Cassette Review //
Bobby Jewell
"Songs to the cistern"
(Mahorka)


https://mahorka.bandcamp.com/album/songs-to-the-cistern


Ambient tones slowly bring the sound up in this one.   Robotics like droids come in with it as well.   A smooth almost jazz like trumpet sound comes in next and this whole sound comes together here.   A dreamy sort of sound comes in next with big strings like a cello while there is a conversation being had, such as a crowd sourced audio clip.   This drops off into some static now, which may or may not be because of the tape player. 

A sort of mystical guitar sound comes through next with birds chirping.  It feels peaceful, relaxing, like at a day spa.   There is a loop of singing in here now as well and it makes the music feel a little bit hypnotic; it takes on this sort of psych way about it.   This song feels like somewhere between that classic folk sound and Pink Floyd.   Very serious piano sounds come through next, as fragmented vocals can also be heard.  

Louder synth tones echo and ripple to begin the flip side.  It feels magical, like we're floating around on clouds.   This swirls around and just feels so uplifting.   Deep bass comes through now almost like JAWS as other tones scramble and it creates this feeling of doom.   This shifts into a song with the synth cutting through like memories.  Ambient waves become the background and this all just comes together so angelic.  

A feeling of bass comes through now with keys and this one feels like it's going to go into one of those rocking church songs that was borderline rock n roll but it has not quite opened up like that.   A voice is instructing us on how to do something with Scotch tape and tweezers.   It almost feels like we're being instructed on how to wrap a present, but as is the case with this cassette it is likely something much more complex and we need to read between the lines.  











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