Samsara Blues Experiment

One With The Universe – LP // CD // DD

Electric Magic Records in Cooperation with World in Sound Records

Release Date:  Digital Download – April 10th, 2017 // LP & CD Release Date – Mid May 2017

Reviewed by Ric “Suisyko” Dorr

Founded: 2007

Band Members:

Christian Peters (guitar, vocal, synth etc.), Hans Eiselt (bass), Thomas Vedder (drums)

Hailing from Germany, or Akasha (Third stone from the Sun) per their FB page, SAMSARA BLUES EXPERIMENT is a three piece band that incorporates a mixture of varying types of musical forms  from stoner rock to psychedelic blues, Indian raga to folk, using this swirling format to create something individual and unique in a world of music that seems littered with so many bands regurgitating so much drivel. SBE has chosen the be the exception and they do not disappoint based on the countless festivals / tours they have undertaken in their almost 10-year history as an entity as well as a plethora of releases that continue to expand on the visions that SBE put forth. Be it studio or live, there is a feeling of ethereal consciousness that begins with the first note and does not waiver until the last note. Spending their time on extensive touring from early in their career, they first hit American shores as early as 2009 and have no plans on changing that edict any time soon. By 2013, SBE released their third album and did it in a big way; their OWN label, Electric Magic. This pending May 2017 release will be offered through this same outlet and the anticipation is staggering with the buzz and sharing around of their previous releases letting more and more know what is looming near for the new fans and dedicated fans alike around the world.

Comprised of five new songs with an average run time of just under 10 minutes, not a second seems wasted here from the opening notes of ‘Vipassana’ with all of the cascading notes, the swelling and full bass line to the endless fills and flow of tempo that these three combine in a manner that can only be described as ‘hypnotic and mesmerizing’ at the same time. ‘Sad Guru Returns’ is a track that lets Samsara Blues Experiment build to the pummeling pace that is the body of this track up to just after three minutes in when there is a pause of soft until the pick slides back down Chris’ guitar neck and the pummeling power-chords are back in your face and it is perfection in arrangement for this instrumental offering, the only voices being the inserted excerpts speaking of this generation at the beginning and meditation at the end of… again, perfect in the context of this composition. ‘Glorious Daze’ comes in with a slow fade of a single guitar note followed by Hans’s bassline and a soft-wash cymbal edge from Thomas’ hands continuing with that feel of esoteric awakening as Chris’ voice comes in, describing in his signature timbre this tale of not knowing “What I miss the most about you…” to the muse behind the lyrics that are better heard with your own ears than described further here for the full-effect and immersion into your own perception.

Title track, and personal favorite from this album ‘One With The Universe’ clocks in at just over 15 minutes and stands out as the jewel on the crown that this record represents for SBE. A lone guitar and more cymbal washes cascade down the sides of my face as so much mist in a breeze and the urge to close your eyes and float along with the soloing is overpowering as you allow your mind’s eye to truly ‘see’ every word not spoken with a clarity not imagined as possible. The first appearance of any vocal comes at nine minutes in as Chris echoes his guitar progression in a call-and-response manner until Chris’ voice tells us ” I said I want to see you everyday…” and we traverse across time and space in this tale of “All the promises you made…”. The time shift at 10 minutes shifts the pace to a more ‘jazz-filled’ segment complete with what could very well be a mellotron keyboard further filling the lush tapestry as a solo winds out and around as so many branches growing and wrapping around you as the musicianship allows this trio to flex their ever-powerful muscle of mastery that keeps building in intensity to the drum rolling end.

Closing track ‘Eastern Sun & Western Moon’ is the absolute epitome of what SBE represents themselves to be in that while slower in tempo than the majority of this record, there is still that inherent ‘HEAVY” with the languishing pace that allows for us to breathe deeply and savor each second of the staggering loopy melody that makes up the body of this song. The running order and stellar production values make this truly the BEST offering SO FAR from SAMSARA BLUES EXPERIMENT and helps to further solidify this band as one of the MUST-SEE acts out there and you need to do yourself the favor of diving DEEP into this ‘experiment’ with all of their previous releases as we wait the official release.  Buy the record ASAP and support them live if you get the chance to witness this mastery of sound and story combined!!