Bulbul-6

Exile on Mainstream
2008

This album is my first exposure to Bulbul. Quite honestly I don't know a whole lot about them. They are from Austria and they have a new album out, but other than that all I really know is what I hear on this disc. What my ears tell me is that this album is flat out weird. I mean that in the best way possible though because this band makes odd sounds and patterns an art form. It's not always a full on chaos. Instead they start with simple beats and the build swirling mounds of madness around that central beat. There is a sense of subtlety to their approach and they are always in control. Bulbul stir in bits of funk, dance music, pop and shreds of other styles as well. The variation is important, but their mastery of arrangement is even more important. They know how scatter sounds and they knew when to add more and when to pull back. Despite the large amount of sounds, they still manage a good sense of balance. They keep a heavy bouncing foundation and never lose site of keeping the pace going. Now it did take me some time to get into the album. At times they were throwing so much out there that it was tough to absorb. Repeated plays solve that problem though because by the second turn I was beginning to bask in the layers of sound that they were building. Maybe this isn't for everyone, but it's a fine choice for those looking for for heavy music with a refreshing approach.