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Reviews

Humus — Malleus Crease
(Smogless 2013, 1996/2006, CD / DL)

by Alain Lachapelle, Published 1997-10-01

Malleus Crease Cover art

Mainly the work of Jorge Beltran on guitars, phantom guitar, keys, flute, bass, and percussion, and Enrique Curiel on keys, flute and voice, Malleus Crease proposes an inventive music that more often than not successfully tries to never thread back in a path already walked. The overall sound recalls experimenting bands of the 70s such as Amon Düül II, but with more structure. Sharing the duties with this creative duo, there are no more than five drummers, two bass players, and a choir of English students. A sense of group jamming evolves from this and could be limited to this if the compositional structure wasn't there to bring them all back quite often. The largely changing nature of the compositions gives a clear crisp attitude which by ricochet brings a freshness to the album. One moment you're following a guitar hook, the very next you're over a bass riff interrupted by percussive synth sounds a la Zappa circa late 60s, the next you're in a pad of dramatic strings with treated gongs and rolling snare. This is not to say that the music lacks integrity, though. It always surfaces with a good jamming intent showing Beltran's flowing and apt guitar playing. As said, this feature of ever-changing melodies and rhythms gives Humus' Malleus Crease a quality that can stand many listens, with the bonus of also presenting a lot of good jamming. One will likely develop a fond memory of many of the themes presented in here as, while not being the seventh wonder of the world, have sufficient fun-power in a prog context to deliver the goods safely. A nice surprise.

Filed under: Reissues, Issue 13, 2006 releases, 1996 recordings

Related artist(s): Humus

 

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