Pungent Effulgent by Ozric Tentacles

Pungent Effulgent,  Ozric Tentacles debut album, released in 1989, was a huge success, following the band's many cassette albums of the 1980s.

It's instrumental space rock, the beginnings of a fusion of psychedelia, progressive rock, and electronica that would pave the way for an exceptional career.

Ed Wynne's guitar and Joie Hinton's keyboards began to make their mark, and the influences of Middle Eastern music and reggae are evident in the high-energy jams.

Some notes on the tracks:

The album's first track, "Dissolution," is one of the few Ozric Tentacles songs to feature prominent vocals.

The seventh track, "Kick Muck," is a reference to the dust that would rise in the fields at typical 1980s free festivals due to a particular dance style in front of the stage. The song oscillates between moments of intense, fast guitar and slower electronic psychedelia, allowing the crowd to recover before the next onslaught of kicking muck. This band emerged from the UK festival scene to become one of the most influential bands, layering ambient atmospheres with dub, rave grooves, and psychedelic progressive rock.

It features hippie and electronic aesthetics, waves of keyboards and MIDI samplers, and super-groovy bass and drum rhythms that also appeal to DJ culture.

Pungent Effulgent is Ozric's first "official" album after their self-released cassette material, and maintains their improvisation-based style during live performances. The band's early influences from giants like  Hawkwind, Gong and Pink Floyd are evident, but their style is already unique.

A great album.

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