Psychomagia is the second album by Abraxas, led by Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, performing compositions written by John Zorn, which was recorded in December 2013 and released on the Tzadik label.Tzadik Catalogue: Abraxas: Psychomagia accessed May 22, 2014
Reception
Martin Schray stated "these tracks are true Zorn compositions interwoven with Near Eastern melodies, western soundscapes and jazzy wackiness and Abraxas play these pieces with the abrasive, breathtaking energy of a monstrous jam session. The musicians never consider technical skills as ends in themselves, they always serve the compositions. Psychomagia is a High Mass for guitar freaks, fans of the music of Frank Zappa and for those who like the harsher sides of Bill Frisell and Marc Ribot".Schray, M. The Free Jazz Collective Review, March 21, 2014 New York Music Daily stated "On one hand, this album is so tuneful that fans of traditional surf music are going to love it; at the same time, it’s so deliciously evil in places that the most cynical Yo La Tengo diehards might be caught drooling".delaruse, John Zorn’s Abraxas Plunges into the Killer Surf, New York Music Daily, March 29, 2014
Track listing All compositions by John Zorn "Metapsychomagia" - 7:31 "Sacred Emblems" - 3:02 "Circe" - 6:03 "Squaring the Circle" - 5:51 "Celestial Mechanism" - 2:32 "Evocation of the Triumphant Beast" - 6:25 "Four Rivers" - 3:54 "The Nameless God" - 4:35 "Anima Mundi" - 4:14
Personnel Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz - bass Aram Bajakian, Eyal Maoz - guitar Kenny Grohowski - drums
References