Gazpacho

Tick Tock 2009

Weird shit be happening in proggiest Norway, but in the hands of Gazpacho (so-called because it’s “the bastard of soups”, apparently) it’s melodious weird shit. There’s a sparkling sense of macabre storytelling in records like this.

A concept album based on the book Wind, Sand And Stars by Antoine Di Saint-Exupery, Tick Tock is an enigmatic hybrid of gnarly rock, alternative indie and avant pop. It’s predecessor Night was a bit more immediate, but this is still very more-ish, and the depth and intrigue makes it the more rewarding listen. Check out Desert Flight and the title track (part 1) for starters.