Predominant Lunatics - Cosmic Trip EP

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 8 / 2 / 2007

Label: Aurora
Format: CDS

intro

Excellent new EP 'Cosmic Trip' from Swiss shoegazing act the Predominant Lunatics, which has been released as a prelude to their forthcoming second album, 'Thirteen Lost Souls'

'Cosmic Trip' was released back in December as a preview to Swiss shoegazing Predominant Lunatics' second album, 'Thirteen Lost Souls', which will come out in March 2007. The new CDs were mixed by Tony Harris whom has worked with R.E.M., the Sisters of Mercy, the Clash and the Fall, while mastering engineer Ray Staff has worked with David Bowie, Nick Cave and Muse. 'Cosmic Trip' is a big improvement on the Predominant Lunatics' very fine debut 'Hoping for Dusk' which when it was released back in 2004 lead the group to be one of the most searched bands here at Pennyblackmusic. The EP opens with an edit of 'Cosmic Trip' which sets swooning guitars and jangling banjos against the backdrop of a morning alarm call. When singer Marco Finsterwald's vocals break in, there is just a hint of madcap Robyn Hitchcock to them. As the track gracefully moves on, it shows that this often previously melancholic band can also play fun pop with a decent head to it. 'In Flames' on the other hand is more haunting and eerie. Recalling the Cure during the era of 'Pornography' it has a very dark landscape. Matthias' vocal sounds paranoid and is very urgent while an acoustic guitar solo gives it an Arabic flavour. 'Night of the Blind' sounds like a combination of Baptiste and the Go Betweens. The drums are massive, while the well paced bass sits well with the early 80's style Gothic guitar lines which weave in and out of the track. It ends with a remix of the title track, 'Cosmic Trip', by Vive Suffer, which sounds like the sort of electronica track that Depeche Mode might have done but only better. This is a very fine introudction to the second album. I can't wait.

Track Listing:-

Have a Listen:-