Skip to main content

Music Review The arresting weirdness of Ozric Tentacles

Ozric Tentacles
Fulford Arms, York

DESPITE having remained underground, Ozric Tentacles is a name that most people over 40 would instantly recognise as definitive of a particular period in contemporary music, bridging a gap between prog and psych with their swirling guitars, and the rave scene with their electronic dub sounds.

The message is the medium and the current tour is Ozric Tentacles Electronic — a stripped-backed two-piece version of the band with main-brain Ed Wynne and son Sylas Neptune.

Sylas himself and Saskia Maxwell opened the night as Sylas and Saski.

While Ozric plunge spectators into hypnotic swamps, where the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts, whereas the opener Saski is a performer who conveys a sprightly energy and joie de vivre while still being spellbinding.

Exemplified by the track Magic of Words Sylas and Saski’s set had the folkloric theatricality to it, engaging story-telling.

Silas and Saski work within some clear but wide-ranging musical influences from dub, folk and metal.

Kaleidoscopic synth lines merge with ethereal flute. Saski dances with a gracefully elegance with influences from Indian classical and Sufi dance.  

Despite all the genre references their music still feels very raw and natural.

In particular Saskia’s vocals chime in with early Kate Bush and particularly Sally Oldfield’s 1977 album Water Bearer. A sprechgesang that’s her own natural voice and not imitation.

There is no music that sounds more like two cyborg wizards having a battle than Ozric Tentacles Electronic.

This image is particularly present in tracks like Jellylips, that sounds like the final boss fight in a science fiction first person shooter.

In general, I think flying cars are a terrible idea but it would be worth it if you could cruise in one, traversing through a neon-lit mega city and say: “Alexa, play Jellylips by Ozric Tentacles.” This is some of the most hypnotic electronic rock.

The backing music is layered beautifully and is composed in such a way that it allows Ed and Sylas to weave wonders, improvising on synth and guitar with a mastery that never looses a sense of groove making it impossible not to dance to. Other tracks are more peaceful and laidback with guitar stylings akin to jazz fusion.

Adam Goodlet provided fantastic visuals throughout, that helped to immerse even further into the mind-bending soundscapes.

They are a band who very much respond to what is around them, organically making it a to-and-fro between performer and spectator. The band guide the audience from laid back floating to, as band leader Ed Wynne puts it ‘slightly raucous unusual weirdness.’

It was a joy to see them in such an intimate venue, The Fulford Arms in York.

For current 2021-22 tour dates visit ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/ozric-tentacles.

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today