PELICAN

What Pelican can do without words is astonishing. The droning, ambient intro of ‘Ataraxia’ has a light, understated and airy feel to it, the acoustic guitar and the gentle key sounds wafting in the breeze above a gently throbbing bass note, the atmospheric tones appearing on the distant horizon hinting at something darker, ominous. Thus, the darkness arrives in the form of ‘Lathe Biosas’, a sludge-tinged track that quickly brushes the minimalist beauty aside for darkened melodies against a backdrop of dirty groove-laden riffs and rhythms. ‘Parasite Colony’ maintains the same richness in its sublime riffs and focussed intensity, the track gathering momentum as each part becomes greater than the sum. And ‘Taraxis’, a track that somehow feels like the product of the first three tracks, closes the EP wonderfully as if the EP itself had a journey to complete. These carved canvasses of tangible textures, opulent timbres, and stirring portraits of heavy air bear a narrative and poetic feel that many a wordsmith strives for. Call it eclectic, progressive, post-something or other or whatever you want, just don’t ignore it. Why 8 out of 10? Because it’s too damned short.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Southern Lord

EP

ATARAXIA/TARAXIS

Review by Jason Guest

RUNNING TIME:

18:01

RELEASE DATE:

9th April 2012

TRACK LISTING

1) Ataraxia
2) Lathe Biosas
3) Parasite Colony
4) Taraxis

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

USA

"These carved canvasses of tangible textures, opulent timbres, and stirring portraits of heavy air bear a narrative and poetic feel that many a wordsmith strives for."