Octopus Syng - Victorian Wonders

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 14 / 1 / 2019

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Weird, innit? Some of the best modern psychedelia that owes a heavy debt to the English strain rather then its American counterpart comes from the Nordic countries and not our fair isle. But first things first. The latest album from Finland’s Octopus Syng is released by the Mega Dodo label which should be enough detail to make sure any lover of psych music immediately purchase the album. It’s titled ‘Victorian Wonders’ yet another indication of what it’s going to sound like. Now, if those two facts mean anything at all to you then, yes, the eleven songs are as beautifully far-out as you’d expect them to be. Octopus Syng was formed in 1999 by Jaire Pätäri and this latest collection continues in the vein of their previous albums; a little darker in places perhaps but never less than accessible. ‘Victorian Wonders’ is the bridge between Syd-era Pink Floyd and their later more progressive sound. It would have slotted in nicely as the follow-up to ‘A Saucerful of Secrets’. The opening song, ‘One Day at the Amusement Park,’ is a prime example of mixing early and slightly later Floyd perfectly. But for all those Floyd comparisons (and they are not the only ones, a little Kevin Ayres surfaces here and there, and there’s a debt to the Canterbury scene to be paid too) Pätäri and his fellow band members have injected just enough of their own vision to make the album much more than a mere ‘60s pastiche. There’s an eerie atmosphere created on that opening track; like later Floyd albums the most satisfying listen is on a decent set of headphones. As a creaky door opens towards the end of the song manic, laughter gives way to a much lighter section of the song. It’s like two different songs bolted together. Maybe not so original but it works perfectly. It can’t fail to keep the listener interested. It’s not all dark; the second track, ‘If You Were a Flower’ displays the band’s lighter, more poppy side. The ghostly (female?) backing vocals are an effective touch, and Pätäri’s lead vocals sound remarkably British and could have graced many a psych album back in the late Sixties. ‘19th Century Romanticism” follows in the same vein, although the weirdness factor is pushed up a few notches. A short monologue that closes the piece with the voice being panned from ear to ear is fitting and the type of thing that is heard far too little these days. It might well be tongue firmly in cheek, but it’s an intriguing track and again displays Pätäri’s all-so-British vocals. It’s not the only track that will leave your head swirling; ‘Otto Rank is a Traitor’ has a sparser musical backing but those ghostly backing vocals and another whispered vocal contribution all add to the weirdness. It’s all topped off with a wonderfully strange guitar solo. There are moments of pure beauty; ‘Go Away Damn Rain Drops’ is a psych- ballad that again is like two separate songs dovetailed together. With an effective vocal arrangement during the second part of the song matching the soundscape the instruments are creating, it’s a highlight of the album. At almost six minutes it just falls short of being the longest song on ‘Victorian Wonders’, but it’s the one that lovers of ‘60s psych are going to be returning to time and again. ‘Let It Rain/Let It Shine’ is almost an extension of the preceding song; and is that the sitar making a reappearance? It is beautiful stuff. And that’s only the ‘A’-side. ‘Roundabout’ displays the poppier side of Octopus Syng, and again we are transported back to a time when Ayres and the Canterbury sound ruled. ‘Spider Webs’ proves that the band is far from a one trick pony; it’s a beautiful acoustic excursion that develops into another fascinating soundscape bursting with ideas. With the closing track, ‘These Precious Summer Nights’ the band has probably saved the best till last. At over six and a half minutes it gives the band the space to develop a number of ideas fully and the listener the chance to drift off into the beautifully strange world that ‘Victorian Wonders’ conjures up. It’s a dreamy excursion that even at that length ends far too soon. The percussion and some particular effective lead guitar make this another highlight. As usual with Mega Dodo the album comes in a couple of formats. There’s a limited edition 180-gram purple vinyl gatefold sleeve for the lucky first 300 customers or you can just go to your favourite record supplier and grab the CD version. Either way you’ll be a winner.

Track Listing:-

1 One Day at the Amusement Park
2 If You Were a Flower
3 19th Century Romanticism
4 Otto Rank Is a Traitor
5 Go Away Damn Raindrops
6 Let It Rain / Let It Shine
7 Sunday's Jackdaws
8 Roundabout
9 Spider Webs
10 Early Song
11 These Precious Summer Nights

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/Octopus-Syng-114131358662226/
https://octopussyng.bandcamp.com/

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