Causa Sui

Euporie Tide

Written by: BV on 25/07/2013 14:53:30

Causa Sui is a name that rings more than one bell in my mind as this band, along with a handful of others, became my gateway into the realms of psychedelic music – my gateway drug, if you will. It’s not without reason that Causa Sui’s “Summer Sessions” on vinyl go for insane amounts on the internet – they’re, musically speaking, magnificent pieces of experimental psych and stoner whilst they also boast incredible artwork which I’m quite sure also piques many a collector’s interest. Now they’re here with their 8th LP and my question remains – will this particular release also amass massive interest?

Well, if opening track “Homage” is anything to go by then the answer would most definitely be yes. Clocking in at approximately 10 minutes, “Homage” is a characteristic Causa Sui track in the sense that it blends the massive, yet pristine, soundscapes of their take on psych, with an instrumental take on the stoner-rock genre that is topped off with tons of vibrato on organs and guitars. As Causa Sui groove their way through these ten minutes, the variety in riffs, melody lines and the sheer changes in dynamics are more than enough to keep even the most demanding listener entertained – I’d dare say that even goes for listeners that aren’t too keen on instrumental music.

As we approach “Echo Springs” the stoner edge seems to have been tossed aside, if only for a brief moment, to create a smooth jazz-rock inspired piece that, once again, ploys various ‘bubbling’ vibrato sounds into the soundscape. I have come to grow quite fond of the drum work on this track, as it has that kind of smooth and jazzy approach to it while never really turning showy or dominating. The instrumentation, as well as the general mix, seems perfectly balanced and reassures me that whether you’re looking for some awesome instrumental rock pieces or a psychedelic backdrop to chill out to, Causa Sui is probably one of the best bets around on the contemporary psych-scene.

The only time throughout this 65 minute long album where I do not feel entirely entertained would be in the track “Euporie”, where the dynamics aren’t as ever-changing nor is the general track itself interesting enough to conjure up a runtime of 11 minutes. Granted, the soundscape is once again beautiful and Jonas Munk is amazing at mixing these to be unusually pristine sounding. Yet, something seems to be missing on this particular track as I can’t decide whether it’s just another chill-out track or if it tries to possess the same melodic prowess as “Homage” or “Ju-Ju Blues”. The track is therefore a bit harder to get through and ‘love’. But as I’ve come to realize here, 15+ listens in, “Euporie Tide” is a growing album. I didn’t love it on the first few listens but as time grew, I ended up ranking it just below my absolute favorite, “Summer Sessions Vol. 1” – which, in itself, is quite an amazing feat. So if you’re into psych, space, kraut, post-rock or just about anything long-running and mostly instrumental, you’ll probably end up liking this particular album as well.

9

Download: Homage, Ju-Ju Blues, Echo Springs, Mireille
For The Fans Of: Electric Moon, Papir, Colour Haze
Listen: facebook.com

Release Date 05.08.2013
El Paraiso Records


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