Long Distance Calling

Germany’s Long Distance Calling are not only neighbours of NeurIsis wizards the Ocean but both bands share a common philosophy: to create music that’s free of genre boundaries. Their debut, Satellite Bay, succeeds in weaving together a living tapestry of sound that leads listeners through deliciously different mind trips without the distraction of lyrics. Opener "Jungfernflug” is ten minutes of Disappearer-like ebb’n’flow chased by liberal dashes of Tiamat’s Wildhoney. Drummer Janosch Rathmer and ambience dealer Reimut van Bonn generate a lush backdrop of punctuated colour for the rising action of "Fire in the Mountain” and "Aurora,” while "Horizon” is more rock-oriented, like a tamer Don Caballero. "The Very Last Day” chronicles (in voice samples) the global-warming floods that could engulf Amsterdam, Venice and New York with the deft, chord-lengthening fingers of guitarists David Jordan and Florian Füntmann. The album’s lone lyrics are courtesy of the Haunted’s Peter Dolving, and his gently snarling vocals in "Built Without Hands” approach Tool territory. Like Year of No Light, LDC have constructed a respiring, inspiring pièce de résistance that will top the year-end lists of many critics.