säDe
reflectiOns of the caraMbola
Weird Dreams

A four-song vinyl EP from säDe, a band 'more into ambience and soundscapes than techno', according to themselves. After listening to their EP, I easily agree. Sampling is a main feature, but it's clear that these songs were not made for the dancefloor, but rather for attentive listening.

Duplicating Cell is naked, wih a dominating synth bass, but a simple piano-sounding melody brings warmth. After a couple of techno-inspired breaks, we go deep underwater before floating slowly up towards the surface. Huvipuisto stars with hyperactive percussion samples and a glad, innocent little bell melody, which is taken over by a tension-rising sequence, for then to fade away. Flip. Contractile Vacoule Forming features a deep and mildly distorted bass/rhythm, some minimal brass samples, a female vocal. A short and more forgettable track. Hypothetical Ancestral Mollusk is summer-lazy with a lush female voice and some elves (yes, these are elves, not smurfs) talking to you while the sounds of cool waves wash into your head. Relaxing.

It's hard for me to come up with any comparable artists right off hand. Perhaps Erik Wøllo, who also has a similar synthetic quality to some of his soundscapes. This is the first release from säDe, I think, and with their experimental approach and good taste they should be able to produce further more interesting products. The vinyl is transparent yellow, and on one side there's a picture of a big sheep. Don't ask me why, but as the Norwegian saying goes: "Sheep are all-right animals".

Contact weirds@hotmail.com for more info.

Copyright © 1998 Knut Tore Breivik