Lamagaia - Lamagaia

Reviewed by Joseph Murphy

There are few bands around now that insist upon long-form songs; still, there are fewer that absolutely require just shy of twenty minutes to really express a contained, continuous and coherent idea. Gothenburg, Sweden’s Lamagaia make long songs feel necessary and effortless – even brief, in a way, by their continually vibrant, fresh take on Krautrock-inspired heavy psych; the two songs making up their proper debut, “Aurora” and “Panorama Vju”, are both one side of a 12”, but their urgency and pace have a way of shrinking their significant lengths to quick and potent doses.

With only a 7” and a self-released 12” to their name – both available from the band’s Bandcamp – Lamagaia is slowly but surely building their catalog; in so few tracks, the band has quickly and impressively built a brand, one of balanced fervor and outrageous composure. Their eponymous debut simply tills new tracts of the fertile ground. “Aurora” is a deft and dense track that, at first, feels so complete as it builds, the vocals – straightforward as they are, though masterfully effected – come as a surprise, almost unnecessary to the song’s fullness. It’s hard to find such welcome surprises in most listens.

“Panorama Vju,” undoes all the density and frenzy of its reverse side and spirals through a hazy and atmospheric exploration. The song really gets its legs five minutes in as it vaults a skyward, delay-heavy melody, only to let loose entirely through the remainder of the song with washes of guitar noise and manipulations. Co-released by Sunrise Ocean Bender and Cardinal Fuzz, get the vinyl or digital format of your choice on their respective Bandcamp pages.

Highly recommend this one.