Exposé print issues (1993-2011)
Schubmodul — Lost in Kelp Forest
(Tonzonen TON143, 2024, LP / DL)
by Jon Davis, Published 2025-01-30
Among the multitude of psychedelic rock concept albums with stories set in outer space, Schubmodul’s Lost in Kelp Forest is refreshing, at least when it comes to subject matter. While the music is largely instrumental, the story is set under the sea. I don’t know if I’d call the music “refreshing,” but it’s a solid entry in the field of big-riff heavy psych. I’m not sure if I’d use the phrase “stoner rock” (though other writers certainly have), and I’m not interested in putting labels on it. The riffs are heavy when they’re heavy, hitting that sweet spot of tempo where hair cries out to be tossed, but there’s more to Schubmodul than just that. They’ve got an atmospheric side as well, and aren’t averse to the occasional section with a faster tempo or more subtle rhythm. The band, which is based in Bochum, Germany, consists of Christoph Kellner, Fabian Franke, and Nils Stecker; the majority of the music is a power trio of guitar, bass, and drums, but they make good use of synthesizers for atmosphere, and the narrative is presented by narration by Alma Chomel and Shane Wilson. The spoken parts are few and far between, and don’t mess up the flow of the music like narration sometimes does. So take instrumental backing tracks from Black Sabbath around the time of Paranoid, add some modern synth textures, and play it really solidly — you’re in the ballpark of Lost in Kelp Forest. Maybe it’s not something new in the universe, but it’s entertaining and enjoyable, so it gets my thumbs up.
Filed under: New releases, 2024 releases
Related artist(s): Schubmodul
More info
http://schubmodul.bandcamp.com/album/lost-in-kelp-forest
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