Zzz - Sound Of Zzz

by Helen Tipping

published: 6 / 5 / 2005

Label: Howler
Format: CD

Eclectec experimental rock on debut album from new Dutch duo, ZZZ

Review

I approach 'Sound of ZZZ' with some trepidation. It's the idea of a band playing organ and drums. I'm just not sure it's going to work for me. Strangely it does, and I'm pleasantly surprised. Maybe it's the vocals. I'm a sucker for deep voiced male vocalists, but the music and heavy drums work well too, and the sheer speed of some of the tracks. The second track on this album, 'Ecstasy', is like a combination of The Doors meeting Joy Division. Okay I'm not into bands who play organs - The Doors is about all I can think of on that front. There's even something a bit Elvis like about Bjorn Ottermeim's vocals on a couple of tracks. ZZZ are from Amsterdam, the aforementioned Bjorn Ottermeim on drums and vocals, and Daan Schmel on organ. Why am I not surprised that they're from Amsterdam ? Maybe it's the moody CD inlay that opens out to a picture of cute puppies. Much of the CD is pretty psychedelic sounding, quite a bit of that in a modern way, but some in a 60s way. Daan Schmel uses the organ's full range of sounds, and there's also other synthesised sounds overlayed on this CD, but they add to the overall effect and don't dominate. It's quite a mixed bag, with some fast and some slow tracks. I was going to say I preferred the faster ones, but then I listened to the excellent 'Godspeed' which is very slow and atmospheric. I couldn't, and wouldn't want to, pigeonhole this band as any musical type. They definitely aren't 80s revivalists, nor are they indie - they don't conform to any particular fashion in the music scene at the moment, so really - if you want to know what they are like - you'll have to give them a listen yourself. Luckily they've made that easy by putting three tracks on their website to listen to for free at http://www.soundofzzz.com so you have no excuse not to try them, and hopefully you'll like you what you find. If you don't, well it didn't cost you anything.