Lothars, The – “Oscillate My Metallic Sonatas” – [Wobbly Music]

abacus   5/23/2012   A Library, CD

2nd full length album from these trailblazing trippers the Lothars. While their first album featured 3 theremins and guitar, here we have 4 theremins, all with specific roles (bass/ lead/ambient/other) along with some percussion and sampling and the guitarist doubles on violin for a couple tracks. While this sounds like the makings of some cheesy novelty exploitation, it actually comes at you like a mesmerizing tapestry looming over the horizon, with otherworldly and subterranean excursions alike. ??The first “Sonata” especially sets the tone, like dark clouds rising out of the East with raga-esque scents abounding. There’s humor here too, evident in the tracks Banjolin, which sounds like its called, and Bleep-Bloop, a bumbling techno attempt (not to mention the album cover spoof of an old Benny Goodman record). Things get spooky too, with the third “Sonata” echoing an operetta drifting out of the Phantom’s shadowy caverns, and especially the epic 19 min doom-tastic drone that rises out of the murky depths like a swamp monster to close the album. All taken from two days of recording, these haunting lullabies arise from somewhere between 50s sci-fi/horror films and acid-infused psychedelia. Drop one and fly away!