BONG – Mana-Yood-Sushai

Composed of two lengthy, texturally linked pieces, BONG's latest – the orientally-flavoured Mana-Yood-Sushai – is played out as an enchantingly spaced-out aural pilgrimage. With strong focus on introspective atmosphere rather than outright heaviness, their hazy take on stoner doom might alienate those who prefer their Sabbath worship a little meatier on the riff front, but it's refreshing to see them continue to put their own spin on the genre.

 

Wrapped up in just two days, this is their first effort to be recorded in a professional studio environment, and the results speak volumes: every subtle hit and chime echoes out majestically, and their newfound clarity amounts to a richer and more satisfying trip overall, despite their ongoing fixation with repetition. This is deliberately gradual, slow-building music built for those who seek a truly psychedelic voyage.