Gods On safari - Abjuration of the realm

Gods Of Safari

Abjuration Of The Realm
self-released; 2013

4.1 out of 5

By Matt Jensen

I really respect bands that try to make long songs - like over 20 minutes. I remember the first time I heard GodSpeed You! Black Emperor I thought to myself how do you go about composing a song like that. The thought and attention put into creating pieces of sound that will keep someone's attention over the five-minute mark is one feat that most musicians will not attempt. It’s a daunting task but didn’t seem that hard for Keenan Houser aka Gods On Safari. He recently released a 36-minute piece called Abjuration of the Realm, which takes you to an experimental abyss of intricate rhythms, detailed nuances and an exorbitant amount of electronic sounds. He doesn't waste any time on this piece and jams in enough material that he could have easily decided to split this up. Instead he wanted to take the listener on a ride that doesn't stop till it ends. There is so much going on here I almost want to just say go listen to it but while you’re here I’ll delve into this epic piece.

It starts with crooning monk-like voices that have been possessed by a spirit on the other side of the galaxy. The atmosphere is violently interrupted by vicious stabs of dissonance, which make the scene even more ominous. Close to the three-minute mark the sounds fades away and then we are introduced to a tribal dance that is smothered with electronics and various samples that have no place being there but end up making him sound innovative. He does a great job at combining disparate elements that you wouldn't think would work and then totally do. The disorienting patterns around the 12-minute mark may induce vertigo to those trying to walk while listening. Disjointing sounds float around the frequency spectrum until he finally finds a basic rhythm to bring you down to earth. What I wasn't expecting was the intelligent rhymes being spit around the 20-minute mark. He uses awesome atmospheres that morph and change. Sounding like distant bagpipes one second and then glitching things out the next, I have to say I was immersed.

The bottom line is this music is a must listen to for serious music fans. The music here is innovative, fresh, and for 36 minutes you will be hearing some next level beats.

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