Review: Droni Eye Omi ‘Liminal Mass’
It’s been a fair while since I’ve reviewed anything from one of my favourite labels Desert Records (Book of Wyrms, Sorcia, L’uomo Nero, Betty Benedeadly etc), so when the opportunity came up to select either Fuzz Evil or Dromi Eye Omi for review purposes, I opted for the latter as it seemed like it would be right up my street, sonically speaking.
The band, a duo, consist of Brad Frye – guitar one (Red Mesa and Desert Records label founder/boss) and Ronaldo Baca – guitar two (from Albuqueruqe gypsy jazz band Swing Magique). It’s safe to say judging by the promo notes description, that its neither groovy stoner/desert rock or gypsy jazz/flamenco, though neither is it the first time the label has dabbled with more experimentally themed fare as can be testified to by Ruiner and Droneroom.
Even without listening to a note of music, the clues are clearly all there in the project’s name, the album’s title and Diogo Soares‘ trippy psychedelic space themed artwork. Indeed, we are told to ‘take a journey to the outer realms of your inner thoughts and sentiments’, I for one can’t wait to.
Despite there being a mere two tracks on the album, it nonetheless manages to clock in at a still quite respectably healthy but not unwieldy forty-four minutes. At nearly thirty minutes, Chromosphere is the longer of the two pieces and is truly an epic in all senses of the word. For an optimum listening experience, it would be advisable to have a decent set of headphones handy to truly immerse yourself in the wondrous sounds that greet you.
A truly spectacular work and kudos to the duo for daring to step outside their respective comfort zones…
La Monte Young’s Composition 1960 No. 7 and Earth’s Earth 2: Special Low Frequency Version are mentioned in the aforementioned promotional notes and though I profess to not being overly familiar with the former, comparisons to the latter certainly ring true. In fact, I had the honour of reviewing Earth’s pioneering release back in the tail end of 2023 and the influence of that album is undeniable here. Equal parts monstrously heavy, what with the dense shards of metallic guitar noise and yet beautifully ethereal (where the La Monte Young reference comes in I presume?), it’s an oddly meditative piece.
I hesitate to use the word catchy for music of this variety, but there is certainly a little more rhythmic thrust on Black Flare, the track is in some ways a logical extension of its predecessor. Imagine the slow trudging of Saint Vitus’ Born Too Late but drawn out to its logical conclusion, as such the squeals of Dave Chandler’s guitar meld perfectly with the haunting horror-tinged ambience making for an exciting yet terrifying listen. The aural equivalent of Francisco Goya’s black paintings and hence an ideal way with which to conclude the album.
With the twin guitar setup, some may also be tempted to bring Sunn O))) into the discussion, though I can’t foresee either Brad or Ronaldo in hoods headbanging at incredibly slow speeds obscured by dry ice (nothing wrong with that of course). A truly spectacular work and kudos to the duo for daring to step outside their respective comfort zones in order to produce it.
As such, any band that produces considerably challenging fare, whether that be Earth, Lustmord and Anthony Braxton, Liminal Mass requires a high amount of concentration and perseverance. There are plenty of nuances to be found on the record, but it demands the listener to care about these in the first place. So, if you’re brave enough to eschew normative song structures, you’ll find yourself amply rewarded.
Label: Desert Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Scribed by: Reza Mills
