Vocokesh
Dr. Hofmann's Bicycle Ride

THE REVIEW

The multi-instrumentalist from Wisconsin, Richard Franecki, has always had a fondness for instrumental psychedelic jams somewhere between the early periods of Pink Floyd and Hawkwind. The acid-spatial ritual is an indispensable tradition for him and his bandmates, much like afternoon tea for the British.

His artistic career is split between two groups, F/I and Vocokesh, where in the latter project he highlights the guitar aspect more than the electronic elements, which nonetheless still provide a sonic backdrop. The compositions undertaken in his musical journey shift the aforementioned stylistic coordinates with the influence of German Rock, featuring Faustian guitars and semi-industrial percussion supported by a Neu!-like bass engine, but also in much more elongated structures akin to the early Ash Ra Tempel.

In the work in question, distributed by the Italian label Phonosphera Records and released in 2010, Vocokesh turn Dr. Hofmann's bicycle into a Tandem, offering a seat to the listener for a relentless lysergic journey. In truth, a few moments of pause are allowed, but only to set the heart's control for the sun or to check Eugenio's epidermal health near Pompeii, then the quest for space resumes immediately, with the buxom maiden from the "Space Ritual" in mind. Accompanied by Rusty on drums and John Helwig (guitar, bass), Franecki relentlessly evokes his idols, alternating short acid pieces like the initial "Born Losers", with a Garage-Psychedelic flair, to longer tracks that incorporate some of the various facets of psychedelic sound from different historical periods.

The set does not lack the presence of the synthesizer to evoke primordial tangerine dreams with a dose of bucolic psychedelia in "Pretty Acoustic Piece". Moreover, their improvisation in Kesh #10 and the hypnotic closure of the title track is an example of how the musical track is fully "lived", with all members searching for the right moment of inspiration, which is probably the hardest element to nail. It's like an abstract painting that you can continue to paint infinitely, where the artist knows how to recognize the right moment that marks the end of the composition. "The Cruising Song" is somewhat of a manifesto of their music, a track lasting just over 8 minutes with a drum scaffolding in line with the drumming style of certain Kraut-Rock, and a Synth backdrop supporting a guitar that best celebrates the sound of the Blue Cheer school.

Franecki and company indeed dedicate the album in question to Dickie Peterson with a tribute inside the booklet. However, it can very well be said that this work is dedicated to all those who "feel compelled to travel in space".