“Shem is a collective of musicians aiming to perform improvisational sound pieces influenced by a wide range of eras and strains of psychedelic and progressive music. Through combining elements of ambient, drone, psych and space rock into epic, reverb drenched jams, Shem try to reach out beyond the established boundaries of musical conventions to create their own realm of sonic experimentation. Constantly moving and shape-shifting within this realm, their third album sees the German collective explore further the meditative and ritualistic aspects of ambient music, the sonic outbursts of space rock and the atavistic rhythms of Krautrock.”
Shem is a not an easy band to categorize. The enveloping sound is shrouded in drone. But not the protracted, ambient type, rather a brand of drone formed on the steady pulsing rhythyms of Krautrock. Above these methodical beats, Shem build slowly evolving tones, ending in galaxies lightyears from where they began. The effect is cosmically hypnotic – like a druid drum circle on a deep space voyage circling the dark side of Saturn, burning acid as fuel to escape the cold dark of infinity… if that was a thing.
Standout: Paragate