
Utopia Union is an Instrumental Experimental Music project that ranges from Psychedelia to Shoegaze via Space Rock. The new album “Peak Experiences” was released on November 29, 2024 and contains 7 long tracks. The band slowly leads us into the sounds of the album with “Organism (Intro),” the shortest in duration and characterised by dilated, atmospheric sounds. After a prolonged layering of guitar sounds, the track ends with a spoken vocal. The title-track “Peak Experiences” enhances the band’s typical sound through its long instrumental textures. A solid rhythm section, with elaborate drumming and deep, load-bearing bass lines, give body to the track, and the guitar takes centre stage with layering and prolonged solo interventions that accompany us throughout the track, evolving the central theme. In a constant crescendo, the track evolves incorporating elements of modern Psychedelia, the tempo changes and rhythm section gives a Space imprint and the guitar explores dreamy sounds creating Shoegaze atmospheres. “Dunkelziffer” opens with a repeated, hypnotic chorus that characterises the track’s intro, which with the entry of the instruments develops into an energetic, rhythmic track. Solid drumming and robust bass lines characterise the rhythm section, with well-constructed tempo changes and the guitar free to create melodies and solo cues enveloping the listener. A track that keeps the intensity always high, thanks also to a fine use of modulations and effects, layering and working the guitar sounds very well. Electronic sounds open “Longyearbyen,” layering a hypnotic, repeated melody in a crescendo that culminates in a piece that is both dreamy and melancholic. With the sound of the intro accompanying us in the background, the band develops an intense and elaborate track that explores the different facets of their sound and is enriched by continuous tempo changes. Between Shoegaze and Psychelia, it is a more reflective track than the previous ones, which in a continuous increase in intensity flows pleasantly for over 6 minutes, with all three elements of the lineup as protagonists. “Driven by the Drive” features a slow-moving rhythm section with percussive drumming and deep bass lines. The guitar offers interesting and sophisticated arpeggios enhanced by effects and atmospheric sounds modulated in the background. The Cosmic/Space effect is perfectly successful, and the track is enveloping and steeped in Psychedelia and lysergic sounds. A long track that develops the central theme on softer and more enveloping sounds, a nice trip of over 8 minutes. More Rock sounds characterise “Kaleidoscope Eyes,” with granitic guitar riffs and a solid rhythm section with a killer bassline. The sound is heavier and the tempo changes allow the band to vary within the genre, with massive guitar sounds and distortion in evidence. A powerful track, in line with today’s musical releases and steeped in Stoner and Heavy Rock without ever losing the band’s personal touch. The album ends with “Slow the FUCK Down,” which is also the longest, exceeding 10 minutes in length. The band returns to softer, more dilated sounds, with a driving bass line and enveloping guitar work. Prolonged solo guitar interventions characterise the long duration of this track, which is used to evolve the central theme with layering and enhancing the trio’s technique. An album featuring psychedelic rock sounds steeped in shoegaze and with forays into space rock. The tracklist is well constructed, with well composed and performed tracks that keep the intensity high from start to finish. A recommended listen for lovers of modern Psychedelic Rock sounds with a strong Shoegaze contamination and some hints of Space Rock, a good album.
Tracklist
01. Organism (Intro) (03:13)
02. Peak Experiences (06:25)
03. Dunkelziffer (05:59)
04. Longyearbyen (06:36)
05. Driven by the Drive (08:39)
06. Kaleidoscope Eyes (05:21)
07. Slow the FUCK Down (10:31)
Lineup
Hanno Janßen / Drums, Production
Johnny Röhl / Bass, Lap Steel
Matthias Dabrowski / Guitar