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Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood, "Goodbye"
Although their name implies aspirations both dark and esoteric, this Australian brother and sister duo instead create an album that's surprisingly inviting. By avoiding any form of indulgence, their hypnotic songs are oddly comforting, if not calming, while retaining enough strangeness to make their approach fresh and inspired.
"Traware" starts a little slow before building into a shambling, mesmeric rhythm that grounds the song while guitar, bass, voice, and perhaps a synthesizer make their own statements and supplications. The drums aren't stagnant, instead changing their rhythm frequently enough to propel the track forward as other instruments enter the mix. The vocals are a wordless instrument, and thankfully not trying to be the dark, spooky variety too often found in music like this. Instead the voice is focused and contented, as if the singer knows something no one else does.
"In the Corner of Her Majik Vision" is a looser affair, comprised of a music box, drums, horns, and what sounds like tape manipulations, among other things. This track is a little less focused than the other two included on the album, yet it has a sonic field that keeps it from becoming boring. The third and final song, "Gravities Rainbow," starts with a music box sort of sound, but with the addition of some sweeping drones that carry an emotional quality not found previously on the album. With a bouncing beat used to great stereo effect, in addition to both pre-recorded and echoing voices, this track is the strangest of the three and perhaps the most enjoyable, though I liked them all.
The Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood take an alchemical journey and leave me transfigured in the process.
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