Review Summary: From sunny beaches to ethereal forests...
I had doubts regarding a new Golden Void album, because front man/guitar player Isaiah Mitchell seemed pretty focused on Earthless among other projects that occupied most of his time. However, the band resumed playing random shows around their hometown San Francisco and finally announced a follow-up to the lovely self-titled debut. I had high expectations, so thankfully, as soon as I got a hold of
Berkana, I was completely drawn into their sunny psychedelia.
Although built on the same platform its predecessor was,
Berkana ended quite different. There are various summery melodies that start or turn into the main foundation along the way, yet just as many times things tend to go darker. On the first half, we are greeted by a successful trio of rockers that pretty much check all we'd love to hear from them. 'Burbank's Dream' is a laid back tune that boasts some powerful, fuzzy riffs that bring us to mind the fat grooves of the early '70s. Plus, the epic coda is full of layered solos that reach some Santana heights. 'Silent Season' has the dirty bass up front in order to provide Isaiah a nice layout to bring out his echoed picked leads, while Camilla's faint piano touches bloom in between. Their joint vocal effort creates another essential moment on the record. Meanwhile, the short 'Dervishing' reminisces the first LP most, with boogie rhythms and old school keyboards which recreate that sunny SoCal atmosphere. This is the perfect soundtrack to an afternoon out on the beach and surfing the ocean waves.
On the second half, the songs tone down and often get downright moody. Golden Void continues to venture a lot through the '70s, using pastoral flutes on the eerie 'Astral Plane', a tune whose twangy guitars float over infectious bass/drum interplay. Also, the solos make good use of feedback and distortion to create a hazy vibe. Mitchell's reverbed vocals work really well over the music, creating some rather mournful moments that match the track's vibe. Surf rock influences find their way on 'The Beacon', a cut that smoothly slides from dreamy guitars and organ leads to powerful riffing and wah solos, whereas 'Storm and Feather' shares an ethereal feel, helped by a raw drum pattern, fuzzy solos and remote sounding vocals. In psychedelic moments like there, Isaiah's voice resembles a lot John Frusciante's emotive croon. As farfetched as it sounds, there are similarities between
Berkana and albums like
Shadows Collide With People or
The Empyrean released by the latter before he went all electro.
With their sophomore effort, these guys have proved there's a lot more hidden under the surface scratched by their debut. Retaining that tight chemistry and penchant for jamming, Golden Void dive deeper and we can only hope to keep exploring and push boundaries.
