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Released on September 18, 2015 via Thrill Jockey Records
One of the wonderful things about the explosion of psychedelic music over the last few years has been the sheer depth in variety that has been available. Even more interesting is how this variety in sound has been accentuated by the many different pockets of bands all around the world. From the UK, through Sweden, Chile, Australia and of course, the US (not discounting the many other countries), scenes have popped up which all follow a psychedelic agenda yet all sound completely different from each other. Of course, influence plays a huge part and now with the Internet opening up even more obscure avenues of listening, styles get subsumed into one big melting pot.
It is refreshing to hear then, that a certain traditionalism does remain in some bands and this is where Golden Void take their cue. Firmly a band of their place (San Francisco), they take that city’s rich musical heritage and turn it into something that is both new and refreshingly familiar. That Golden Void happen to be full of some of the most talented musicians around only helps to further their cause and helps to create something that stands head and shoulders over a lot of bands.
Berkana is the second release from this band and whilst their foremost member may be Isaiah Mitchell of Earthless, there is no hint of vanity project and none if that erstwhile band’s rampant blues exploration. Instead, it is a considered piece of work, which owes more to the progressive rock of Gilmour’s Floyd than it does to any of the past psych experimentalism from San Francisco. It belongs to the city though, and you would struggle to see this music being conceived elsewhere.
The album lulls you in with its easy going charm and ‘Burbank’s Dream’ may seem like nothing out of the ordinary. It’s a red herring though and as the album progresses, Golden Void get increasingly spaced out.’ Astral Plane’ is not called so for any other reason and by the time you hit ‘I’ve Been Down’ you find yourself completely in thrall to this band.
It is the ease in which they do this which sets you off guard but also makes for such an enjoyable album. Melodic yet spacey, the space it breathes out into is inviting and comfortable and begs to be revisited. It could have all gone so wrong under a lesser band but here, as you get swept into ‘The Beacon’, you feel the music enveloping you and then releasing its little secrets. Listen close a second time and you will wonder how you missed so much.
There’s bound to be detractors who say the album plays a well worn safe game and edges close to stadium rock. That would be ignoring the subtle nuances at play here though and it’s only their loss at the end of the album. First the rest of us it’s a chance to enjoy some peerless psych from some true masters of the game. An excellent album all round.
