Szs_2016

Welsh band SENDELICA appears to have established themselves as something of a household name in psychedelic and progressive rock circles for the last couple of years, with what appears to be a steadily increasing amount of both live performances and releases from this fine band, and among the many productions already released or lined up for a 2016 release from them is this single, Ziggy Stardust, set for an April 2016 release through UK psychedelic rock specialist label Fruits de Mer Records.

One might presume that the band choosing to cover this song isn’t altogether accidental, and many would suspect that this project came as a rather swift response to the news of David Bowie’s all too sudden passing in January 2016. According to the label this isn’t the case however, stating that this song was recorded prior to Bowie’s all too soon passing from this world.

Still, as someone not all that invested in the music of Bowie, this single still comes across as just as much a lament as a tribute to the late and great David Robert Jones. Guest vocalist Alice Davidson does add a sensual, and arguably even subtly erotic, dimension to the proceedings with her vocals and vocal effects, with the slower paced bass and drums foundation creating a mournful atmosphere beneath and a vast array of swirling, surging, echoing and cosmic sounds on top comes across as a proper send off and appropriate company for the soul of the departed Bowie on it’s journey in the afterlife, whether it’s through an outer or inner cosmos or to a heavenly sphere somewhere.

Astralasia’s remix version gives a slight emphasis to the cosmic sounds by way of an ongoing staccato synthesizer motif applied to the proceedings, while the original song is a subtly dampened and softened undercurrent beneath. A description that probably sounds goofier and much less enthralling than the end result itself. Then again, when even the record label releasing this single is at a loss for words in how to describe this remix, using mere words to describe this one in an appropriate manner is perhaps just to difficult. If you can imagine seeing a star-sign version of Bowie as Ziggy Stardust walking through space then I suspect you’ll be on the right track envisioning that and imagining what the soundtrack to this would be like.

While apparently  not planned nor conceived as a tribute to a great artist following his passing, Sendelica’s take on Ziggy Stardust does come across as a highly appropriate track to play in such a context. There’s a mournful edge to this cover version, bordering on lament at times in terms of mood and atmosphere, combined with a sensual/erotic vocal presence and the psychedelic, cosmic light toned overlays that gives this piece something of an otherworldly general presence. A tribute to a great artist in the game if not the name, to put it that way, and I doubt if too many others will manage to make their tributes to David Bowie in a manner as compelling as this one for some time.

My rating: 100/100