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Melting Euphoria — Beyond the Maybe Machine
(Cleopatra CLP 9778-2, 1996, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 1997-02-01

Beyond the Maybe Machine Cover art

Back in the late 60s, I used to imagine music like this, but nobody was making it then; Ummagumma was the first album that really came close. Meltin Euphoria's sound could best be described as lively repetitive rock based structures floating in an ocean of swirling psychedelic sounds and effects, with a strong percussive angle and floating 'space' vocals. Their approach is very natural and flowing, never forced, occupying a plane somewhere between consciousness and the dream state, and moving freely between the two. Some comparison with Ozrics might be valid as well, but where Ozrics seem to take their structural cue from Hillage / Blake era Gong and Hawkwind, Melting Euphoria seem to have a similar relationship with Saucerful-era Floyd; Hillage and co. have a healthy influence as well, but mostly in the effects department. This is their third album, and by far their strongest and most potent effort to date. All of the nine tracks flow together into one continuum; some sequences like "Into the Liquid Mirror" are purely atmospheric adventures, while others like "Oracle" and "Minds Eye" rock a bit more. "Under Virgo's Sun" and "Srinagar" inject an eastern ethnic feel via the use of tablas, hand drums, and sitar-like effects. All taken, this is an excellent album of essentially instrumental space rock, one that should please fans of the genre and newcomers alike.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 11, 1996 releases

Related artist(s): Melting Euphoria

 

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