GOAT
GOAT
Rocket Recordings [2024]
“Psychedelic grooves meet spiritual transcendence—GOAT is both a return to form and a leap into new territory.”
Album Overview: GOAT, an enigmatic collective from Sweden, has cloaked itself in mystery since its debut over a decade ago. Their music draws heavily from world traditions, psychedelia, and ritualistic sounds, weaving inspiration from multiple cultures and eras. The group’s anonymity and communal approach to music-making enhance their mystique, constantly blurring the lines between past, present, and future. With each release, GOAT continues to evolve, and their latest self-titled album is no exception. GOAT merges familiar, groove-driven elements with bold new departures. While rooted in their signature trippy rhythms and hypnotic intensity, the record feels both celebratory and exploratory. Self-titling the album signals a return to form while pushing boundaries into uncharted territory. Tracks like “One More Death” and “Goatbrain” open with explosive energy, while “Fools Journey” offers a meditative pause, revealing the band’s spiritual leanings. It’s a track that could seamlessly fit on a Guruguru Brain compilation of Asian psychedelia. This interplay between high-energy jams and contemplative passages makes GOAT a significant statement in their evolving discography, reaffirming their place at the forefront of the psych-world genre.
Musical Style: GOAT’s music balances psychedelic rock, funk, and world music, driven by hypnotic rhythms and fiery instrumentation. They fuse heavy guitars, tribal percussion, and ceremonial chants into an immersive sonic experience that feels both primal and otherworldly. On GOAT, the band draws from even more diverse influences, incorporating free jazz, shamanic rhythms, and hip-hop-inspired grooves. The result is a sound that’s dynamic yet timeless, evoking ancient rituals while hinting at futuristic visions through psychedelic trances.
Evolution of Sound: Since their 2012 debut World Music, GOAT has constantly reinvented their sound while remaining true to their core identity. GOAT channels much of their earlier work but introduces fresh grooves and ideas. Their previous album, Medicine, released just last year, leaned more into folk and introspective themes. In contrast, GOAT strikes a balance between danceable, funk-infused tracks and atmospheric soundscapes, creating a blend that feels both familiar and novel.
Artists with Similar Fire: GOAT’s eclectic style evokes comparisons to artists like Frank Zappa and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, both known for their genre-blurring experimentation. Their tribal rhythms and mystical overtones recall the percussive intensity of Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, while their sprawling psychedelic explorations align with the freeform complexity of Can and Sun Ra. Together, these elements form a sound that is both layered and cohesive.
Pivotal Tracks: “One More Death” launches the album with relentless energy, blending funk grooves with fuzz-laden guitars. Its infectious drive channels the spirit of Jane’s Addiction with a modern edge reminiscent of King Gizzard. “Goatbrain” keeps the momentum going, riding a pulsating groove that pulls listeners deeper into GOAT’s hypnotic world. “Fools Journey” offers a shift in tone, creating a serene, contemplative space where free jazz and trance-like rhythms intertwine, led by an ethereal flute. “Dollar Bill” stands out with a guitar riff that feels like a throwback to the wild energy of ’70s arena rock. The album closes with “Ouroborus,” a seven-minute epic that fuses hip-hop breakbeats with chanting vocals, leaving the listener in a cyclical trance that encapsulates the album’s themes.
Lyrical Strength: GOAT’s lyrics often take a back seat to their immersive sound, but when they do emerge, they are cryptic and chant-like, reinforcing the album’s ritualistic atmosphere. The themes on GOAT revolve around life cycles, spiritual transformation, and transcendence, adding depth to the music’s hypnotic pull.
GOAT REVIEW HISTORY
Medicine (2023)
GOAT LINKS
Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Rocket Recordings
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