Search - Landing :: Oceanless

Pure sublimity

Scott Richardson | Chicago, IL USA | 11/30/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Oceanless is the second CD Landing recorded (after Centrefuge), but it was the third to be released (after Circuit). Calling it an EP is kind of a misnomer, as it clocks in at almost 64 minutes (longer, incidentally, than Circuit).Landing could probably be most appropriately compared to Windy & Carl (or perhaps some of Jessamine's spacier moments), who they have opened for on several tours. The major difference between Landing and Windy & Carl is that Landing features drums. Windy & Carl have inappropriately been labeled "Space Rock" but, as they themselves point out, they don't rock. The presence of drums on Landing's music doesn't mean they rock, either - the drums, when present, are always sparse and slow, and usually brushed. They never detract from the shimmering guitars, sweeping synths, or narcotic vocals.Where Circuit was a bit more "song-oriented" (a loose term here), Oceanless is more oriented toward instrumental bliss. The album begins with "How Did You Feel?" a swirling, building almost-instrumental. After nine minutes, "How Did You Feel?" shifts into "Harmonies," a brief (4-minute) instrumental, which is followed by yet another brief (4-minute) instrumental, "Rial Veed Für." The album centers around the next two tracks, each of which are over 20 minutes long. "Are You Gone To Vast Arc Hues?" is a live track which floats along for several minutes before the bass and drums join in to form a mellow, pulsing backdrop to the shimmering wall of guitar. Around 14 minutes the drums cease and we're left with swirling synth noises that (strangely) don't sound totally unlike DikMik-era Hawkwind (that's a good thing). Around 21 minutes, Landing set us down gently in our seats."Structure vs. Chaos" begins (yet again) with shimmering guitar and some pulsing bass, backed by (more) synth weirdness. Eventually, the drums show up and the song drifts along blissfully for over 20 minutes, with some vocals by Adrienne Snow drifting in around the 17-minute mark. This is perhaps my favorite song on the album. "..." closes the album off with 4 minutes of weird instrumental bliss.While not my favorite Landing release (their split EP with Windy & Carl probably gets that award), Oceanless is still one of my favorite records of 2001. A must-own for all Windy & Carl fans, or fans of drone or space music."