ALBUM REVIEW: Downpour – Kanaan
Norwegian instrumental stoner psych trio KANAAN are a band that barely turn their fuzz pedals off. The deep attachment to the almighty fuzz has been one element at the core of the band since their inception, and was first unleashed on the world in 2018 with their debut release Windborne. Since then, band have gone from strength to strength, honing their sound and developing a unique chemistry and songwriting talent along the way. Their new album Downpour feels like a direct successor to 2021’s Earthbound, in which some of the foundational ideas from that album have been built and expanded upon to create a gloriously fuzzy, proggy and trippy musical journey.
Full of obscurities and surprises, KANAAN keep you on your toes throughout Downpour. It is an incredibly active and restless album, bringing in prog and jazz elements alongside the traditional sounds of stoner psych – you absolutely have to make sure you’re strapped in tight for the entirety of the album. In one moment KANAAN can lull you into a hypnotic trance with luscious psychedelia before spontaneously erupting into a frantic, fuzz-filled romp that leaves you breathless. As a result, Downpour is an ambitious endeavour. The band are beginning to reach the echelons that they have been gradually climbing towards since 2018, so the sky really is the limit for KANAAN.
One of the stand out songs on the album is leading single Amazon, which features the compositional talents of acclaimed Ålesund jazz guitarist Hedvig Mollestad. All three members of the band have been longtime fans of Mollestad’s work and the excitement that this collaboration would have brought with it is audible on the track. Amazon is a bouncing track with plenty of interweaving riffs drenched in fuzz, set to a rather jazzy groove. For the majority of the album, it sounds as if KANAAN’s amps are on overdrive, pushing the valves to the absolute limit in order to get the most gigantic tone out of them. Alongside their effortless melding of psych, jazz and stoner, you can tell instantly that this is a band with a passionate vision and strong sense of artistic direction, as well as a penchant for vibrant and energetic experimentation.
In a world where attention spans are fleeting, keeping instrumental music interesting is a challenge. However, KANAAN brush it off as if it was debris on the shoulder of their coat jacket. With every second that passes by there is something that grabs and maintains your attention, richly layered like a luxurious red velvet cake; once you’ve had a slice of this album you can’t help yourself from coming back for more. The strong chemistry between Ask Vatn Strøm (guitars, percussion, oscillations), Ingvald André Vassbø (drums, percussion, farfisa) and Eskild Myrvoll (bass, synths, mellotron, guitar) has allowed them to deliver a tight and emasculate performance. Their songwriting has also allowed them to explore and elaborate on the musical language that they started to flirt with on Earthbound, and it feels like KANAAN are really coming into their own.
Black Time Fuzz kicks off the album in earnest with a straightforward, no messing stoner track that is grimy, distorted and packed with driving bass riffs that punch through your chest. The aforementioned Amazon feels like the beginning of the proggy/jazzy side of the album. You find yourself moving your body in time with the swaggering groove while the dynamic, bluesy guitar melodies float over the top of the flamboyant rhythm section. Mollestad also makes her presence known by letting loose with her stunning guitar ability. This climaxes with a screeching dual solo in the latter half of the track. The title track gives you a small moment to catch your breath after the excitement of Amazon by venturing down a trippy psych route. The subtle shift also shows the incredible musicianship that each individual member has, most notably Vassbø’s incredible drumming prowess.
Psunspot is a chilled interlude track that has beautifully mellow acoustic tones and space synths to create a rich atmosphere that you can sink into. This comes before another stand out track Orbit, an anthemic offering that has everything you want from an instrumental stoner psych song: huge, towering riffs, deeply satisfying dynamic shifts, otherworldly psych melodies and a chaotic, triumphant finish. Solaris Pt. 1 is nearly eight minutes of chilled out psych that takes you to another galaxy, infinitely chill with beautiful melodies. It is the calm before the storm. Beautifully transitioning into Solaris Pt. 2, the album closer gives the record a second climax after Orbit. With spine-tingling riff drops and thunderous drums, it is the perfect way to close such an energetic album.
Downpour is a spectacular example of instrumental stoner psych done right; it’s captivating, intriguing and mind blowing. KANAAN really are at the top of their game on this one.
Rating: 9/10
Downpour is set for release on May 5th via Jansen Records.
Like KANAAN on Facebook.