STRANGE VIBRATIONS – ALTERED STATES (Bandcamp) (2025)

I don’t know where Santtu Laakso finds an energy of such cosmic proportions. He’s back again, but not under his Astral Magic moniker this time in a collaboration with wordsmith Shane Beck. On ‘Adinkra Codes’ Santtu indeed creates some weird space vibrations with some ‘Telstar’ bleeps and layers of synthesised sounds emanating from his Stylophone CPM DS-2 Analog Drone Synth, ending with sounds of the mystic east. Tracks start and stop but the flow continues with warm waves of synth – it feels like we’re back with Tangerine Dream back in the day with memories also of the days of Michael Moorcock and Hawkwind with, in my imagination at lease, sounds of out of control robots. ‘Weirdness Overload’ is well named with wobbly, twangy sounds emanating from the speakers. ‘Solar Wind’ gets into a solid groove with electronic percussion, ‘Solid State Intelligence’ is spine-chilling and ‘Longing for the Stars’ is a welcome change of pace in a kind of ‘lift off’. The impressive title track has a strong synth hook and rhythmic base while on the other title track (of the band this time) the story concludes, and an anthemic theme emerges from the swirling mists of synths. Strange Vibration’s “Altered States” is one sonic trip worth taking.