Review of "You Are Here" by Crin
Live 4 Metal, 19 December 2004

Litmus - You Are Here (Space Music)

Space Rock is inherently a term that will conjure the name Hawkwind, and being originators of such a mind-detaching genre, comparisons are unavoidable. The same unavoidable comparisons apply to most genres that have a root creative force. Doom bands will be assessed under the shadow of Black Sabbath, Black Metal bands under the shadows of Dark Throne and Emperor.

Litmus are just one of the numerous talents that have spawned from the legacy [an ongoing one I might add] of the enduring Hawkwind. This is the bands debut album and the first track proper emerges from a swirl of electronica, the familiar bass chords of [Hawkwinds original Motorhead] appearing and diminishing into the vibrant ‘Infinity Drive’. The scene is set, and from here on the Hawk familiarities become mere glimpses as the band carve out their own Space Rock head meltdown.

The music is driven by pulsating bass chords and catchy melodies that meander across sonic soundwaves, rock theatrics and extremely listenable songs. The lead guitar work and overall compositions hint at classic Hawkwind throughout [there I go again] ‘Dream of Space’, ups the tempo and accelerates Moog effects across the hard metalized arrangements. An acoustic ‘You are Here’ reduces the atmosphere to a calm repose elaborating the albums title to compel you to question your own futile existence as a speck of dust in a universe infinite beyond the imagination. This is where the spliffs take effect and the mind is drawn back into an introverted blurry void.

‘Sonic Light’ lifts the atmosphere to a punk like amphetamine level, simplistic, effective and addictive. ‘Rays of Sonic Light’, is a shimmering sonic instrumental that will evoke the drowsy mind set and provoke a sense of stoned brain cells without the hashish. The mantra like vocals and equally hypnotic bass thunder chords is equally matched by the stunning lead guitar work and intensified synths. ‘The album continues to serrate the senses with hard jotting rock tethered to gloomy electronic sounds.

With an albums worth of sublime material already consumed I felt my mind had been spun inwards and cast beyond the rational. Then arrives the final track ‘Stone Oscillator [Static Ritual], a 20 minute mega ride that steers out of the warm nebular atmosphere and plunges the album into a virtual Opeth meets Black Sabbath Doom fest. Huge riffs evoke the darker side to this band and this track is as heavy as the aforementioned bands. Whether Litmus needed to show they can crush skulls with a very Metal-like composition [and they do indeed reveal a heavy as shit side to their vast repertoire] or they just started with a song and forgot to end it is open to debate. This song alone would sit un-challenged on a mcd, let alone strapped to the previous material.

If you like a bit of Hawkwind, this will not disappoint as the band reach into the classic era Hawkwind that even Hawkwind have left far behind. If you like hard driving Rock/ Metal without the shriek voices then Litmus will bowl you over. A shit hot band.