Pulled By Magnets — Rose Golden Doorways (Glitterbeat)
Photo by Krisztian Sipos
Drummer Seb Rochford, a co-founder of Sons Of Kemet and leader of the now defunct Polar Bear, returns from a hiatus with saxophonist Pete Wareham and bassist Neil Charles as Pulled By Magnets on their debut album, a journey into a crucible that encompasses Jazz, ambient noise, classical Indian music and the grinding tropes of industrial metal. Recorded in a London church as a series of live takes with some electronic treatment, Rose Golden Doorways is a behemoth of otherworldly sound that alternatively stomps and tiptoes. Anchored by Rochford’s restless drums and Charles’ exploratory bass, Wareham’s transcendent saxophone seems to float disembodied, here a wraith, there a banshee as the trio harness a primal energy that is at once disquieting and transportive.
Opening track “Nowhere Nothing” begins with a fearsome buzz like some machine clearing space, erasing the now for new life which stumbles in on a single drum and a wounded sax motif that builds as Rochford explores the rest of his kit and a bass rumbles. An uneasy truce between man and eternity seems possible as the track fades. The sense of space deepens throughout the album as the trio carves out provisional footholds in the expanse. “Breath That Sparks” faces the emptiness with a barely discernible bass pulse and a wash of chimes. Charles anchors “Those Amongst Us” with a simple bowed motif, as Rochford attacks his instrument with a deceptively light touch and Wareham blows thoughtful gusts. The power resides not in volume or bombast but in the stubborn humanness of the creative act. The interplay sounds at once deeply personal and wonderfully communal, a focus of concentration and exploration that defies categorization as if one lapse would negate the entire exercise.
Rose Golden Doorways is an astonishing experience, uncompromising in its willingness to map extremes of ethereal quiet and the physicality of sound, played without fear by musicians drilling deep into an ugly core to extract beauty and return to share their findings with those who would care to listen. Hopefully those who would will and persuade others to join, Pulled By Magnets well worth that investment.
Although there was nothing wrong with the flavor or freshness of the fish, thinner, crispier slices would have been more appropriate. The guacamole, rich and creamy in texture, almost made up for the processed cheese and somewhat bland vegetable garnishes. More successful than the regular fare was the sushi, provided by a separate operation by the name of Aqua.
Neil Charles gives his impressions on newly opened restaurant Drake's.
