On their fourth album, counting the limited vinyl only Live At The BBC , Elephant9 join forces with Reine Fiske, the quite excellent Swedish guitarist from Dungen, The Amazing and Träd, Gräs och Stenar, for yet another heavy slice of mindblowing modern rock´n´jazz psychedelia. Writers have called upon names like Tony Williams´ Lifetime, Deep Purple, Brian Auger, Emerson Lake & Palmer and early seventees Miles Davis to describe the music, pointing to the fact that Elephant9 are comfortable in both rock and jazz. Reine Fiske makes his entrance on the title track, the long intro section almost sounding like it could have come off an early Terje Rypdal album. No coincident considering Fiske is a big Rypdal fan and Storløkken being Rypdal´s keyboard player for well over a decade. His guest spot ends with the final thirteen minute tour de force and its heavy funk intro reminiscent of another guitar great and his Band of Gypsys. Atlantis is all originals, four from Storløkken and three from Eilertsen, recorded at Stockholm´s legendary Atlantis studio under the masterful supervision of Janne Hansson and the band´s regular engineer Christian Engfelt. Ståle Storløkken is widely considered to be the most inventive keyboard player from the fertile Norwegian jazz scene, his playing with bands like Supersilent, Humcrush, Motorpsycho, Terje Rypdal and countless others being firm testament to this. Nikolai Eilertsen was first known to the Norwegian public through his playing with popular rock group Big Bang and later chart topping pop group The National Bank. Torstein Lofthus is a most versatile drummer who has done a lot of session work as well as playing in jazz, soul and rock bands, most notably blackjazzers Shining.
P**N
Up from the Watery Depths
Do you like Men from?Do you like Elephants?Do you like Runes?Do you like Gramofons?Elephant9. but there's only 3 of 'em - plus Reine Fiske.Now I quite often decry the releases I've bought after hearing a track on the Prog Magazine freebie CD, but this one is different it ROCKS big time. Well it JAZZROCKS big time but it's definitely at the ROCKIER end of the spectrum.I mean it's stuffed with Purplish big throbbing organ - ooeerr missus - what more can you ask than that? Apart from the fact that there's quality guitar, bass, drums and other keyboards too, It's more progressive than most supposed PROG stuff out there today. It's from Norway and on the Rune Gramofon label too which I have found to be a reliable guide to good quality sounds.My hearty recommendation is for you to BUY! GO ON, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!
R**
All is ok.
All is ok.
C**S
Atlantis
Those familar with Elephant9's last two offerings will know what to expect. Furious slabs of howling, distorted Hammond organ and Fender Rhodes underpinned with throbbing bass and crashing drums. Added to the mix is the guitar of Reine Fiske on some tracks. Every bit as good as Doodoo Voodoo and Walk the Nile.There is a note saying "supported by Arts Council Norway" on the back of the CD cover. Wow, would that happen in the UK?Buy and turn the volume up to full.
T**G
Excellent fusion
WOW !! So far my biggest discovery of the year. Elephant9 from Norway has released a number of albums who are all in the jazz/fusion genre. I reviewed their first album some days ago and I really liked that one. The band has got help from Reine Fiske on guitars on this album. His guitars adds a lot of textures and life to their normal fare of thumphing keyboards, bass and drums. The music is jazz, dark and groovy. The music is very infectious, epic and groovy. This band reminds me alot about Soft Machine and Return To Forever at their best. The added guitars is also a reminder about Mahavishnu Orchestra at their best. The music is at times very intense. The band has also put in some pastoral breathers inbetween the relentless intensity. The balance is perfect. The music is great. This album is one of the best albums from last year and the band is really onto something here. They may even become one of the best bands within this genre. They are also gigging now and make sure that you catch them if they visits your area. Atlantis is a great album and a vital vitamin injection into the fusion genre.
A**R
Marmite
I play it when my wife is out the house because I love it and she hates it, a marmite CD.
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