Setting the tone with a cerebral and industrial energy, almost akin to tripping into another dimension, Boston-based dub-jazz collective Club D’Elf open their album, As Above with dimensionality and intrigue.
The opening track, Now I Understand works as a realization opus as if we have just sampled DMT in a jungle, and on that note, we are ready to immerse ourselves further in the universe of Club D’Elf. We appreciate the depth of the soundscape and the nuanced sounds, fused cohesively with evocative drum work and unique instrumental mastery.
Next up is Shadow’s Shift which takes on a more traditional guise, but equally staying true to the expansive nature that we have come to experience from the collective. With record scratches evoking a sense of nostalgia, we learn the intention of the outfit is to invite “audiences lose track of time”. They fuse “Moroccan folk-trance with elements from jazz, hip-hop, electronica, avant-garde, prog-rock, and dub”, resulting in a universal vibe that we cannot get enough of. The vocal add libs add subversion to the compositions, and the overall tapestry of sound that they create is cohesive and dynamic.
Actual Smiles holds a mode meditative space with progressive electronica elements and airy risers, whilst Left Hand Of Clyde (Parts 1, 2 & 3) delivers instrumental intricacy and an out-of-this-world psychedelic experience.
This is followed by Meet The Monster Tonight which showcases the collective’s intricate nature with steel drums and astral frequencies before exploding into a subversive, guitar-driven growling mood, in line with the name of the song before going full circle to ground us once more.
Claude Raines Revisited is laced of charm, whilst Last Business (Dub) demonstrates immersive elegance, and D’Empty Space hints at the sonic versatility and unique sound design of the collective with an almost tribal energy.
So Below is the final track of the first half of the record and is a nod to the overarching theme of the record with highly dimensional percussion and a high octane vibe, pulling together the wider mood of the album.
Disc 2 kicks off with a tabla beat and engaging electronica on Get A Little Turning, Club D’Elf show us once more how brilliantly they work together to create their dimensional sound, needless to say, we are in awe. The track that follows is called Intro / Bass Beatbox and we love the emotive vocals that are delivered with an immersive energy. Glistening astral notes give us optimism, whilst the overarching sound design of the track is poetic and full of detail.
Up next is Perfect World, which features classic moments combined with industrial energy, Route Of The Root allows us to manifest some peace with it’s elegance, whilst the title track of the record itself, As Above, invites us to be at one with the artists’ expansive nature.
The aptly titled, Beneath The Ground takes us deeper into the creative minds of the artist with incredibly visual performances that we can only imagine are outstanding to experience live. Just as well to celebrate their silver anniversary, Club d’Elf has a string of U.S. tour dates in March!
Buzz is yet another subversive delight with an almost mystical edge, featuring rolling drums and astral melodies. Taurobolium is a transportive treat where we experience the Moroccan elements that run through the entirety of the album, whilst Trance Meeting opens with applause and a divergent bass line with haunting nuances and spoken word that inspires us to connect with ourselves and the conscious knowledge of the universe.
Last Business has a cheeky vibe and a wicked guitar performance tapping into the rock vibes that we have experience only in doses throughout the epic two part album. Finally, Divine Invasion allows us to go inward with a charismatic flute performance before an ancient-civilisations style didgeridoo energy takes us to another dimension, going full circle sonically with the album!