Zone Six – Kozmik Koon

Sulatron

Zone Six comprises Electric Moon members Sula Bassana and Komet Lulu and former Embryo guitarist Rainer Neeff. They were founded back in 1997 and have intermittently done gigs and released albums throughout that time. Kozmik Koon is a huge ever-growing pulsating universe of sound dedicated to space rock stalwart and all-round good guy Kozmik Ken and the late Richard van Ess, a friend of the band. It comes in a beautiful sleeve created by Ulla Papel, its psychedelic vision hinting at the music within.

Spectral synths and guitar introduce “Maschinenseele”, which floats weightless in the air, and has a similar vibe and sound to the middle section of “Interstellar Overdrive” by Pink Floyd. The bass pulses a heartbeat sound and then the drums (played by Sula) hit in a medium rhythm that feels very laid back. This is the sound of drifting on the sea of consciousness while the stars bubble up as you climb heavenward. Slowly, the track picks up pace and heaviness as it slips into out-there mode, the drums get heavier and the guitar slippery-slides over the top of the pulsating rhythm section. String synth sounds add a sense of urgency as suddenly we feel like we are entering a darker void where minds meet space.

The first track slides effortlessly in to “Kozmik Koon”, a big space rock number that feels like it has fallen off a 1973 Hawkwind album with its motorik riff. Rainer’s guitar playing flies off in all sorts of cosmic directions, while Lulu’s bass keeps the whole thing firmly grounded. This the track to shake your booty too at a festival while lysergic lights jump around and the whole place is a frenzy of dancing freaks. Sometimes, the guitar reminds me of Ed Wynne’s sound on many Ozric Tentacles albums — and then suddenly it darts off to be something very different. The ending takes on a more sedate pace and leads you towards the chill out zone.

“Raum” is the shortest track on the album, clocking in at a mere 3.28 minutes, where buzz saw guitar and floating organ drift beneath some echorette guitar lead and out-there feedback, again reminding me slightly of Piper At The Gates Of Dawn-era Floyd in feel. It’s mellow and certainly the place to start your trip as the acid slowly kicks in. This slides effortlessly into “Still”, another short track that reminded me of Brian Eno‘s Before And After Science vibe and certainly would not be out of place on a Cluster album. It is very beautiful and haunting, like drifting along a river at the height of summer.

“Song For Ritchie” starts with some Klaus Schulze-esque synth sound, rolling bass and ethereal guitars; a voice intones Timothy Leary’s mantra over the top and ends with the words “drop out”. Here the band slide into the track proper, with some beautiful lead guitar that feels very emotional driving the whole piece forward. The rhythm picks up the pace as the track heads forward into the outer cosmic reaches of the universe, and galaxies collide as you are sent spinning to central point. The pace slows with some blissful guitar to reach its climax, and drift off forever into the beautiful beyond.

Another blissful release from Sulatron Records, the album also comes in a limited neon orange vinyl format, which I think will soon sell out as it’s snapped up by avid collectors of the label. This is one of the most heart-warming pieces of psychedelic space rock I have heard in a long time. The playing by all three musicians is faultless, and the emotional impact stays with you long after the disc has finished spinning.

-Gary Parsons-