Boris

Rainbow

MP3
FLAC
WAV

Boomkat Product Review:

Oh wow, we’re only moments into 2007 and we’ve already got an album ready to kick us all out of our Hogmanay hangovers. Japanese psych-metallers Boris got just a tiny bit of press support last year thanks to the ridiculously good ‘Pink’ album and the equally as jaw-dropping collaboration with Sunn o))) ‘Altar’. These two mammoth statements set them instantly in the sights of collectors and rabid hipsters the world over, so much so that we could have almost forgotten that they actually make incredibly good music. It’s a pleasure then to announce that we’ve managed to secure a bunch of copies of this utterly incredible new album – this is a Japanese only release (hence the price) and is a collaboration with virtuoso guitarist and Ghost member Michio Kurihara and may I say now before going any further that it’s one of the finest things Boris have ever committed to disc. A bold statement you might say and let me tell you it’s not something I say lightly being a die-hard fan of so much of the band’s material (‘Flood’, ‘DroneEvil’, ‘Amplifier Worship’) but for some reason ‘Rainbow’ seems more varied and a little more focused than they have ever been before. They’ve always been more than happy to throw curveballs (the opening shoegaze epic of ‘Farewell’ on ‘Pink’ or the country-flecked ‘Sinking Belle’ from ‘Altar’ for instance) and ‘Rainbow’ furthers this tendency with tracks effortlessly moving from style to style, breathing in influence from crumbling 70s psychedelic rock, classic bossa, contemporary post rock and of course metal. Sadly I can’t go into detail about specific tracks since my Japanese is limited to ‘Hello’ and ‘Thank You’ but hearing Boris lady Wata sing on the second track is simply a revelation – her silky smooth utterances remind me almost of the gorgeous set of ‘Erotic Oriental Sunshine’ releases on the Tiliqua label just before Christmas; lilting Japanses psych-pop – there’s something you never thought Boris would be capable of huh? Well this meeting of minds between the band and Kurihara has clearly opened them up to doing things just that little bit differently and the addition of Kurihara’s singular axe tomfoolery is a match made in heaven. It might only be the first week of the year but we’re already being hit with prime material so grab yourself a thimble of warm Sake and bring in the year with some of the best music you’re likely to hear for another twelve months.

MP3 Release (9)