Description
Since they formed in 2004, Danish instrumental four-piece Causa Sui has become a much revered act on the fertile European psych scene. The soil planted in festivals like Roadburn, Roskilde, Burg Herzberg, and praise been harvested in Uncut, Julian Cope, Mojo. As well as growning a dedicated fanbase – paying top euros for a first edition vinyl of any of the bands 7 past LPs. Many psych- and stonerrock bands aim for the perfect imitation of that vintage heavypsych sound circa 1970, but Causa Sui have forged their own distinct path. Causa Sui draws on a larger pool than the usual derived exploration of Sabbath riffs and clichéd krautrock jamming. Collaborations include members of Tortoise and Chicago Underground Collective (under the name Chicago Odense Ensemble) and Sunburned Hand of the Man (released as Pewt’r Sessions) and the band always adds untraditional flavours, past and present, into their seething experimental sound.
Causa Sui’s has been described as the sound of a giant wave rolling up through the last four decades of rock, which is truer than ever before regarding their latest, and most ambitious album to date, Euporie Tide. Yes, the heavy riffs are certainly here, but it’s apparent that it does not tread the waters of ”retro rock”. There’s a different depth here. Whereas previous albums was brewed with spontaneity, and flickers of complete improv, Euporie Tide was meticulously perfected over years of work. Opening track, Homage, pays tribute to the early/mid 1990s American grunge and stonerrock bands the band grew up with. From that point of departure Causa Sui goes on to weave a rich and complex textile, with threads coming from early 1970s electric jazz, post-rock, exotica, heavy rock, raga and all kinds of psychedelia. Whether the band goes for straight up ROCK or ventures into freeform territory there’s always that certain warmth and atmosphere present, which is so characteristic for Causa Sui. When one reaches the multigenre-influenced grooves on the albums D-side it’s obvious that the band has arrived at something that is very relevant in the present day. The album was recorded and produced by Jonas Munk, crafting a sound that is simultaneously naturalistic in approach, yet strangely detailed. The album was mastered in a way as to maintain the full dynamic range of the recordings.
