Steve Roach & Byron Metcalf — Tales From the Ultra Tribe
The Cd offers up eight mainly lengthy journeys into trance inducing electro tribal sound-making that has moody ambient undercurrents. With Roach utilizing a mixture of synthesizers, drum machines, Didgeridoo & electronics to create his more moody side of the sound. And Metcalf useing all manner of percussive matter such as frame drums, rattles, shakers, clay pots, ceremonial drums, hybrid toms to create his percussive based side of the sound. Together the pair create a dense & detailed sound that is both hypnotic & mind expanding, yet earthy & moody too.
All eight tracks here are well made, detailed & often creative examples of tribal bound ambience, but there are also a few moments here that see the pair step away from the set boundaries of the form. Moments like “The Magma Clan” which find the pair create this droning & sort slurred groove with a mixture of sustained Didgeridoo, what sounds like clay drums percussion & rhythmic electronic elements. Or the sort of tribal electro funk styling’s of “Road From Here”, which finds snaking & taut funk electronic bass lines mixed with detailed tribal percussion & moody ambient drift.
All told “Tales From the Ultra Tribe” is another fine example of Roach's collaborative work, with both artists bringing out the best in each other. So if your after detailed, dense & entrancing ritual bound ambience, that has a few unexpected edges to it this is well worth tracking down