12. Blood In The Labyrinth

[Ottomatik]

The most Societas X track on the album imo. I'm in love with that sitar and how it's arranged. These few notes before the full drop have such an effect.

[2020k]

When the beat drops out during the vocal from the woman? OOOH. I FEEL IT.

[mechanismj]

Hypnotic. Trance inducing. Mesmerizing. Gorgeous. The way the beat drops on the first measure and that beautiful sitar wash pulls you right back in is incredible. Feels like it could have been on Campfire.

And yeah. What's with the Collapse vibes at the end?

[Den]

There are a few allusions to Tomorrow’s Harvest throughout the album, especially the radio tuning sound.

[Josh]

So, I'm going to be the first person to say this has Tricky + Martina vibes? I'm overcome.

[green calx]

I didn't like it all at first... But this really digs its place in my head.
Also the samples... really dark, I didn't expect such literality.
Reminds me of Sunshine Recorder, but this is definitely not a "beautiful place" kind of vibe here.
It's literally about finding someone you know dying from drowning. Or is it from some movie or something...

[TaoTapeTao]

I didn't like it all at first... But this really digs its place in my head.
Also the samples... really dark, I didn't expect such literality.
Reminds me of Sunshine Recorder, but this is definitely not a "beautiful place" kind of vibe here.
It's literally about finding someone you know dying from drowning. Or is it from some movie or something...

It's from a documentary where they interview people who have tried PCP and they relay their horrifying experiences.. it's linked in this thread I think

[noveltywave]

Not only the voices, but the drum beat is quite Turquoise Hexagon Sun in places too. You can almost hear the pool balls smashing into each other.

[Wildfire]

Couldn't help but draw comparisons with early Plaid with this one. The track has really grown on me, found it a bit basic on first listen but it's place in the album is spot on.

I'd even say the album has Plaid moments throughout, some chimes and random rubbery bass stabs remind me of them although not necessarily their earlier stuff in particular (if by early you mean Trainer).

Yeah you're mostly right in hindsight, with regards to production anyway. It's nothing like their Mbuki Mvuki up to Double Figure phase for instance and more like Reachy Prints / The Digging Remedy vibes.

[jamesyboyy]

I'm no musician, so I might be entirely wrong, but is the sitar not a dulcimer or something similar? Each time the melodic theme drops in, there's a cold splash of metallic strings being back-strummed, possibly with something metallic also. Could it be something like that? Dulcimer? Lap steel? Is that a real thing? The notes of the theme have a slight twang/bend, so it could well be fingers on a fretboard (or whatever a sitar has).

[jeannedarme]

I'm no musician, so I might be entirely wrong, but is the sitar not a dulcimer or something similar? Each time the melodic theme drops in, there's a cold splash of metallic strings being back-strummed, possibly with something metallic also. Could it be something like that? Dulcimer? Lap steel? Is that a real thing? The notes of the theme have a slight twang/bend, so it could well be fingers on a fretboard (or whatever a sitar has).

I play the hammered dulcimer and you can't really get those twangs on it as it's a percussion instrument. It sounds very much like a sitar to me, probably put through some kind of processing to increase the attack as the tone does sound quite dulcimeresque. It's a gorgeous sound whatever it is.

[jamesyboyy]

I'm no musician, so I might be entirely wrong, but is the sitar not a dulcimer or something similar? Each time the melodic theme drops in, there's a cold splash of metallic strings being back-strummed, possibly with something metallic also. Could it be something like that? Dulcimer? Lap steel? Is that a real thing? The notes of the theme have a slight twang/bend, so it could well be fingers on a fretboard (or whatever a sitar has).

I play the hammered dulcimer and you can't really get those twangs on it as it's a percussion instrument. It sounds very much like a sitar to me, probably put through some kind of processing to increase the attack as the tone does sound quite dulcimeresque. It's a gorgeous sound whatever it is.

Thanks Jeannedarme. It is lovely. This got an eyebrow raise from me when I first put the album on, but it's all sinking in now.

[outhudd]

Love the sitar on this, and also how vague the vocals are.

For me, the whole album really gets going from track 8 on. Up to then are great, but the second half of the LP is just another level thanks to tracks like this one.

[Redd Panderson]

This song made me tear up more than I have listening to music in some few years. Absolutely beautiful interplay between the sitar section and the tension that hangs off the section till the hook comes back in again. Yes it does feel eastern-inspired musically, but also it sounds old and cryptic, almost like something from an ancient castle or temple on a lost continent. So enthralling

The cycle of the song structure here and that flourish I believe you're talking about actually reminded me a bit of Björk's Isobel:

[The Other]

This song had that same effect on me that prophecy did when the guitar kicks in. Wasn't expecting the sitar when it kicked in at 1:36 and that slight redux of the drums at 3:04 after the sample plays is awesome. Almost like the vocal sample caused a manipulation of the beat.

[Waterbagel]

every time the sitar comes back in and the full ensemble wooshes back in, it just chills me!! after Father & Son, this might have been the track to surprise me the most

re: the Collapse-like noise at the end .. uhh.. maybe we didn't heed their warning about impending collapse last time and this is one last shot

[Rub]

Currently four full spins of the album, this gives me goosebumps (and a little tear too)

[Negamuse]

I'm no musician, so I might be entirely wrong, but is the sitar not a dulcimer or something similar? Each time the melodic theme drops in, there's a cold splash of metallic strings being back-strummed, possibly with something metallic also. Could it be something like that? Dulcimer? Lap steel? Is that a real thing? The notes of the theme have a slight twang/bend, so it could well be fingers on a fretboard (or whatever a sitar has).

I think I hear what you mean it's not the main melody (which could well be on a sitar) but it's one big strum that comes in on the 5 count. Kind of like 1 bowbow 3 bowbow *strummmmm*

That does sound more like a dulcimer than a sitar to me.

[jeannedarme]

I'm no musician, so I might be entirely wrong, but is the sitar not a dulcimer or something similar? Each time the melodic theme drops in, there's a cold splash of metallic strings being back-strummed, possibly with something metallic also. Could it be something like that? Dulcimer? Lap steel? Is that a real thing? The notes of the theme have a slight twang/bend, so it could well be fingers on a fretboard (or whatever a sitar has).

I think I hear what you mean it's not the main melody (which could well be on a sitar) but it's one big strum that comes in on the 5 count. Kind of like 1 bowbow 3 bowbow *strummmmm*

That does sound more like a dulcimer than a sitar to me.

In my (admittedly limited) experience of playing the hammered dulcimer I think that raking chord would be really difficult to achieve due to the tuning and the bridge structure - you can't hold down strings to form chords, so you couldn't really strum something like that unless you managed to tune each individual string specially (though it could be possible!). Maybe it could be a zither? I think that's more strummable...

Also, as I say all my knowledge is of the hammered type rather than the mountain dulcimer for example which is more like a guitar - but that doesn't look like it has enough strings to play that chord.

I obviously could be and often am wrong!

[jamesyboyy]

I'm no musician, so I might be entirely wrong, but is the sitar not a dulcimer or something similar? Each time the melodic theme drops in, there's a cold splash of metallic strings being back-strummed, possibly with something metallic also. Could it be something like that? Dulcimer? Lap steel? Is that a real thing? The notes of the theme have a slight twang/bend, so it could well be fingers on a fretboard (or whatever a sitar has).

I think I hear what you mean it's not the main melody (which could well be on a sitar) but it's one big strum that comes in on the 5 count. Kind of like 1 bowbow 3 bowbow *strummmmm*

That does sound more like a dulcimer than a sitar to me.

In my (admittedly limited) experience of playing the hammered dulcimer I think that raking chord would be really difficult to achieve due to the tuning and the bridge structure - you can't hold down strings to form chords, so you couldn't really strum something like that unless you managed to tune each individual string specially (though it could be possible!). Maybe it could be a zither? I think that's more strummable...

Also, as I say all my knowledge is of the hammered type rather than the mountain dulcimer for example which is more like a guitar - but that doesn't look like it has enough strings to play that chord.

I obviously could be and often am wrong!

Zither is what I'm thinking of! In fact I'm specifically thinking of Catherine O'hara in A Mighty Wind. Maybe Mitch & Mickey had an uncredited guest spot, who knows.