Kosmos, the band and
Kosmos, the album, are what happens when four Québécois musicians find a common hobby in the sounds of '70' Krautrock; thereby resurrecting a much respected but rarely remembered musical genre for the new millennium. The opening "Psycho" quickly introduces the quartet's largely instrumental organ and synthesizer-driven sound, but these instruments' marriage with aggressive guitar work makes both this track and hard-rocking closer "Messe Noire" sound like leftovers from some classic
Deep Purple or
Focus LP -- as well as Krautrock giants such as
Can,
Nectar, and
Amon Düül II. The latter bands' influences continually come across on the likes of "Grand Grizou," the self-defining "Krautrock," and the
Kraftwerk-ian electronics of "Septial," but
Kosmos also pursue a more mellow, quasi-lounge vibe on "Dream" before diving off the deep end of space rock sounds and avant-garde noise exploration with "Yawa," "Kosmos," and the rhythmically adventurous "Mothership." Vocals do make rare appearances: first during the band's lone foray into world music, via wordless, ululating chants crowning the Indian sitar-addled "Hindu Kush," and later with actual lyrics for the garage psych of "Much Too Old" and the French-spoken "Amerique Innavouable." Ultimately, all of these disparate influences guarantee a varied and eclectic album that's bound to fly right over the heads of many unsuspecting consumers, but it's certainly never boring, and even sounds refreshing, in all its revisionist glory.