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Reviews

7% Solution — All About Satellites and Spaceships
(XRAY7, 1996, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 1997-02-01

All About Satellites and Spaceships Cover art

Now here's a novel idea: With each CD you sell, include an extra copy of the disc for the buyer to pass along, thus spreading the word about the band. That's precisely what this four-piece from Austin, Texas have done; each copy of the CD contains, in its handmade cardboard cover, two identical copies of the disc with the instructions 'Please give this copy to a friend.' With a lineup of dual guitars, bass, drums, vocals, and heavy atmospheric effects, 7% Solution creates a sound which is at once driving and intensely spacy; using heavy echo and ambient guitar treatments (no synths are credited), each song is awash in a sea of psychedelia. Voices are used to good effect to further induce the seemingly everpresent dream state; multi-tracked backing voices, taped low level spoken parts in the background, attack-delayed and echo loops all contribute to the swirling maelstrom of effects. The basic songs are quite good as well, balancing delicate quiet passages with heavier parts building mood shifts and contrasts. Some may be reminded of Porcupine Tree, but while P.Tree has a patent early 70s Floydian feel, 7% Solution tends to have a more energetic structural approach and recalls the mid- to late-60s San Francisco psych a bit more. Landberk's dark and gothic approach might be another point of reference. In all, this is an excellent release that all fans of neo-psych should wholeheartedly enjoy.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 11, 1996 releases

Related artist(s): Seven Percent Solution

 

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