Sendelica: The Satori in Elegance of the Majestic Stonegazer

Welsh trio Sendelica certainly displays a lot of frantic energy and odd effects on its newest LP, The Satori in Elegance of the Majestic Stonegazer. A psychedelic space rock jam band, the group prides itself on extended instrumentals in which timbres clash around centralized, repetitive progressions. Unfortunately, while the album is exciting and engaging at times, for the most part, it feels very monotonous and aimless. The group can play well, but their compositions lack appealing focus.

"Magical Ninin," which starts things off, is a good example of this. After a few moments of distortion, sharp guitar patterns dance around simple syncopation and fuzzy chords. For nine minutes. The music doesn't change at all, which is extremely irritating. Music like this would become tiresome enough if heard live, and without the benefit of at least seeing the band play, it becomes entirely too distant and shallow. This pattern remains true for just about all of The Satori in Elegance…

The only remotely saving grace on the album is the four-part, thirty minute title track. It opens with emotive atmosphere and eclectic sounds before delving into heavier jamming. In particular, the third section features a nice blend of jazzy experimentation, cosmic soundscapes, and sufficient dynamics, although at over fifteen minutes in length, it eventually wears out its welcome like every other track. "Satori in Elegance" would be a compelling enough piece if it were condensed 80%; there are enough ideas here for a six minute instrumental, but not for a thirty minute one.

The Satori in Elegance of the Majestic Stonegazer will likely appeal to a very narrow audience, and perhaps to them, I'm missing the entire point. I like when music goes somewhere, though, rather than remaining stagnant as the minutes pass by. The jams that Sendelica derive are decent enough to start, but they're not varied or interesting enough to sustain momentum. One can only listen to the same construction for so long before demanding a change, and when that doesn't happen, he or she will simply give up and move on.

Track Listing

1. Magical Ninin
2. Aetheraland
3. Satori in Elegance Part I
4. Satori in Elegance Part II
5. Satori in Elegance Part III
6. Satori in Elegance Part IV
7. Preseli Daze
8. The Majestic Stonegazer

Added: August 26th 2012
Reviewer: Jordan Blum
Score:
Related Link: Band MySpace Page
Hits: 2412
Language: english

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