Rating: 10/10
By Kieran Webber
Goat‘s music is that of wonder, mystery and shamanic rituals all blended into a beautiful ball of twisted Earth inspired psychedlia. That’s my take at least. Truth is though, each person defines their music in a different way which is a testament to how special and wonderful their music is. Their third installment ‘Requiem’ is considered their “folk” album; but truthfully that is too ambiguous, through the album there are elements of jazz, psych, and world music, and voodoo-esque fuzzy shamanic freakouts.
Opening track ‘Union Of Sun and Moon’ is a beautiful dance between acoustic guitar and pan flute, whilst ethereal vocals float on the top. Followed by the lead single ‘I Sing In Silence’ another pan flute extravaganza draped in a sheet of tranquility that continues through to never ending instrumental of ‘Temple Rythms’. A most-welcomed tangent that involves ritualistic drums and an uplifting flute.
Although the folk elements are welcomed and done to a level of expertise that would make Jethro Tull weak at the knees, it is in 60’s acid rock inspired tracks such as ‘Alarms’ and ‘Goatfuzz’ that the band start to really shine. The shift in sound is one welcomed with open arms – you are greeted by fuzzed out riffs and face melting solos, the tribal elements still remain though ever so subtly in the background within the percussion. The most interesting track and arguably the best on ‘Requiem’ is ‘Goatband‘ a mind blowing instrumental that fuses elements of jazz and psych creating an incredible soundscape that  boasts the band’s diverse and spectacular sound.
Goat‘s latest album is a real journey, a journey through genres, through sounds and through yourself. The energetic blend of folk, Eastern-tinged psychedlia and fuzzed out madness is something of a hypnotic genius that has us hanging on for the next album already.
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