The dictionary will tell us that a “chimera” is “an imaginary monster compounded of incongruous parts”. ‘Chimera’ is also the title of the new album from ORGONE – an unbridled West Coast collective founded by guitar man Sergio Rios. They began life as a hard-gigging funk machine with their music veering towards the rockier, grungier end of the genre and as Rios was the leader their music was (indeed is) sprinkled with liberal guitar solos. The music is intense and power-packed and the nine tracker that is ‘Chimera’ is all that and like that dictionary definition, it’s made up of all sorts of “incongruous parts”. It’s a monster sound!
Most accessible track is the vocal ‘Lies And Games’ – a contrast to the thrumming opener, ‘Hallowed Dreams’. For variety, ‘Zum Zum’ is an Afrobeat dancer (vocals from Congolese, Mermans “Mofaya” Mosengo who sings in his native Lingala) while ‘Tula Muisi’ is a world music mash up!
Orgone’s PR team describe ‘Chimera’ as “an electrifying, dream-like odyssey, tripping through the hazy swamps of New Orleans, weaving textures of entrancing voodoo soul, thrumming Afro-funk, and stoney psych-rock.”. We won’t argue!
ORGONE’S ‘Chimera’ is released Friday 9th February via Palm Records.
