Tetragrammaton
Elegy For Native Tongues (2cd)
Finally, the long-awaited CD release of Tetragrammaton's drone-damaged 4-track cassette recordings. A distorted soundtrack of bedraggled pagan horns, shamanic languages and a protoplasmic layer of guitar jinx, all swooping down like a giant mescaline-soaked bumblebee to drown the drummer and his frenetic best to be heard above the buzz gigantic. This is Tetragrammaton, champions of bulldozing psychedelic swuzz from Japan. Collaborations with Chie Mukai (Taj Mahal Travellers), Mitsuru Tabata (Zeni Geva, Acid Mother's Temple) and Damo Suzuki (Can) have helped to garner their spot in the over-amplified Japanese free-rock pantheon. Hailing from Tokyo's urban wasteland, Tetragrammaton create psychedelic drone firmly in the Japanese traditions of multi-layered noise and space rock freakout. Members and multi-instrumentalists TOMO (hurdy gurdy, saxophone, electronics), Cal Lyall (guitar, electronics) and Ken Nobunaga (drums, percussion) create a full-frequency onslaught of overdriven saxophone, guitar, hurdy-gurdy and drums, all hurtling in real time towards a gleaming mass of free-rock gumbo. A double CD set featuring one live disc and one studio disc for listeners of psychedelic drone who also like their stew thick and hearty. A listening experience for fans of Mainliner, Can and Caroliner.