Kabyzdoh Obtruhamchi - Kabyzdoh Obtruhamchi (Stunned Records CS)

Realized in my last post that I forgot to wish all a happy new year, so a belated one to all who read! Nearly one year deep in this blog, so here's to another year of that as well (I hope...) Also, I'll be writing a bit over at brainwashed.com too now, and may even repost some of the blog material over there, so keep an eye on that site as well.

As for the sounds, another batch of Stunned stuff came in, including this C-50 from Sergey Kozlov's Kabyzdoh Obtruhamchi project. Kozlov hails from Russia, but this cassette sounds more like some German eastern-tinged psychedlia record circa 1972. Opens with mellow droning material of "Intro" that's quite beautiful before it out-of-the-blue explodes into the rhythmic battering fest that is "YebashilNepopodja," whose blown out guitar fuzz and howling moans totally take the work elsewhere. This thing is totally expansive and just crushes. Nice to hear someone use the eastern-style tabla rhythms without going into cheapo "trippy" territory too. No raga cliches here at all, as Kozlov instead uses the rhythms like some blown out rave vibe that drips across the sheets of sound created elsewhere, driving the whole work forward. Tons of layers from bongos to cowbell to guitar wailing--and the dude can rip--as well as more thick bass fuzz than most can muster. The bass always sits back a ways too, playing some longer inner-world rhythm that really breathes life into this. Once it mellows down a ways, dude starts singing some Pandit Pran Nath overtone style stuff, but again, there are so many other influences present here that it doesn't sound the least bit cheap or cheesy. It's heady stuff that just grows and sprawls about, but it's hardly for the faint of heart. "Pan Shamanic" closes off the first side continuing in the same plane, with a bass line grooving along to the excursions within.

Side two opens with "Joey Jewey," an oddly titled little thing that is drenched in delay and reverb as it eeks about, opening with a welcome mellowness that builds into a crazy sort of Grateful Dead meets Neu situation. Kozlov's willingness to allow the rhythms to speak for themselves is again a major strength, allowing his guitar lines to sink into the rhythms as it steadily ebbs up and down. When the rhythms break down toward the end its pulse remains, stretching back to its minimal roots as the bongos continue on. Seamless transition into "Anepoe Khamunado," which is a bit darker and has some flute and freer flowing oozey atmosphere happening, synth filled and zonked to hell. Hell parts of this side, which soon manage to merge into one big work, sound almost classical in their heavy weight and construction--like some Wagner or Mahler thing that just slams you. Synth sprawls on give way to tumbling tympani style drums and snare rolls that are crushing as hell while still remaining spacious. Eventually it's all just fuzzed out weirdness with high-note melodies and tapping rhythms before "Danunahza Epalcea" moves into the closing "Extra," a fitting rhythmic psych excursion that slips right into the general mix here before slipping into some weird piano ditty with orgasmic female moaning atop. Crazy closer.

Man, these Stunned tapes are killer. Another one from A.M. Shiner on the way so keep your eyes peeled. I know this tape's sold out from the label, but if you can get your mitts on a copy do so, especially if you're a sucker for Parson Sound, Amon Duul, etc, etc, etc. Totally great stuff.