Essen - King Size Blues FLAC

Dark and mysteriuos, Essen's album KING SIZE BLUES, dropped right during the heyday of trip-hop, and though it fits in that category, it's blues rock leanings help to keep it fresh. The title track, for instance, has hints of Middle Eastern melodies (the ethnic percussion becomes more evience in the jazzed-down "King of the Rain") amongst the instrumental layers. A similar haze hovers of "God & the Devil," which is less concerned with spiritual matters and more with moody funk. A paranoiac rhythm takes center stage on "Cover Me," while "Sleep" wanders about like a somnambulist. The Native American chanting that kicks off "Rams Red Son" continues the international musical pillaging, though it's just a hint in an otherwise funky track. The mood and tone of the album stays perhaps a little too consistent -- one could say repetitive, but moments do break through, like how the instrumental "Beautiful" piles on the sounds for a dense atmosphere. "Amen" closes the album, not on a spiritual note, but with a deep, dark baseline and some skittering breaks. A lesser-known work, but a worthwhile one.