MSKMy Sleeping Karma are a psychedelic groove band from Aschaffenburg, Germany who formed in 2006 out of the ashes of the stoner rock band The Great Escape. Playing a brand of instrumental music with minimal complexity and massive dynamics, the four piece are set to unleash album number 5, titled ‘Moksha’ which is according to Hindu and Jainism faith and traditions is perceived to be the ultimate goal of life – the transcendent state attained as a result of liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Given the elaborate artwork of Ganesh on the front cover, it is a fitting link. Let us see how My Sleeping Karma have attained transcendence shall we.

The album is just shy of an hour long and is comprised of 11 tracks, five of which are interludes which act as subtle links allowing smooth transition between the other songs on the recording. Opening up with “Prithvi”, the stoner rock and progressive rock undercurrents in the band are clear to hear. The clever use of samples and synths adds a surreal melodic feeling to the track and the Middle Eastern feel adds a touch of flavour. The song has a steady pace to it and as it blends the use of clean and distorted guitars, simple drums and a hypnotic bassline, it draws you into the audio world it has created with little effort required. A fantastic opening track. “Interlude 1” has a chanting section over a tribal styled drum beat. The hypnotic bassline and long drone like noise helps keep the momentum up as it slides into “Vayu”. The clean ringing intro coupled with the soundboard work creates a right backdrop for the steady paced rhythm of the song. The steady bass and simple drums, coupled with the melody which really comes to life when the distortion kicks in works like a charm and when the intensity of the track kicks up, it has a real powerful groove to it which builds up to a powerful sound which in turn grants the song a real soaring feel at times.

“Interlude 2” has a real Tool feel to it with the melodic interplay of the guitar and the bass, think 10’000 days approach and you get the idea. It picks up towards the end with some subtle synth use and the chant/choir effect towards the end which in turn flows into “Akasha”. The clean lead which is mirrored by the bass is a good opening to the song and when it kicks in, it retains this Tool feel, especially with the drum work. Clever use of delay, combined with a drone like approach at times create an interesting, hypnotic and melodic sound whilst the rhythm section is just captivating. “Interlude 3” has a melancholic feel to it despite sounding rather bright. The soundboard and acoustic guitar work well and the piano melody adds an extra emotive quality to the track, which in turn sets up well for the title track of the album.

“Moksha” is the crown jewel of this album. The piano from the previous track is retained and it’s the first thing you hear. The low register drone, reminiscent of traditional Indian music combined with a simple lead melody on the piano leads the track, allowing the other instruments to subtly join in, adding more layers of sound and creating a beautiful sounding section, especially when the string section joins in. Teasing slightly, the track finally kicks into life with the distortion which hits like a wall of sound. Heavy tone, swirling effects and a real thunderous feel up the intensity of the track and when it speeds up with a fast paced riff and some fantastic drum work, everything really falls into place. The track goes through several shifts, rising and falling in intensity with simple lead melodies and heavy rhythms before building up for a magical sounding outro. For me, this is a perfect Instrumental track!

“Interlude 4” has a dark, sorrowful feel to it which acts as a comedown from the previous track and this feel is retained in the following track “Jalam”. Haunting synths behind a bright melody and steady drums builds the scene and when it kicks in the bassline is fantastic. The melody is simple and has a memorable hook and the approach is relatively straight forwards – clean melody, distorted version of melody, hypnotic trippy soundboard use. Much like “Moksha” this song grows in intensity at times and revisits the intro in the final part of the track which works wonderfully before the main refrain from what could be considered the verse ends it. “Interlude 5” has a very Pink Floyd like approach in the guitars. The bluesy feel in the licks, combined with the heavily reverbed effects and synths has that surreal edge to it which helps bring in the final track.

“Agni” begins with some feedback which is joined by the rhythm section. The guitars and synths then kick in to give a dramatic heavy sound which is reminiscent of Kyuss at times. The upbeat feel of the track is provided by the groove the rhythm section creates and the effect this has on the verse is great. The clean melody in the verse is quickly followed by a heavier, distorted variation which really emphasises the fantastic control of timing and phrasing of the sounds this band has. Partway through, it slows down and transitions into a calmer, atmospheric section which has an interesting lead and mesmerising bassline. This section subtly builds the momentum of the track up and it teases a few times before it finally explodes to life at the 5 minute mark. Heavy distortion, guitar and synth harmonising and powerful rhythm work really helps keep the hypnotic quality of the track up and the pace builds up for the ending which rings out as the song fades, leaving only the synths by the end of it.

Overall, “Moksha” is a beautifully crafted album. It is very atmospheric in the musical approach and style – the psychedelic groove with the stoner and prog influences create a captivating and vivid audio landscape which really comes to life as you listen to this album and by the end of it, I felt I had indeed transcended to something… Not quite sure what, but it felt like that. The album is extremely easy to listen to, it holds attention throughout, the composition and arrangement of the songs is excellent. In my mind, this is essential listening for 2015!

(9.5/10 Fraggle)

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