Ah Cama-Sotz – State Of Mind (CD Album – Hands)
Genre/Influences: Industrial-dub, industrial-lounge, tribal & ethical.
Content: Herman Klapholz strikes back with a new opus of his long-time fetish project Ah Cama-Sotz. I have to say that some of the last releases of this Belgian flag holder of industrial music surprised me for its modernism and innovating character.
“State Of Mind” clearly sounds as a new (big) surprise. I can’t imagine Herman Klapholz would have accomplished such a work during the early years of the band. But after more than 20 years of involvement this album sounds like it is injecting a refreshing element to the work. It clearly sounds like a total sound challenge, and I’m totally convinced!
The opening piece doesn’t sound that surprising revealing a great Indus-tribal composition joined by deep, vibrating sound blasts and spooky, spoken female vocals. This is more than simply a teaser, but already a great track.
“Isfahan 2015” is the first surprise. This song was originally featured on the album “Declaration Of Innocence” (2008) and has been reworked in a sexy groovy and lounge style. The background of the song has been filled with some Eastern sound atmospheres adding a dark and mystic flavor. But the main characteristic is the slow and sensual rhythm running through this song, which makes me think of an industrial version of Madonna’s “Justify My Love”.
“Solitaire” coming up next is something different. This song was constructed from a strong and heavy electronic loop. It’s a rather repetitive and danceable cut. “Surrender To Infinity” seems to evoke ‘earlier’ Ah Cama-Sotz compositions and sounds like an overwhelming ambient sound wave.
“Desert Heat (White Sands Above The Sea)” brings us back to the great Eastern influences, which has often spiced the work of this band. It all sounds tribal again while still driven by a slow, sensual and somewhat dubby rhythm. The dub element comes back on “Hotel Odessa” which is mainly characterized by a kind of shamanic singing.
But the best is yet to come, “Transcendental Meditation” being the absolute masterpiece. The slow rhythm characterizing this album carries this composition, which reveals a great Eastern like sound-mysticism.
Ah Cama-Sotz next moves back again to older standards, which are more into ambient inspiration while “Room With A View” comes to finalize the album in a darker way, and is still carried by a slow rhythm.
Conclusion: Ah Cama-Sotz never stops to surprise and seduce me with diverse influences. This is an artist who dares to reinvent his music by injecting elements you don’t really expect. It all resulted in a true masterpiece!
Best songs: “Transcendental Meditation”, “Hotel Odessa”, “Isfahan – 2015 Version”, “Desert Heat – White Sands Above The Sea”, “And It Makes Me Susceptible To Pain”.
Rate: (DP:9)DP.
Band: www.ahcama-sotz.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Ah-Cama-Sotz/102719986433969
Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official
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