Pure Land Stars
Trembling Under The Spectral Bodies
Pure Land Stars began as an exercise in improvisation involving David Johnson, Anthony Taibi, and Michael Dieter, all of whom are quite familiar with one another from their years together in White Manna. Their familiarity allowed these improvisations to quickly take on a life of their own and soon enough, with the help of Russ Thallheimer and Valerio Cosi on saxophone, an album took form. There are nods to krautrock on this album, not only in sound but also in tone, a distinct kind of ominous feeling reminiscent of the Cold War vibes often emanated by German groups in the 1970s. Considering the recent state of the world, this makes sense. It seems hard not to have an ominous feeling in one's periphery these days. Whereas White Manna's sound is primarily based in guitar, Pure Land Stars prioritizes synthesizers and drum machines, so much so that the members felt a new identity was warranted. With that said, those familiar with White Manna won't be too surprised with Pure Land Stars' direction, as there has been an increasing presence of synthesizers and electronic sounds over the past few years. And now it all exists in complete fruition.