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Awake in the Brain Chamber
Awake in the Brain Chamber in Bloomington, MN
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On
Secret Machines
' fourth album and first since the death of original guitarist
Benjamin Curtis
, 2020's
Awake in the Brain Chamber
, co-founding members singer/keyboardist
Brandon Curtis
and drummer
Josh Garza
return to the infectious, sonically expansive brand of space rock that marked their first two albums. The album follows 2008's eponymously titled
, which found former
Tripping Daisy
guitarist
Phil Karnats
stepping in for
Benjamin
, who had left to focus on his work with
School of Seven Bells
. Although the band never officially broke up, they mostly went their separate ways after that album. By 2013,
and
Brandon
had reunited for the side project
Cosmicide
. Sadly,
was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma and died that same year at age 35. In the wake of his brother's death,
kept busy touring with
Interpol
, while drummer
Garza
contributed to a bevy of projects, including recording with
the Warlocks
.
eventually returned to his work with
and at a 2016 show reconnected with
. Along with guests
Bryan Bisordi
,
Chris Kyle
, and
Sarah Pedinotti
, they began reworking the
songs into what would become
. The result is a deeply felt production informed by the group's long-standing love of ambient music, psych-pop, and kinetic, '70s-style Krautrock. Poignantly, at the core of the album is the shimmering "Everything Starts," featuring production and guitar work from
recorded prior to his death. A moody anthem rife with warm vocal harmonies, it brings to mind the sound of the first two
' albums while also revealing a more mature, emotionally grounded sophistication. It's a balance they perfect throughout
, with cuts like the acidic and slow-burning "Let's Stay Alive," the jet-fueled "Dreaming Is Alright," and the sparkling "Talos' Corpse," evoking a finely curated mix of touchstones, from
the Church
Spiritualized
to
Pink Floyd
. There's a palpably textured quality to the group's sound, as if everything from the vocals and brightly wound guitars to the glassy keyboards and refracting basslines has been filtered through a giant NASA satellite. It's a fitting aesthetic for a band that has returned to earth after a long journey through their inner emotional cosmos. ~ Matt Collar
Secret Machines
' fourth album and first since the death of original guitarist
Benjamin Curtis
, 2020's
Awake in the Brain Chamber
, co-founding members singer/keyboardist
Brandon Curtis
and drummer
Josh Garza
return to the infectious, sonically expansive brand of space rock that marked their first two albums. The album follows 2008's eponymously titled
, which found former
Tripping Daisy
guitarist
Phil Karnats
stepping in for
Benjamin
, who had left to focus on his work with
School of Seven Bells
. Although the band never officially broke up, they mostly went their separate ways after that album. By 2013,
and
Brandon
had reunited for the side project
Cosmicide
. Sadly,
was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma and died that same year at age 35. In the wake of his brother's death,
kept busy touring with
Interpol
, while drummer
Garza
contributed to a bevy of projects, including recording with
the Warlocks
.
eventually returned to his work with
and at a 2016 show reconnected with
. Along with guests
Bryan Bisordi
,
Chris Kyle
, and
Sarah Pedinotti
, they began reworking the
songs into what would become
. The result is a deeply felt production informed by the group's long-standing love of ambient music, psych-pop, and kinetic, '70s-style Krautrock. Poignantly, at the core of the album is the shimmering "Everything Starts," featuring production and guitar work from
recorded prior to his death. A moody anthem rife with warm vocal harmonies, it brings to mind the sound of the first two
' albums while also revealing a more mature, emotionally grounded sophistication. It's a balance they perfect throughout
, with cuts like the acidic and slow-burning "Let's Stay Alive," the jet-fueled "Dreaming Is Alright," and the sparkling "Talos' Corpse," evoking a finely curated mix of touchstones, from
the Church
Spiritualized
to
Pink Floyd
. There's a palpably textured quality to the group's sound, as if everything from the vocals and brightly wound guitars to the glassy keyboards and refracting basslines has been filtered through a giant NASA satellite. It's a fitting aesthetic for a band that has returned to earth after a long journey through their inner emotional cosmos. ~ Matt Collar
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