Ozric Tentacles - Pungent Effulgent (LP)
- LP
- 1 piece(s)
- 1998
- 10 tracks
- 1 uur, 15 min
- space rock
Pungent Effulgent
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4.4
Average of 5 reviews
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Pungent Effulgent might not strike many longtime Ozric Tentacles fans as their true debut, with five studio albums and a live one already under their belt, some of which could rival it in quality. It marked their first vinyl release, and thank goodness for that, because a) it boosted their fame beyond the festival scene, and b) the artwork is absolutely breathtaking. Nearly every track here is a classic, from the opening Dissolution – featuring vocals, of all things! – a fantastic, ever-unfolding space rock jam, to the ending track of your preferred version: Agog In The Ether on vinyl, Wrelch on the Dovetail CD, or the nearly 20-minute mind-blowing Ayurvedsim on the Snapper reissue. Techno isn't an influence yet, but you'll find plenty of space rock (live favorites Dissolution and Kick Muck), ambient (Phalarn Dawn and the CD-exclusive Shaping The Pelm), Arabic-inspired ethnic (O-I and the first part of Ayurvedic), and the inevitable dub (The Domes Of G’Bal and the second part of Ayurvedic).There are several nods to the past: O-I had previously appeared on the There Is Nothing cassette with a slightly tweaked ‘chorus’ section, the mid-point climax of Ayurvedic – live, this one will make your brain explode! – is borrowed from Eye Of Adia from The Bits Between The Bits, as is the entire Wreltch, unchanged, and Kick Muck is taken from Sliding Gliding Worlds, minus the last couple of minutes of ambient synth pad. I’m sure, however, that even though nearly half the album had been released before, original fans didn’t feel short-changed, firstly because they only had these tracks on tape, and secondly because it put to rest any worries that the band’s style would shift and they’d abandon their fans now that they were aiming to go ‘overground’ – as if. For me, as a later fan with no access to the tapes at the time, all this went completely unnoticed, of course.Although there had been significant improvement in production values since the band’s first tape in ’85, the sound is dated by today’s standards. Sometimes the individual sounds lack clarity and distinction, but at the time, the overall production must have been cutting-edge. Furthermore, dated doesn’t automatically mean cheesy in my book – nostalgic perhaps, but not like 80s electronic music at all. All in all, I don’t have any issues with the sound of this one myself. And in the Snapper version, the sound has been enhanced.Which brings us to the final point: I highly recommend getting this version, as apart from the sound issue, it has improved the colors of the original artwork, includes liner notes about the story and significance of the album by Richard Allen of Delerium Records fame, who witnessed its impact at the time of its release (I always love reading these accounts) AND Ayurvedsim. What more could you ask for?On a personal note, this album holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first Ozrics CD I owned, though someone had given me a recorded tape (remember those?) of Erpland which had converted me before. Sentimentalities aside, this is a fantastic, professional album, the first of many to come. For me, it’s part of the ‘holy trinity’ of studio albums alongside the two that followed and defined the early to mid-90s Ozrics sound. A must-have. 10/10
I'm jamming to my copy as we speak, currently grooving to Phalarn Dawn (the final track on Side One, you know the one...or perhaps you don't, I don't partake so I pay attention to details haha). The pressing is incredibly quiet and pristine. Not a hint of surface noise during the soft parts. The sound is pretty compressed but then again, so were Rush, Kings X, and Queensryche back in the late 80s. I'm pretty sure it would've been just as compressed when it first came out. None of that really matters if it's genuine and honestly, it fits the mood perfectly. Nothing jumps out to startle the easily spooked listener. :) By the way, I'm pretty shocked that with such a dense production, filled with sparkly effects and dub sections, the soundstage is pretty narrow. Did he forget to spread things out?? Good luck trying to find a clean, undamaged original copy that hasn't been played to death or left on the floor at parties. I'm more than happy with this. Now, I'm blissing out to Side Two (fffffp, exhaleeeee).
In my opinion, this is the top-notch release. Ed's remaster, however, skips 3 songs and cuts 33 minutes of music. Every track from OM / Snapper sounds great.
Fantastic mastering on this CD release! I'd definitely suggest it to anyone looking to dive into electronic music, whether it's trance or techno. You might recognize 'Agog In The Ether' as it was sampled in Future Sound of London's 'Flak'. I'd be thrilled to own the vinyl version, but this CD is pretty great too.
Great pressing, really. Dynamics are solid throughout. Plus, it's an awesome album.
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