This review has been a bit of a challenge for several reasons. I am not all that familiar with their work as I only have Magnifier and I also expected this to be a much heavier sound given that they are on the well established Heavy Psych Sounds label. The LP is also somewhat disjointed in it’s presentation, which isn’t to say that it isn’t a good record it’s just that it has a strange flow to it which is exactly the opposite of many of the reviews I have seen regarding this release so maybe it’s just me.
Giöbia is based in Milan Italy and has been putting out music since as far back as 2002. Blending several elements of classic 60’s Pink Floyd, California psych, early Krautrock and on this release a heavy reliance on what I would call 80’s Tangerine Dream cinema work.
From the beginning it’s time to break out the trust 80’s Yamaha DX7 as “Parhelion” gets us going with that mid 80’s soundtrack influence without the sequencer. In The Dawn Light is much more like what I was expecting in it’s much heavier and dark sound. Plasmatic Idol is a short piece that hearkens back to the early days of Krautrock with it’s simplified retro key sound. Which brings us to the closing track of side one. The epic “Haridwar”. The entire track is so out of place on this record but it’s a great track. 13 minutes of classic 70’s hard anthem rock completely made for your Bic lighter. 60’s style harmonies, the retro organ all building up to inevitable guitar solo. It’s a classic tune for sure.
Side 2 starts off with another track that sound like it might be in place in an 80’s movie while introducing some guitar work that might bring Lol TOlhurst of The Cure to mind and the keyboards from The Doors. “Far Behind” brings us back into the psych world with its classic Kraut/Prog feel before venturing off into classic early Floyd stylings. “Heart Of Stone” again recalss early Floyd and perhaps some of the more trippy side of the Beatles in it’s vocal approach. “In The Mirror House” closes things out and ties it all together by combining many of the elements we heard throughout the record.
Overall i enjoy this record and I have found myself playing it quite often in my car as I go to and from work. But I still can’t shake that disjointed feeling i get when playing it all the way through. Give it a listen and hear for yourself.
