much trance inducing soundscapes, explosive space rock explorations, atmospheric jazzy passages, and thunderous grooves. Sounds like any number of their albums, right? Well, for those that think that if you've heard one Ozric Tentacles album, you've heard them all, I'm not so sure that Technicians of the Sacred is going to change your opinion, but as a more than solid album of exquisite sounds, and a double album at that, this one is totally worth investigating.
There's just something so alluring, so addicting about the Ozric's, that at times it's hard to put a finger on it. Those blipping, bleating synths, the busy, almost techno styled rhythms, and the searing lead guitar work, all work in tandem to stimulate your senses. From the opening 1-2 punch of "The High Pass" and "Butterfly Garden", the listener is swept into an intoxicating world of dreamy psychedelic space rock, those luxurious synths creeping into your brain and permeating your very existence. As is normally the case, one track bleeds right into another, and before you know it "Far Memory" is already half way into it and leader Ed Wynne is delivering a blistering guitar solo. "Switchback" offers up some tasty, jazz-fusion styled Fender Rhodes amid fluttering synths & rhythms, while some Middle Eastern motifs and almost heavy metal guitar soloing rear their heads on the energetic "Epiphlioy". "Smiling Potion" is a great example of what space rock is all about, and sits in the heavier end, but for a more airy, dreamy take on the genre there's "Zenlike Creature", a wonderful piece that has some of the most alluring synth textures on the album, and of course, a fiery guitar solo courtesy of Mr. Wynne.
Seeing as basically each track easily segues into the next, one can almost say that Technicians of the Sacred is like one long tune that encompasses two CDs, but hey, that's Ozric Tentacles for you. If you dig the spacey, psychedelic sounds of this band, this latest is going to absolutely thrill you, but I'd suggest even those on the fence to check out what's on display here.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
DISC 1
1. The High Pass [08:23]
2. Butterfly Garden [05:04]
3. Far Memory [07:10]
4. Changa Masala[06:04]
5. Zingbong [08:26]
6. Switchback [10:11]
DISC 2
1. Epiphlioy [11:49]
2. The Unusual Village [06:20]
3. Smiling Potion [07:12]
4. Rubbing Shoulders With The Absolute [08:36]
5. Zenlike Creature [09:54]
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