Scouting about on the internet searching for tracks to play on my monthly Static Sounds Club show I happened across something pretty unique. When I hit play on this album I was transported across the globe and into the world created by Shrenik Ganatra, Liam Christian and drummer Steve Carlin. Together they are, Minaxi. If you asked the band to describe their sound this is what they’d say
“Minaxi’s sound combines elements from psychedelia, shoegazing, dream pop, hard rock and Sufi. Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of music that includes Hindustani pop, Pakistani rock, Sufi, jazz and 80s/90s guitar-driven rock from the United Kingdom and United States, Minaxi’s music blends cultures and tones alike.”
They released their debut full-length album Khwab back in March 2020 followed by The Zia Fantasy trilogy of EPs. Now they are back with their sophomore LP, Lazuleen. Let’s dive in and see what’s what.
We open on the sunshine psyche tinged ‘Hey’. This is their warm welcome to the album. They sing “Hey, look outside, it’s such a beautiful day” and you want to tag along to see what adventures await.
They save the real intro to track two. ‘Mother’ segues neatly in a muted, chilled way before they unleash the noise. The Corganesque guitars explode out the speakers as neat punctuation before we return to more muted tones for the verses. The build to the ending is sublime and leaves us wanting more.
And more we get in the shape of ‘The Deep Blue Sea Conveys Your Love’. This is an album highlight for me. I love the dynamics here. The slow build, the intricate drumming, oh and when then the fuzzed-out guitars kick in… wow!
‘Adore’ follows with a guest appearance from Theadora Curtis. It’s a pacy, dark number about unrequited love. A song of two halves it keeps the listener hooked throughout the poppier intro section through to the rock out jam in the closing section.
We switch up language on ‘Manchala’ to Hindi. This is another album highlight for me. This track motors along at pace, the guitars like chainsaws taking no prisoners. Man, this track must sound massive when played live.
The band take the pace right down now for ‘Lost in the Water’. Or so you think. The guitars soon erupt to life and lift the track ever upwards. This song is another great example of this group’s mastery of song dynamics.
On this subject the band have this to say.
“The performances were accomplished without the use of any metronome to retain the live energy of the band. This approach also highlighted the natural variation in the band’s tempo proportional to the change in dynamics of the compositions. The subsequent overdubs were then performed and recorded by Minaxi at their practice space.”
‘Orchid’ has a lazy, slightly off kilter vibe reminding me of American Football in places. Pay close attention to the drums on this one. There’s some pretty special playing going on. This song segues seamlessly into ‘Reese’. A paean to a Theresa it utilises the bands full arsenal of tones. From the glacial picking to the glide fuzz, it’s all here and it’s a joy to listen to.
Curtis returns for ‘Alive I Feel When I Look In Your Eyes’, a delicate love song that blossoms into an epic duet. By the time we reach the final minute it’s reached stadium size, which is why it’s so impactful when the band pull back and we close out the song as we began. Brings the song full circle and is the perfect way to close this fantastic number out.
‘August’ continues the mellow mood and again the band switch up the tempo to provide an impactful and interesting contrast between sections of the song. The instrumentation is so warm and inviting in this one mirroring the emotion of the lyrics.
Next, we’re treated to ‘Phir Manchala’, a development on the earlier track. This time, sung in Hindi, the song is swathed in Indian percussion and some quite stunning sitar work from Luke Santy. This is an absolute delight to listen to. A true fusion of cultures.
The short and to the point ‘Dua’ follows. Played out on the acoustic guitar with some stunning vocal work this is a lovely moment of calm.
We finish on the rocking ‘Free Me’. The guitars are really heavy on the bass tone which is a nice change and catches your ear immediately. The riff is hook laden and by the time we get to the final scream of “Free Me” we are wanting it continue.
The album comes with three bonus remix and demo tracks making Lazuleen a really generous package.
If you’re looking for a band taking a fresh spin on the gaze sound then look no further than Minaxi. This group are forging their own path and with Lazuleen they have created a real statement of intent. This is their sound and one that I suspect you will love too.
Lazuleen is available now on Blue Vinyl, Green Cassette or download from Minaxi’s Bandcamp page. If you’re based outside the US, you can grab a copy from their record label Oscarson’s Bandcamp page.
Make sure and follow Minaxi on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Post comments (0)