Over the course of, up until now, nine studio albums Norwegian band Gazpacho have resided in a musical plane entirely of their own, and have consistently shown to be one of most captivating and spellbinding bands of today as a result. Trying to define their sound or vision aside from describing them as an art/avant-garde rock outfit is near impossible with each passing release giving different movements and colours; what is usually a definite however is that the music will be densely packed, complex and often shows an embrace for the dark and melancholic; either vividly or perhaps beneath the surface.
They are also notorious for a fascination with stories, whether macabre (March Of Ghosts) or a little eccentric (Molok); a trend that continues on latest album Soyuz (all Kscope), which gives a collection of tales with the idea of passing moments. Notably the tragic story of the Soyuz space capsule which is comprised of two parts, the album opening ‘Soyuz One’ and its sibling piece ‘Soyuz Out’ which evoke differing sounds entirely. ‘Soyuz One’ is a slow paced song based on sustained notes and a gradual build, creating a sense of the calm before the storm; whilst its counterpart ‘Soyuz Out’ is a longer, more sprawling and ever changing effort which ranges from ethereal passages to the much more sinister.
Being an assortment of different stories as opposed to one singular narrative means that Soyuz has a diversity in its songcraft throughout, more so than on previous albums; from the catchy, Muse reminiscent ‘Hypomania’ to the grandiose ‘Emperor Bespoke’ and the floating ‘Sky Burial’. Despite the individuality of each song however, they all retain that unmistakeable sense of atmosphere and character that only Gazpacho can offer, perhaps highlighted by Jan Henrik Ohme’s unique vocals.
Trying to define Gazpacho is such a tall order with the palette that they can provide over any given collection, but suffice to say that very few bands can paint such vivid pictures, tackle such often morose subject matter and do so in a way that both pours atmosphere but never feels despairing. Theirs is a charm that can only be truly encapsulated by letting their music take you on journeys, and Soyuz has many to guide one through.
Perhaps the best starting point for newcomers, Soyuz is such a rich and detailed canvas which reveals more intricacies after each play and may well be their most complete work to date. Further evidence as to why Gazpacho are a truly enigmatic and special act.
8.5/10
CHRIS TIPPELL