Rope Trick – Red Tide
Self released – 2024
Rock, Psych, Punk, Stoner, Free
Rated: ****
Two members of Queen Elephantine decided to do some musical exploration under the name Rope Trick back in 2017. It resulted in the three track adventurous release called Red Tape. Well, the duo is back with a new one called Red Tide. Two long winding, swirling, rhythm based, jazz influenced investigations of the tribalistic and ritualistic nature of desert rock. It has a sort of, spontaneous and improvisational atmosphere to it, which of course suits the two experimental musicians well. Especially the more ‘Desert Sessions’ styled second track Neptune, has that feeling, and will immediately strike a chord with those in love with the fantastic Rancho De La Luna studio series. But Neptune or first track Crescent wasn’t recorded in the desert but at Red Planet Studios, Philadelphia. And this was no improv cut to tape recording session, but two carefully, over the course of five years, crafted tracks. Which means, every single part of these two tracks is exactly where it needs to be. We hope we are correct in hearing that complicated fact, in for instance the way they decide to either rub out a tone, or let it ride. The way some lines are there to chime out into the cosmos, while others are cut short and turned extremely sharp. You will be shivering and swaying along with every move they make, which does build, and does become hypnotizing. But which never seems to be the main goal. But yes, that build up ending of Crescent for instance, with the vocals, the chanting, the guitar becoming ever more jangling. So wild, savage and dervish it will have you longing for ten more minutes of this. But there are only twenty-one minutes on the entire new Rope Trick. There are only two tracks on Red Tide, but they both have this carefree sonic explosion of guitar freaking and ever moving percussion going that is unrivalled in its uproarious and encouraging quality. It will push you to let loose, to let fly and to go with the flow of the Red Tide…
(Written by JK)
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