Released three years ago, to the day, Revolution and Other Things by Somatic Magic is fascinating and timeless. Review of a marking experience.
REVOLUTION AND OTHER THINGS – SOMATIC MAGIC
This record has been built through deep pain. Somatic Magic has been able to take a step back during a difficult period of his life, and Revolution and Other Things is the result of it all. Formed by instinct, it is almost upsetting to feel it leave such a deep mark on the mind. That’s why it’s an album to be played at its loudest. If possible, until the sharp guitars, the crazy drums, the deep bass and the vocals all saturate.
It’s the vocals that grab most of my attention. Charged with a lot of emotions, they are raw in most tracks, heartbreaking, using a post-punk and garage tone. Rockabye, Revolution Song, Buffalo, and Lose My Head are as wild and unhinged as they are cathartic and helpful. Through its 24 hectic tracks, it’s a unique and rich experience, that showcases anger, anxiety, sadness, desperation even… and then, some hopeful notes shine bright in the chaos. A Miracle is a great example of this surprising but eminently creative and necessary balance.
Recording with two microphones, and with a pretty lofi production, the record also has an intimate side. Somatic Magic invites everybody to listen to what’s in his head, discovering songs hidden in themselves, and their meaning. To me, Revolution and Other Things by Somatic Magic has connected me to my own doubts without making them grow. It’s a sound reconnaissance, an intense introspective moment shared with the artist. And its anarchic and perfectible production highlights its sincerity.
