Stellarium - Debut Album

I'm always pleased when a band or artist directly asks me to review their music. This is a more personal (and therefore higher level) of request than, say, having a PR company do it for them. If I like the music (and artist), as a general rule this level of request will most always receive first priority attention.

I had already gotten familiar with the band Stellarium after I downloaded their live at Blackhole bootleg this past November (offered for free on their MySpace page - link at the bottom of this review). It was love at first listen as the music they were making paid tribute to the sound I find myself gravitating back to more and more as the days go by - that being the golden age of music - the shoegaze sound of the early 1990's. I was instantly blown away at the sound quality and artistic vision of Stellarium - and the way they built their sound on the foundation laid by The Jesus & Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine.



So, when frontman Az Kadir contacted me about doing a review of their debut album, I was more than happy to do so. When you think of the city of Singapore - you're not likely to at first conjure up thoughts of early 90's shoegaze/stoner/noise/dream-pop. Yet that is in fact where Stellarium hails from. Along with Az on guitar and vocals, the band consists of Mar on bass and vocals, Bach on drums and Fid on additional guitars.



The album opens with "Any Day Is Fine," and you are immediately hit with a barrage of guitars that shriek, wail and churn with controlled chaos. “I don’t like to be this way, don’t wanna lie all the time,” Az sings.

Multiple layers of guitars swirl and feedback against drum machine patterns that take The Sisters of Mercy's "Doctor Avalanche" approach, but move it to a less static level. The chorus is deadpan doom & gloom that goes “I’d kill myself if I were you. I’d hate myself if I were you. I’d die anytime if I were you – and any day is fine.”

The guitars and bass synch together as one in a beautiful synchronicity of hazy sonic squall.

Az wears a t-shirt that shows a keen sense of awareness

Following that is "Chocolate & Strawberry" a straight forward driving piece that redefines the "fuzz bass" sound. A Place To Bury Strangers' Jono Mofo would be proud. The vocals delivered in a smooth and unhurried way. A song about the perils of attempting to get “high” on “cheap thrills” and how “prescriptions fail to satisfy.” A valuable lesson to learn.

“Harbinger” brings a deep echo and reverb to its opening verse, this time enhanced by bright single guitar notes. A cautionary tale about the war-like nature of mankind. “See the chaos, see what the war has done to us,” Az sings. “Deep inside the bars of hate, contemplation brings you down.” Reading those words its understandable how, if not hearing the music, one might mistake this as the work of a death metal band. But the sonic aspects of Stellarium couldn’t be further from that. Cascading and exploding into a gorgeous wash of sound that straddles the lines between heavenly bliss and a hellish nightmare from below. It’s a pure wall of fuzz, voices and emotion. If Phil Spector could be sprung from the can and convinced to produce some new music, I’d like to think he’d be going in this direction. “All the LIES bring you down,” Az continues. Just when you think it can’t get any more intense, another sonic level is added. Additional layers of guitars are lathered over top of that. The drumming is lively and vibrant. An addition of a gorgeous coda highlights what already is an impressive song.

Mar is the picture of the pretty female bassist

“Vertigo” continues this record’s theme with more luscious feedback. A cymbal heavy percussion track powers the forward momentum. The descending chord progression has an almost Bauhaus-like feel to it. There are also the same sonic qualities that made me love The Vandelles debut album. Soft, blurry vocals, reverberated chord progressions, walls of blissfully buzzy guitars.

“Paddle Pop” immediately hits you with a sound-wash that wouldn’t be out of place inside one of Sonic Youth’s extended instrumental breakdowns. Slowly emerging from this buzzing wall of bees comes something of a melody. Male/female vocals in the best My Bloody Valentine mode. Think “When You Sleep.” Heavenly. The endout really pulls out all the Sonic Youth/Lou Reed Metal Machine Music/Kevin Shields “holocaust” bombastics.

Bach delivers the solid rhythmic propulsion
“The Grass Is Greener” brings to mind the slow descending vibe of The Jesus & Mary Chain’s “Teenage Lust.” There are some quite amusing lyrics to this song – about “the summer of love” and (more about) “getting high.” Of course the only way you could ever know this, is to actually read the lyrics somewhere. Because you’d never be able to make them out by simply listening, as the vocals are buried so low in the mix. Clearly the emphasis is on the SOUND and the textures presented. A lead guitar melody line emerges, and becomes an additional dominant focal point for the listener.

“Tomorrow’s Monday” has less distorted guitar chords and a distant clacking percussion to mark out its progression. The brief beginning of lyrics sketch out the beginnings of a “working class hero” who “goes insane” as the system ultimately fails. Quite cleverly, the artists here then suggest you ‘fill in your own lyrics” as this “song is for you.”. Hey – that’s something I’ve been doing for years now!

Guitarist Fid channels the haze
Moving now to the heavyweight tracks on the album, “Fader” presents some nice, rattle-y drums n’ cymbals that are quite live and organic sounding. The guitars employ a rising sonic effect that gives the sensation of your head “lifting off.” Fellow shoegaze brethren Resplendor used this effect quite masterfully on their most recent album as well. Stellarium shows musical sophistication with their tempo changes within songs. Here one emerges in the center, with some tasty guitar soloing over top of it. This time I’m reminded of the brilliant guitar solo Edgar Froese plays during that extended jam known as “Coldwater Canyon”(from the amazing Encore: Tangerine Dream Live, from that band’s successful 1977 U.S. tour.) Additionally, there are descending guitar passages that at times also echo, say, something The Edge might do (circa “I Will Follow”) – especially on the elongated end-out.

The over 8 minute “final” track on the album – “Dead Nebula” begins with a foreboding, snare drum driven progression that might slot nicely next to early Sisters of Mercy (when Andrew Eldrich & Wayne Hussey first started the band). The vocals here are breathy and ethereal. Again, an impressive tempo change, with tom tom’s now marking out the time. The guitars being to swirl as the tension builds. Suddenly it all bursts open and the dual guitar attack (panned left-to-right in the speakers) begins to shred. From the four and a half minute mark to the end of the 8 minutes, it’s nothing but this.

I may love this band more than I realize. They combine two of my very fave things – shoegaze textures (and attitude) and shredding, bombastic, noise assault guitars. See The Raveonettes on songs like “Aly, Walk With Me” and “Breakup Girls” – and just about everything A Place To Bury Strangers does.

The album gives you a bonus (secret) track at the end. “Summer Bloodbath” doesn’t get started till a minute and a half into it (and I’ve never been a big fan of the extended silence intro) but when it does finally get going, there’s initial flanged guitars and a shuffling mechanical percussive track that’s reminiscent of Airiel’s “Sugar Crystals” (a track I completely love). Bathed over top of that are cascading waves of honey-soaked fuzzy guitars and ghostly vocals. There’s a distant melody there too – Lovely – romantic. The kind of romantic melody that a band like Ringo Deathstarr does so well. Just as suddenly – the track – and the album – is over.

Stellarium makes it very easy for fans to sample their wares. They have recently made available for free dowload - a recent live performance.

Download here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=G3V7WQ8O

You can also get the live at Blackhole bootleg, here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?5ijqjnvi1ju

But be sure to grab a copy of their magnificent full-length studio album release, here:

http://stellarium.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled

You can also find out more about the band here:

http://www.myspace.com/stellariumsg