Bambara - Stray
You know when you get an album that’s upbeat, with monster choruses that have you singing along before you know it, and you start to have a lot of fun? Well this album is the total opposite of that, although you can still have some fun with it, I guess….
This album is dark and brooding, heavily bass driven, psychedelic guitars layered over the top, finished with a vocal style more akin to speaking than singing (for the most part). This is unlike anything I’ve listened to before, and if I had to think of something similar, I’d say Bauhaus might be close to their sound, but there’s more to it than that.
Personally, I found it heavy going at first, and it took quite a few listens before I started to get into the spirit of things. On the first play through, there’s little variation between the songs, so unless you listen intently, it can easily turn into one very long track, rather than several shorter ones.
The overall sound is a little spaced out and heady, The lyrics themselves are riddled with angst, and when mixed with the vocal style, they create an atmospheric sound that seems to weigh heavier and heavier as you take yourself further into their world.
In all honesty, I can’t say that I enjoyed listening to this album, but that in no way reflects on the music, it’s just my personal taste. The album sounds very accomplished, with just the right amount of post-production to give it some polish, but not enough to take the raw edge away. Musically, there’s not much to find fault with, which is always a good thing.
My rating: 8/10
