Technicians Of The Sacred Set

It's been four years since Paper Monkeys, but in this case I don't blame the wait, since Colorado wildfires did claim their home and Ed was hospitalized for ruptured spleen, so it obviously put the band out of commission for a short while. The Wynnes Ed, Brandi and Silas now include Hungarian drummer Balazs Szende and surprisingly Paul Hankin, and the results being Technicians of the Sacred, which Ed says has to do with Mayan astrology, but I assumed it was by a 1968 book from Jerome Rothenberg by that name that collected poetry from indigenous tribes from around the world, but since I haven't read the book, I can assume Mayan astrology is touched. Plus the artwork is quite reminiscent of Blim, done by a guy named Natan "MantisMash", who also records his own music too.I figured I needed to listen to it a bunch of times to leave an impression on me before I review it, and that's what I have done. It's totally mindblowing. It's in fact one of the finest the Ozrics done in a long time, and by far the best thing they ever did with Brandi. I know some people probably would feel that it can't be any good with Brandi on it, but I don't see that. The music takes on a spacier feel than Paper Monkeys, with a more laid-back approach, but there's still plenty of rocking passages too. The music seems to have a more epic feel to it, and there's a stronger world music bent than Paper Monkeys. "The High Pass" is a rocking Ozric number in the grand Ozric trandition. "Butterfly Garden" is a calmer piece, but again with rocking moments, especially with Ed's guitar playing. There's also a bit of female tribal chants. "Far Memory" is a great piece of space rock with spacy synths, reminding me a bit of The Hidden Step. "Changa Masala" also reminds me of The Hidden Step, but featuring some odd female tribal chants that I really love. I also forgot that you'll find a short excerpt of "Kick Muck" found on one section of this song, only this time played on a Saz (a Turkish stringed instrument Silas is credited to playing, it's also called a Ba'lama). "Zingbong" has an Asian feel, and I really love those spacy gliding synths. Plus there's some reggae that pops up here too. "Switchback" features something that sounds like an electric piano, but I love how the band jams and there's a rather grand feel in parts of this. The second disc is a bit less accessible, but I just needed a few listens for it to kick in which it did. "Epiphlioy" is a bit in the Strangeitude vein, with that Middle Eastern vibe going on, helping that the Saz makes an appearance again, but some great Ozric rocking parts too. "The Unusual Village" is a strange experimental piece with an odd violin or violin-like instrument being used (maybe a synth imitating a violin). There's a pulsing synth bass so it's a bit reminiscent of "The Throbbe". "Smiling Potion" starts off a bit techno and definitely slow, but the second part (which sounds like it was recorded live, as I seem to here audience cheers, and it appears to have a live vibe in this part) really picks up steam and they get to rocking. "Rubbing Shoulders with the Absolute" is one of those dub experiments they sometimes do. "Zenlike Creature" is an incredible closing piece, with an epic feel to. Really love those creative synth passages.This is truly amazing. True a good portion can remind me of the Ozric past, but they also try new things like interesting electronic drum sounds I never heard on an Ozric album before, new synth textures (as well as the tried and true ones), odd violin experiment, and even strange female tribal chants. On "Zingbong" I hear an electronic percussion that sounded like it came off a Jean Michel Jarre album. It turns out one of the Ozric members now owns a Korg Mini Pops, or at least a facsimile (maybe a VST plugin). The Mini Pops was what Jarre used to get those echoey electronic percussion sounds off Oxygene and Equinoxe, and so the Ozrics did here (or as I stated, perhaps a VST plugin in their case). I know a few will probably dismiss it, but I really feel, as mentioned earlier, that this is one of their finest in ages, and I really highly recommend this!

Right away I could hear the spirit of Erpland, the magic of Waterfall Cities, both captured within the dynamic established from Paper Monkeys. There's jungle-swamp elements, as if there were a Yum Yum Tree swamp growing in the Jungles of Jurassic Shift. The Spirals in Hyperspace-like spacey elements merge seamlessly with the high-soaring guitar from Strangitude. I could go on about how all of the best things I love about Ozric Tentacles are perfectly combined and arranged, but I'll just sum it up by saying that this is quite possible the best album they have ever released. I've only listened to it about 4ish times now, but this album could very well become my favorite album of any band, ever. Seriously, I don't think it would be going too far to say this is easily Erpland level, maybe greater.To top it off, the album art is ingenious. The MP3 album downloaded to my PC with all the album art in PDF format. It's amazing. There is both day/night versions of the album cover, and they are both beautiful and filled with wonder.

I haven't been this excited about an Ozrics release since Waterfall Cities, and I love just about everything that they create. This latest offering is definitely their most polished effort, and the production really shines. The amazing thing about the Ozrics is that somehow each new album sounds different from anything that they have done before, and yet it is still distinctly an Ozric Tentacles album.Technicians of the Sacred brilliantly creates atmospheres of sound filled with stretchy spacey synth textures, jazz fusion elements, eastern percussion and vocals, funky bass-lines, and electric and acoustic guitar riffs and jams. Most songs are lengthy, ever changing journeys with unexpected oddness punctuating the familiar space-rock. This is perfect music for losing yourself in as you travel to distant realms of sound that are soothing, invigorating, surprising, lush, and uniquely creative and experimental.The mix is often unusual on TotS, as the percussion is subdued and guitar soling has no more presence than any other sound. Even when Ed is shredding his guitar, the volume of his playing is not much different from the volume of the sythns and other instruments. At first listen, this was a bit off-putting. I was used to music that would direct my ear towards what I was supposed to be listening to at any given time. The mix on this album doesn't do that. It doesn't hold your hand and raise the volume on the guitar during a solo. Instead your mind is free to roam where it will in the dense soundscapes that are created. The more I listen, the more I appreciate this approach. I think of it as creating places where music lives and you are free to explore, rather than creating songs where you know what your focus is supposed to be on at any given time. It was challenging at first, but quickly became refreshing and rewarding.If you have enjoyed any of the past efforts by Ozric Tentacles, then you certainly cannot go wrong by purchasing this release and exploring the 90 odd minutes of music that is on display. If you have never heard them before, then take a chance and give this a listen. The Ozrics are always charting new territory in the realm of audio exploration. Their unique blend of synthy psychedelic space-rock, jazz, and atmospheric electronica has been ever-evolving over the past 30 years. They are anything but boring, they reward careful attentive listening, and they don't just make music, they create worlds of sound for their fans to explore and enjoy.

I am fairly new to the delights offered by this band. As a devotee of Hawkwind and a fan of Gong's Radio Gnome trilogy I can only recommend this double album as a source of big smiles and much pleasure. There is much joyful invention here and the production is wonderful.

Just love Ozric. but they have lost that strangeness they use to have by letting seaweed go and John on flutes and whistles. Don't get me wrong a nice album but the weirdness has gone that made Ozric something special this is a grower of an album but the others grew much better. There use to be a delicate merge of unusual rock and mesmerizing synth with weirdness it has taken a back seat now

The best Ozric release since 'The Hidden Step'!.Even though this double CD hasn't got the overall 'ethnic vibe' of the earlier Ozric releases,it is by far the best release in a long while.There are many standout tracks on this album,and if you are an Ozric's fan,from any era in their 30 odd year career (me?,I have been a fan since 1989),you REALLY owe it to yourself to buy this 2 CD set!.

If you are a fan then you know what you are going to get.I haven't heard the Ozrics for over 15 years and this came as a bit of a suprise.It doesn't sound as raw as I remember.Nevertheless, great for lying on the sofa in the dark with a big mug of tea and some choccy biccys and letting your mind wander, lost in the music.

Another fantastic vinyl pressing. Silent background, great detail. Not my favourite Ozric LP, as it could have a little more variation, but certainly has plenty of life in it. A must have, if you are a fan. 5 stars for the quality of the product, and the great musicianship.