Something Special
Glasgow-based musicians Yusuf Azak’s new release, ‘Light Procession EP’ is a delightful blend of instruments and rich, psychedelic melodies. Opener, ‘19.19’ uses a string quartet to create a warm, fuzzy blend of glossy joy that comes somewhere between the bliss of Sigur Ros and the scuzzy brilliance of Jesus and Mary Chain. ‘Light Procession’ uses a mix of busy string melodies and sitar sounds to create an ethereal, giddy melody that sounds like off-kilter folk with a touch of Beach Boys mellowness and a kiss of Eastern promise.
‘When The Backroads Look Divine’ is a breathy, dreamy and surreal tune with a driving pace and sighing vocals that still maintain the sixties’ shimmer that describes the EP as a whole, while ‘Ursa Major’ is a brief but sweet number that lets Azak’s vocals come to the fore a little more and proves that his voice would definitely not be bad to hear more of.
’19.19’ is probably the stand out track, feeling as if it exudes enlightenment and transcends genre with its blend of gentle strings, whispered vocal harmonies and rich instrumentation. Yusuf Azak is one to watch out for in 2009 if you’re interested in something a little bit different.