MohoDisco - Kaloomith


Year of Release: 2002
Label: independent
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 43:02:00

Mohodisco are an all instrumental outfit based in San Francisco, California and built around the core of Bruce White on guitar and synths (and sometimes bass). White is aided by a variety of guests on Kaloomith's 8 tracks; those guests are Mark Cobb and Scott Edwards on drums, Brian Leonard, Tim Egan, Kate Jenkins, Brad Wegner and David Cook on bass, Adam Stockton on a bit of drums, Andrew Stoeckley on a synth solo, Jim West on didgeridoo and percussion, Harry DeCourcy on percussion, Mike Fiorentio on electric violin, and Holmes on synths.

Their sound is mostly a mix of space rock, electronic rock and uh? rock rock. Really, it's "chill out" music with elements of guitar rock, as on the opener "Praxis" and "Mystery Falls." The latter of these really "kicks out the jams" with a sometimes funky Rush feel. The music is more dynamic in structure than "chill out" music, however, falling somewhere between the frenetic beat of "techno" and the floaty atmospheres of "chill out," I guess, though learning more toward the later than the former. No pulse pounding beats threatening to burst your heart (though "Soft And Sharp" comes close), but more musical movement than ambient. It is music for which fractal computer animation would be perfectly suited. Actually, listen to this on your computer rather than your stereo and those visualization settings start to make sense.

Spacey is what would describe the opening of "The Source," which consists of squelchy, marching, alien blurbs (Holmes on synth) that morph into what becomes a somewhat tribal percussive rhythm (Scott Edwards on drums) ? the aliens have landed in Roswell, New Mexico perhaps. There is a bit of an X-Files-like essence to it at times, as well as something very 80s Rush about it, if with a lot more synth. In a review I read, someone else compared it to Power Windows-era Rush, which I don't disagree with as there are some hints at "Mystic Rhythms." As you might expect, "Gravity" is also another spacey piece, one that twists and seems to fold over itself.

The only thing missing from this release is a bit of warmth. The crystalline synth effects are often very cold and dry, as is the snickering percussion heard on various tracks. Only White's guitar playing and the throbbing bass seem to provide any, though not enough, warmth to the arrangements. It is not a bad CD, mind you, it just needs a little more warmth for my tastes. Some arrangements seem overlong, but sometimes that's hard to judge when you're writing a review ? you're waiting for the end to form your conclusion. All in all, it's good CD done well -- the highlights are White's guitar playing and the rockier passages and pieces.


Tracklisting:
Praxis (4:07) / Our Paths Are Sonic Waves 5:42) / Gravity (4:31) / Remote Viewer (5:41) / Soft And Sharp (4:49) / The Source (5:41) / Mystery Falls (7:18) / Kaloomith (5:10)

Musicians:
Bruce White ? guitar, synth, bass
Mark Cobb ? drums (1, 2)
Brian Leonard ? bass (1)
Tim Egan ? opening bass (2) Holmes ? 2nd synth solo (3), opening synth riff (6)
Kate Jenkins ? bass (3)
Adam Stockton ? opening drum beat (4)
Jim West ? didgeridoo, percussion (5)
Brad Wegner ? bass (6)
Scott Edwards ? drums (6)
Mike Fiorentino ? electric violin (6)
Andrew Stoeckley ? synth solo (6)
David Cook ? opening bass riff, percussion (8)
Harry DeCourcy ? percussion (8)

Discography:
Various - Bloomington Electronic Music Coalition Volume I (1998)
Kaloomith (2002)

Genre: Various Genres

Origin US

Added: March 24th 2003
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.mohodisco.com
Hits: 1867
Language: english

  

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