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ZENLO
SKELETHAL ANTICS

PURCHASE CD

DIGITAL DOWNLOADS:

 

itunes

amazon

boomkat (UK)

amazon (UK)

AUDIO SAMPLES:

Zenlo "Call of the East"

Zenlo "At a German Fun Fair"

“The world has never known the mysteries of Zenlo… the best kept secret”.  With spaced out drum machines, instruments drenched with effects, psychedelic tribal rhythms, heavy drones, funny songs, serious songs and beautiful songs, Zenlo draws you into his world of bizarre music.  Since a young man, Zenlo has played in numerous psychedelic and experimental rock bands in the 60’s and 70’s and continues to make music to this day.  Thankfully his music is no longer a secret.

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REVIEW:

WE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS ZENLO FELLOW WHEN THIS ARRIVED IN THE MAIL, BUT JUST THE SIGHT OF HIS SOMEWHAT SEXY AND MYSTERIOUS PHOTO ON THE COVER AND THE FACT THAT PORTER RECORDS HAS BEEN RELEASING SO MUCH INTERESTING STUFF, DEFINITELY PIQUED OUR INTEREST.

WHAT WE DISCOVERED WAS IN FACT A TOTAL OUTSIDER CLASSIC! AN ITALIAN WHO HAS LIVED IN LONDON AND ELSEWHERE, THE SOUNDS ZENLO CREATES ARE TRULY THE WORK OF SOMEONE IN THEIR OWN UNIQUE AND SINGULAR WORLD. IT'S NOT QUITE CLEAR BUT APPARENTLY HIS WAS ALL RECORDED IN THE EARLY '80S, AND ALL THE SONGS HERE ARE SUPPOSEDLY COMPLETELY IMPROVISED AFFAIRS WITH ONLY FIRST TAKES LAID TO TAPE. USING AN ARRAY OF INSTRUMENTS AND WONDERFULLY CLUNKY ELECTRONICS, SKELETHAL ANTICS ROAMS WORLDS THAT ARE BOTH BIZARRE AND BEAUTIFUL. THE RECORD BEGINS WITH SEVERAL TRACKS THAT FEATURE SOME SERIOUSLY DAMAGED SAXOPHONE ALONG WITH SPACED OUT DRUM MACHINES AND AN OVERALL SOUND THAT FEELS AS IF ITS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE AND SELF DESTRUCT, BUT SOMEHOW MANAGES TO PREVAIL IN SUCH INTRIGUING WAYS. WHILE THE FIRST SEVERAL TRACKS DO FEATURE SOME SERIOUS HORN TIME THAT DOES TEST OUR SAX-PHOBIA, LUCKILY AS THE RECORD GOES ON IT BECOMES MUCH MORE ABOUT SLOW AND MELTING SOUNDS CREATED WITH ORGANS, CASIO, HARMONICA, GUITAR, ELECTRONICS AND AND AN UNTUNED UPRIGHT PIANO. SOUNDS BUZZING WITH TENSION AND AWKWARD EMOTIONS. THE PERFECT SOUNDTRACK TO SOME LOST AVANT-HORROR FILM.

THERE ARE MOMENTS ON THE RECORD THAT REMIND US OF THE EARLY DARK SOUNDS OF CABARET VOLTAIRE AND IT COULD EVEN BE THE MUSICAL BED FOR SOME OF TODAY'S EQUALLY ECCENTRIC OUTSIDERS LIKE JOHN MAUS AND ARIEL PINK. IT ALSO HAS A NICE '70S EXPLORATORY KRAUT/SPACE/PROG ROCK FEEL AND AN OVERALL SCHIZOPHRENIC DISPOSITION THAT ALLOWS FOR MOMENTS THAT VEER FROM ARIEL KALMA TO ARIEL PINK. WE COULD IMAGINE EVERYONE FROM ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE TO GOBLIN FANS FINDING SOMETHING TO LOVE HERE. MOST OF ALL WE LOVE HOW TOTALLY DIY THE WHOLE THING WAS. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT. IN A GOOD WAY! THIS WAS TRULY THE WORK OF SOMEONE LOCKED UP IN THEIR BASEMENT WITH LITTLE CARE FOR POPULAR TRENDS BUT INSTEAD VOYAGING INTO THEIR WILD IMAGINATION TO CREATE SOMETHING TOTALLY NEW AND WEIRD. IT WILL ALWAYS BE THE TRUE ECCENTRICS THAT MANAGE TO MOVE US THE MOST WITH THEIR MUSIC, AND SKELETHAL ANTICS LEAVES US SHAKING OUR HEAD IN DISBELIEF, FINDING IT HARD TO ACCEPT THAT SOMETHING WEIRD AND WONDERFUL COULD HAVE ESCAPED US AND ALMOST EVERYONE FOR SO LONG...

-AQUARIUS RECORDS-

ZENLO ON THE WEB: MYSPACE