steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

Floorian

"More Fiend" CD

Drigh Records

Genre: heavy psych, experimental

Columbus OH

October 2009

I'll always have a soft spot for Floorian. Not long after I wrote up a stellar review of their self-released debut, What the Buzzing, it got re-released on Bomp Records. Issues of causality can be debated, but there's no questioning the fact that this is one solid group of musicians, capable of both stunningly pretty melodies and pulverizingly heavy passages.

On More Fiend, Floorian brings on the dense, weird jams just as you crave them. Set the volume high and expect to be buried alive by the hazy riffage of opener "Never Even," whose heavy stonedness will simply bowl you over. This is a heavy psych album, for sure, but it's distinctly weird - most of the tracks are moody and hypnotic, with a willingness to wander and drone at will. Heavy sonic exploration is the name of the game on efforts such as "Samadhi" and stellar acid-rock instrumental "Edenic". Yet, as alluded to earlier, the band is also capable of moments of pristine beauty amid the chaos. "The Lower Room" plants a fluid, modulated vocal melody over an entrancing bed of drums, guitar, and synths; there is a striking Brian Jonestown Massacre influence present on it - which is possibly related to the fact that BJM are big fans of the band, having helped distribute both of their records thus far.

I'll lay off the superlatives for the time being, and instead urge all heavy psych lovers (or likers, or even those curious) to give More Fiend a go.

floorian's myspace

 
(from previous album)

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 10 tracks, distributed by The Committee to Keep Music Evil, released 2009]