The Necks are known for their sprawling, long, simply hypnotic tones that melds itself into one soundtrack of noise which really isn’t noise. More a sporadic burst of improvisation that goes for more than forty to fifty minutes. An amazing aspect of this kind of performance is a powerful idea in the live sense.
On a recorded format it transforms into this weird trip that they somewhat unconventionally (if you could call it that) go for two twenty minute tracks on this album rather than the one long improvisational number. The opener, “Rum Jungle”, is a neurotic, stuffed overlaying type jam laced with looming bass notes, atonal piano chords and insistent cymbal-tapping. It’s amazing how Tony Buck just avoids implementing any kind of beat whatsoever. “Rum Jungle” is just this musical equivalent pit of sustained eerie fear.
“Daylights” brings this album into another different musical disposition; its calm breathy combination of sounds swirl around the brain. Its slow tonal reveal has relations with a kind of smooth continual motion of running through a large complex full of weird plants and lakes that form some sort or medieval maze or something akin to that. The only thing different is the modernity of its sounds. The trio make something that is so classical sound so weirdly unexpected.
Mindset is another fine addition to one of the most intriguing album catalogues in experimental Australian music.
Review Score: 8/10
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