Brown Spirits

The jam contingent is pretty full these days, but not as many are scraping the space rock side of the spectrum. Long running Aussie unit Brown Spirits are a key exception and their latest album finds the band hitting the Hawkwind / Agitation Free sweet spot. The band finds the right balance between languid, liquid jazz touches and the dry ice curl of cosmos. Built on a bedrock of rhythm, the band chugs with the best motorik minds out there, anchoring the listener with bass and drums before the strings and keys come in to levitate the listener far above the floor. Things set into motion pretty much from the start, but the band really hits their stride on “Mind Rocker,” a cut that lulls the listener into a hypnotic state before leaving them with a few sonic lacerations.

As the record opens up and unfolds, the band lets more air into the mix, floating the keys through the wispy atmospheres on “Magnetic Fields,” and calling in quasars with neon streaks on “Beat On Repeat.” The air cools almost completely for “Cosmic Seeds,” a cut that finds the band as close to a purely jazz feel as they come on the album, dipping deep into Hancock vibes, but still keeping the guitars aimed towards the burning skies. The band’s been smelting down and perfecting their potion for years now, and on Cosmic Seeds, it’s clear that they’ve gotten damn near close to a potent dose.