Terrestrial Animal is an ambient rock jam band from Wilmington, North Carolina, that has just released a new one-track album titled Laniakea. Shortly after the band’s 2019 debut album Amorphous Sum was reviewed on the Pitch Perfect website, the Covid lockdown hit. The band lost a guitar player but added keyboards when the smoke cleared, and the current lineup is Jason Ward (guitar), Sid Neel (bass) Tiff Ellis (keyboards) and AJ Moore (drums).
The “Laniakea” track was built from a very old bassline by Sid Neel that had been kicking around even before the band’s debut album. Recently the band started playing around with this bass pattern, then hit Record and captured the track we have here. The band describes it as “sounding like an ambient stoner rock jam, something reminiscent of floating through space and being pulled into a black hole. It reminds us of the sounds of bands such as Isis, Sunn O))), Red Sparrows and Mogwai.” Recording took place in the band’s practice space, using their homemade studio. The released track was built from two takes that were then mixed and mastered using Studio One 5 by bassist Sid Neel. Of course reviewing a jam performance is tricky because they just tend to flow where the spirit leads them, but I’ll do my best! The track opens with an ominous, otherworldly low-end rumble. It’s a cool sound and I admit I can’t figure out how they did it, though it’s probably a combination of low guitar rumbling, speed manipulation and something from the keyboard. At any rate it’s just an intro to the track, which does indeed start with a simple two-note bass riff. Keys and guitar soon join in. The pace is slow and steady and the guys take their time working around the main theme without overthinking it. The keyboards sound like an Egyptian instrument from outer space, especially when Ellis starts slurring the notes. Ward’s guitar is set to a repeating echo pattern which adds to the dream effect. If you were looking to compare, the vibe here is similar to the expansive jam section of “Riders On The Storm” by the Doors. As the guys get more fired up, the sound gets spacier and feels more like early Pink Floyd. The first section ends with what sounds like radio distortion and morse code alerts, with some very cool final drum beats. Section Two starts almost 3/4 into the track. Again the guys create a little experimental intro to get us into the jam, featuring ghostly swoops, backward sounds and a charming girl’s voice calling from murk: “Come back alive!” Part Two is performed at a much heavier level, with everyone playing at 11 right from the top. If you enjoy zoning out to walls of fuzz with an overlay of otherworldly keyboard sounds, this would be your jam! The ending happens organically without breaking the mood. For a “jam tape” this was surprisingly good and engaging. It doesn’t require your full attention to enjoy but will fully engage you with headphones in a dark room. Loved it!
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