Album Appreciation: Sacred Ritual To Unlock The Mountain Portal by The Hologram People

The first album of this year is actually one from last year. Originally released on d/l, CD, and cassette by the excellent Woodford Halse label (there are still CDs left as far as O can see), but now getting a vinyl release on the equally brilliant Drone Rock Records.

The Hologram People are duo Jonathan Parkes (AKA Dreamlord, guitar/ bass/ synth/ organ/ drums/ percussion) and Dom Keen (AKA Kosmische, guitar/ bass/ synth/ keys/ organ) who have combined to create an album that seems designed to take you on a cosmic journey in a smooth and somewhat dreamlike manner. By that I mean that there are no real sharp edges to this album, which is essentially an ergonomically designed sonic vessel which allows you to sit back and just let go… listen to this album and you can forget whatever shit is going on around you and just escape through your preferred wormhole into your own inner or outer space.

Comprising many psychedelic elements The Hologram People know exactly what they are doing here by weaving these together in a way that you don’t see the joint between the space rock, bucolic English psych/ folk, kraut/ kosmische, ambient (and more) aspects to their work meaning that you can take the album on either a surfacial or deep level dependent on you mood or circumstance… and in this sense it is both immediate and more revealing as you explore it further.

What I like most about the album, however, is that while at the end you feel as if you have been on a real trip; each track is different and has its own vibe to it… and this, to me, illustrates how well it is put together and how you are just transported from reality to reality as if it is the most natural thing in the world, including a really chilled ’comedown’ number at the end…

‘Sacred Ritual To Unlock The Mountain Portal’ is available to pre-order on vinyl at Drone Rock Records here, and still available from Woodford Halse on CD and d/l here.

-o0o-

Hey, 

Thanks very much for reading my blog, I really appreciate this. I write it as a labour of love to help me enjoy music, and to give something back to the many talented people who put out these incredible sounds.

To make it as enjoyable as possible for others I do pay extra so there are, for instance, no ads on these pages; but it would be great if the blog could pay for itself.

So, if you’ve really enjoyed your visit here and have found some music that you think is amazing, why not buy me a coffee (I write in independent cafés a lot) by clicking either below, or the “make a donation” button on the sidebar or footer depending on your device.

Cheers…

Follow The Fragmented Flâneur on Facebook, Instagram (@fragmentedflaneur), Twitter (@fragmentflaneur) and bandcamp