Blaak Heat: Shifting Mirrors

Shifting Mirrors came out in May 2016 on the splendid Svart Records (almost always a good thing) and is one of those rare things for somebody who gets most of his music for free and who thinks that much of what he gets for free isn't very good – something actually worth buying!

Described thus," Like an Anatolian fever dream, Blaak Heat engulfs your mind in images of mystic castle mirages, slamming body and soul into an ocean of reverb fuzz. Blaak Heat's 'Mojave soundtrack' rest upon a rich history of musical tradition, drawing from the Middle East as naturally as from California's deserts and beaches, with one foot still firmly rooted in the streets of Paris. The end-result is a timeless, vivid blend of thundering psychedelic rock and Arabian" Those would be a wordy but no inaccurate description of this excellent record. Reverb to the max, fuzzy as all hell yet wholly compelling Shifting Mirrors is a throwback to more psychedelic time, a much freer time, a time where constraints such as time, shininess or hit potential didn't matter.

Influenced by Middle Eastern culture yet melded to stoner rock Blaak Heat (formed in Paris by guitarist/singer Thomas Bellier, alongside drummer Mike Amster and bassist Henry Evans) have produced an intriguing, enigmatic, complex yet simple album which is at its best in the longish periods between vocals where the rhythms are allowed to breath next to the sometimes fiery guitars. The standout tracks are "The Approach To Al – Mu'tasim" and "Dense Normade" both of which ooze atmosphere and a calm sense of menace. An unexpected pleasure.

Track Listing:
01) Anatolia
02) Sword of Hakim
03) The Approach To Al – Mu'tasim
04) Taqsim
05) Ballad of Zeta Brown
06) Black Hawk
07) Mola Mamad Djan
08) Tamazgha
09) The Peace Within
10) Dense Nomade

Added: June 11th 2016
Reviewer: Simon Bray
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1594
Language: english

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