23 September 2023

TURBAN – Karma Sutras (2023, LP KTSP)

RELEASE INFO:

Label: KTSP

Format: LP, Album, Limited Edition, Black Vinyl

Release Date: 20 April 2023

Turban is another new-to-me band that got my attention. The only info that I found on them is that the band hails from France, they digitally released their debut album “With Love From Turban” in 2018, and the follow-up is “Karma Sutras” with a digital but also a physical (vinyl) release. Their first album was “recorded in a barn, on a sunny afternoon” while their second “was recorded live at the farm”…

The members/musicians that took part in “Karma Sutras” are

Stéphane: drums
Jonathan: guitars, vocals, Tibetan singing bowl
Stéphane: bass
Thomas: guitar, baby sitar, vocals, bansuri
Julien: saxophone on Jai Mata Kali & Ultra Love
Isadora-na: vocals on B.B.
Richard: keyboards on Crocodile One

“Karma Sutras” consists of 6 tracks (plus 1 bonus track that is not available on the vinyl edition) with a duration of 40:33min and it kicks off with “Tantric Guru”, a slow ‘stoned’ somehow dark tune, with some fuzzy psych-a-flirting guitars, becoming shoegaze-y heavy towards the end. “Jackals” uses the same dark ‘stoned’ motive of the previous song, it’s a little Middle Eastern-inspired, electric guitar-driven, psych-rock instrumental. “Supersoul” is a rhythmic tune with a strong Shoegaze-y/Post-Rock-Psych attitude, powerful drumming, and shimmering guitars that become quite heavy as the track reaches the end… With “Crocodile One” Turban gets back to the ‘Slow’ soundscapes, this is another instro with dreamy psych-alike background and some heavy guitar outbursts… “Jai Mata Kali” is a kind of balladesque song, with a dream-a-delic psych guitar sound and some wonderful ethereal magical Sax sound, one of the best moments of the album, for sure, while the next one “B.B.” is a heavier track, guitar-driven with some splendid Eastern-inspired scales… The album closes with my personal highlight, it’s called “Ultra Love”.It’s a bonus track, and it’s a dark Psych ballad ending in a ton of guitar feedback… So, if you’re into some desert fuzzy psych-a-flirting rock then “Karma Sutras” will be a pleasant surprise for your ears! TimeLord Michalis