I recently visited the Six O’Matic Bandcamp page to hear their latest EP “Ascension Span,” but an earlier release caught my eye as it was described as “ambient bagpipe.” I drum in a local bagpipe band and “ambient” is probably the last word I would ever associate with the bagpipes: in case you didn’t know, pipes are loud and have no volume control. I’ve seen it in action when my band plays an indoor gig; many people cover their ears because it’s so loud. (I’m sure it’s not the quality of the music that causes this; at least that’s what I’ve convinced myself.)
In any case, much to my surprise, there are definite moments of gentle atmospheric music on “A Misnomered Pipe’s Dream.” Overall I would not say it’s a typical ambient album (like Brian Eno’s “Ambient 1: Music for Airports”), but there’s lots of interesting production here featuring the bagpipes. Opener “Attack (Shock and Awww)” reminds me of an orchestra tuning up, but then it turns into a pretty psychedelic swirl. Tracks “Old Hag at the Apothecary” and “Three O’Matic” both end up in spacey places. If you listen closely, there are a lot of interesting bagpipe things going on below the surface of each tune, including many elements of traditional pipe music that are, at times, taken to unusual places.
Closer “Omar’s Dream” features bagpipe drones, bass, and gentle melodies that actually remind me of Eno; not so much from his Ambient series and from his earliest mid-70’s solo records. Overall, an uncommon and satisfying listen. And if all the wonderful music is not enough, I award 5 stars for the title wordplay of this EP.
And speaking of titles, the name of the song “Old Hag at the Apothecary” sounds like it could be an early 1800’s pipe tune found in the Scots Guards Standard Settings of Pipe Music. Spoiler alert: It’s not.
Now if you happen to not like bagpipes (and, hey, I get it), SOM has you covered with their latest release, where I detected none. The “Ascension Span” EP is populated with several catchy songs with upbeat melodies. To my ears, opener “Sit Calm” would have felt at home on the Sufjan Stevens “Illinois” album; it’s like a small local orchestra playing a summer show in the town square. The song picks up a nice swing groove as it moves along.
“Carousel” is another catchy number that includes some voice sample manipulation, poppy synth and steady percussion; a couple times the song threatens to lose control and spin into something more chaotic, but always manages to pull back.
The title track closes out this EP (and, again, kudos for the play on words) and it’s got something for everyone. It has an overriding dream pop vibe to start, but it passes through fleeting moments spanning everything from alt rock and classic rock to ska and dub, to industrial, to psychedelic…and more. It’s a wild trip if you care to give it your full attention.