The Cosmic Dead - Djamba

The Cosmic Dead are the band that just keeps on giving. Following hot on the heels of the mighty Inner Sanctum album (soon to be available on vinyl for all you audiophiles) comes this split-record with Newcastle's Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs (yes, that really is their name).

If you're a regular Soundblab reader you may have noticed my affection for Glasgow's The Cosmic Dead. Since they released their self-titled debut in 2011 I've drank in every note of their sprawling psychedelia and tried to play them to anyone who will listen. The band has carved out a rather unique place for themselves in modern psychedelia. The Cosmic Dead like to push those sonic boundaries, you see, most tracks ebbing and flowing way past the 10-minute-mark. It's perfect music for headphones. The ashtrays full, it's way past your bedtime and you're sat transfixed by their reverberating walls of sound.

This new release sees a studio version of 'Djamba' representing The Cosmic Dead's side of this split. Initially appearing on a limited live cassette, 'Djamba' is a serenely hypnotic 22-minute psych-jam. The track locks into a groove early on and doesn't let go, managing to be challenging and relaxing at the same time. It shows a band comfortable with who they are and what they're about, ploughing their own unique path ever further into the cosmos.

The Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs track represents a rather different take on psych-rock. 'The Wizard and the Seven Swine' revolves around a crunching, energetic riff and a lead singer who wails and screams like Pissed Jeans' Matt Korvette. There are elements of punk, psych, rock and doom over the track's 22 minutes (another long one) and there's not a single moment that isn't ridiculously exciting.

So it's another great release from The Cosmic Dead, with the added bonus of discovering a rather brilliant new band. If you haven't purchased any Cosmic Dead yet than you really need to come and join the party.