In Search off Starship 109 (release 2021)

The German record label Clostridium specializes in psychedelics, space, progressive, stoner rock, Krautrock, Acidfolk and rock. The Dutch trio of multi-instrumentalist Hans Brussee (guitar/vocals/xylophone/trumpet/piano/synths), previously active in I$I$ and Oak, could not have landed in a better place with their Starship 109. Four years ago, the trio, which also consists of Leon van der Leer (drums/keyboards) and Zwaan (bass), surprised with Jonathan's Dive, a fascinating listening trip based on the 1970 book Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach.

This time the band prefers higher (atmo) spheres than a seagull can reach. Think of slow, beautifully folded instrumental pieces that can serve as a soundtrack for a new science fiction film about space passengers and a number of slightly shorter psychedelic rock tracks, of course mastered by Pieter "the void" Kloos. Out of this world, so much blurriness? Yes, but that is precisely the intention. Or as Brussee puts it in Sonic Breath: "sitting in an endles dream / This is not a brave new world / Je ne pas.... la folie / I'm going to another place.