Take one listen to Open-Mindedness and get ready to be teleported to another musical dimension from Aura Blaze. Hearing everything from the synth sounds setting the mood on the tracks and the writing coming from the talent of Rhode Rachael, listeners will be entangled in the musical atmosphere. Rhode Rachael does an amazing job of composing the environment complete with out of this world sounds paired up with a steady rhythm that can be best characterized as galaxy rock or psychedelic genius. When thinking of similar artists, one can think of MGMT,ELO, and The Hollies. Everything about Open-Mindedness feels like intentional greatness with a carefully crafted musical world to accompany it.
Aura Blaze’s album The Sparkling Black carries all the elements of space rock into 2019 with a cadence that is unreal. Set to release June 21 in the intentional timing around the beginning of the Summer Solstice, the brainchild of this operation Rhode Rachel has thought of everything. From the beginning of the album setting the foundation of their out of world sound and the story of their music space, it makes listeners think they are in an observatory museum with those audio headphones prepared to consume the facts and nuances of a world unknown. The middle of the album shifts around with the musical varieties and the heavy rock influence as well. It forces listeners to shift what they were listening to earlier in the album to adapt to the heavy, but almost orchestra sort of rock. The perfect blend of new age and futuristic rock and the influences of classic rock make The Sparkling Black more than a masterpiece.
Well Fall this year is actually beautiful. Aside from the fact that it has been raining at least once a day consistently for at least two weeks, I think it hit like 80 degrees one day this week. It felt and smelt like summer. You know that summer smell where the air is just telling you to go do fun things. If only finance could be done without using books, writing utensils, or calculators and could be done in the woods. Staring at trees is just as productive as staring at stock price fluctuations anyway.
All this summer weather reminded me of my favorite band from a couple months ago. Hailing from Australia (which is now only preparing for its summer) is Tame Impala, with their debut album Innerspeaker!
I couldn’t find my favorite song off the album on youtube, so you get two other ones! (And neither three are the single at that!)
“I know where you went, but I don’t know how you get there”
I’d be sitting in a car with my friends on a warm day watching people walk by doing things, and I’d be smiling because this is probably one of the best lines ever.
Not to mention the music is like being transported to 1970 where everyone still kept the 60’s chill-out vibe. They sound like the Beatles would have if they started playing hard rock. No one else seems to agree but the singer sounds like John Lennon!
The random talking, the noises, reverb mixed with phasers. The lyrics speak to exactly the sound they are aiming for! If anything can describe this, it is simply professional. These Aussies definitely knew what they were doing. Specially considering that there are no Impalas in Australia. They must have envisioned this entire musical project a good while before it was enacted.
This band lists Dungen as one of their influences which excites me because I hear it and it is awesome. It is specially evident on my favorite song, with its psychedelic break-down at the end. Tame Impala can easily be the summer component to the winter Dungen.
I want everyone to listen to this music, close their eyes, and imagine summer. It’s like casting a spell and when you do it right you will start to feel warm inside as if the sun is shining upon you. Or it’s actually just meditation – same thing.
-oko
P.S. My favorite song is Desire be, Desire Go. There is only a live version on youtube, which I honestly didn’t listen to all the way. lol &)
The Music Court 