Album Review: bunsenburner - Reverie
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
If you cast your mind back around nine months ago, bunsenburner released “Squall” which was recorded in a single day, capturing the soul of the band in its purest form. It was a scintillating piece of work, one that I admired greatly, so it was with considerable pleasure that I grabbed their latest album to review.
“Reverie” sees them embark on something new, and further encapsulates their exploration as a collective where their assorted backgrounds combine to make music that is quite simply, exceptional. The brainchild of bassist Ben Krahl sees the group once again record the sessions live, this time over 4 days, as they redefine genres with songs looking at concepts of letting go, expectations, fears and constraints.
It all begins with the gentle opening number “Gleam of the Goddess” as the music soars effortlessly before the big noise really hits you and reminds you of the talent within the collective. It flows so sweetly and showcases the beautiful interplay between the musicians. This is followed by “Trigger” which gives you something different, a heavier sound with the guitar sound flying all over the place, like some sort of Mexican stand off!!!
“Letting Go (softly)” and Letting Go (hardly) appear next, and offer another unique insight into the band, with the former being a much more mellow and explorative sound, and the latter being more of a head banger, with the powerful drums from Norman Lonhard piercing the exquisite guitar sounds from Martin Fischer, Flo Mobes and Philip Schlotter. “Golden Shower” sees the band let go of their creative rigidity and it captures a song that seems both mischievous and exuberant.
By incorporating so many different styles into their music, it’s incredibly difficult to pigeonhole bunsenburner, but that’s what makes them such a joy to listen to. “Catfight” has more unusual sounds cascading through the song, so you are always on your toes, as you just don’t know what to expect next. They offer their haunting version of Tosca Tango Quartet’s “Ballade Four” next unveiling another side to their boundary pushing and continue with the abstract and maniacal “Dear Hollow”.
“Toro” sees the band draw inspiration from German painter K.O. Gotz and it feels more spontaneous and off the cuff, with raw energy bursting out of every note. It’s a very clever song, as it jumps all over the place, and it leads into my favourite song on the album, “Triskaidekaphobie”. I feel this captures the true essence of the band in all its glory, and they provide us with a six minute masterpiece of immersive soundscapes that fuel their distinctively crafted style.
This is one of those albums that you just don’t want to end, so it's lucky that there are three more compositions to listen to. They have their version of the Flying Lotus song “Zodiac Shit” which demonstrates their unique set of talents once again, before “Bagbak” and the epic “Waltz, alone” round off yet another scintillating album. You won’t be disappointed when you listen to these songs as there is far too much to enjoy and your head will be all over the place trying to process everything from the master’s at work.
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