Demon Fuzz
Afreaka!

The warrior surveys the horizon behind a colorful mask, proudly displaying the scars on his back. In silence, he listens to the call of the earth, mother of all living beings and a source of life, a goddess dispenser of energy and prosperity. He daydreams of returning home, the spicy scent of ebony-colored skin, the warm rhythm of hips swaying sinuously and heating up the African nights.

It's "Afreaka!" that the Demon Fuzz tell us about, from the basements of a London at the center of a cultural and globalized revolution, where the arts absorb the sounds and colors of the peripheral cultures of a dissolved British colonial empire. It's 1970 and the new decade begins just as the previous one ended, with an overwhelming creative drive and the search for contaminations between various genres.

The music of Demon Fuzz is devoid of certainties and predictability, and therefore full of possibilities. Notes free to float in the air, visionary, of the same substance as dreams. Delirious Colosseum moving between overwhelming organs, a triumph of fuzz, distortions, and frenetic wind instrument evolutions. Flute, trombone, and especially saxophone dominate the scene, accompanied by feverish high-negritude percussion.

Five long improvisations that traverse rock, soaking up the funk soul of Sly Stone and mixing it with Santana's Latin rock. Past, present, and future come together in an explosive cocktail that has no destination or direction, but perfectly embodies the sense of freedom and greatness of that era. The voice of Smokey Adams finally seals the whole, adding that touch of rhythm and blues that makes this melting pot more accessible and almost catchy.

It's useless to try to describe the individual tracks, this is music of the soul, which should be listened to and re-listened to, the ideal soundtrack for our journeys of self-discovery. It is worth noting that the latest reissue from Esoteric Recordings contains three excellent bonus tracks, including a brilliant cover of "I Put A Spell On You," which further enhance this work forgotten by most, but which the hungry ears of this site certainly cannot and must not miss. You surely won't forget it.