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Review Summary: Its eccentricity with their approach to song writing and cognitive dissonance is what makes Queen Elephantine For a band named Queen Elephantine, it is rather left unsaid why they are a spectacle but curious as to why their 2013 effort would go unnoticed. A tone reminiscent of some derelict earth spirit is what follows Scarab in its entirety, drone-like organic vibrations of the universe. “A fuzzy muscle play of distorted dirge and Hindu atmospherics that easily embodies the slow majesty of bands like Earth.” The repetitive continues to create a spiral in one’s consciousness while they merge with the music, it’s almost a spiritual experience as if the band is a verbal conduit for something far greater out there. “A meditative space sound, like a solarised wind calmly blowing on an alien planet, or a brace of Tibetan monks on PCP, glued to their prayer mats and ommm-ing themselves to oblivion.”
The album was released on June 2013 via Tel Aviv’s Heart & Crossbone Records as a CD and via Athens’ Cosmic Eye Records as a LP. Queen Elephantine uses a very interesting instrument aptly christened 'the divine mosquito' handled by Brett Zweiman and also has Srinivas Reddy on the tanpura/swarm instruments. To combine such derelict yet ancient tones into something blasphemic while maintaining the forefront element of vedic drone is Scarab. The album is four songs long but runs deep into 60 minutes of tantric meditation; its eccentricity with their approach to song writing and cognitive dissonance is what makes Queen Elephantine's record, Scarab.
This psychedelic doom band from Rhode Island, was originally formed as a guitar-bass duo with Indrayudh Shome and Danny Quinn later adding two percussion instruments with Daniel Murphy, Mike Isley and Andrew Chu on board. The four piece lineup that went on to play in the United States was with Mike Isley on percussions and Alex Buck on second drums. The group’s first full-length Surya soon followed. “The instruments take on a scary dynamic, like a vibrating cloud of flies, distorted in the heat. It’s hard to avoid the magnetic pull of that turbine shackled hertz, or that accompanying tinsel soak from the cymbals, even the words seem to be draggin you through the dusty soil on the mystic hooks.” (quotes.Rottenmeats)
Scarab playlist
01. Veil
02. Crone
03. Snake
04. Clear Light of the Unborn
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Damn, this looks awesome, especially if it's like Samsara Blues Experiment (their album is called Long Distance Trip, not Singata Mystic Queen btw) and My Sleeping Karma. Will definitely listen.
Well written review, but it's more of a simple description of the band than a critique of the album, so that's what I'd work on next time around
Found the album streaming here btw: http://queenelephantine.bandcamp.com/album/scarab
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Hey man thanks for correcting me on the title of the Samsara album. I was listening to the track and maybe that's why I typed that down. As for the review, well I'm still learning! I'm definitely going to work on my style of writing and am working hard on my essay skills. This band is like an organic drone machine, something to keep in mind when you start listening to the album.
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Long Distance Trip is an incredible album, I see you've 5.0'd it!
This is definitely an excellent first review, your skills should grow naturally as you write more
reviews, just keep at it
I'll keep that in mind, it's an interesting description. My only problem with drone is that it can
become slightly repetitive, hopefully this album isn't
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Nice first review--is the "interesting instrument" named the divine mosquito a guitar--just wondering . . . Sputnik has this tagged as psychedelic, but I don't hear it. Is there such a genre as stoner-drone? If there isn't, there should be--because this is it.
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I thought drone music is fairly psychedelic, can't speak for this yet though
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Yeah, you're probably right Mad. When I think psychedelic I always go for the 60s sound, but psychedelic has moved on--just like everything else.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I think the divine mosquito is the Indian classical music instrument called Shruti Box which imitates the Sitar. But it sounds like a fuzzy plague of mosquitos so it could be something like a Music Box too? As for this band being psychedelic, I think they're more Atmospheric Meditative music than psychedelic music.
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That's interesting, thanks.
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Damn that instrument does sound cool, I'm quite a fan of those Indian sounds, plus that description of the music is intriguing. It definitely sounds like it'll be similar to Ethereal Riffian and Om, I'll give you my verdict shortly
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Especially like Om's Advaitic Verses. GOD! I love that album. Also if you're digging this then check out
http://kamni.bandcamp.com/album/a-t-o-m
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I gave some of this a listen, it wasn't really my cup of tea, a bit too droney and repetitive, but quiet nice for a relaxing listen. I'll give that Kamni a listen.
I'd definitely say it could be classed as psychedelic though, with the hypnotic instruments and those vocals
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Checked out that Om band you mentioned, Advaitic Songs, and really liked it.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Yup, Om is the definition of modern/vedic stoner doom.
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