Sonic Boom, a.k.a. former Spacemen 3 member Peter Kember, has returned with his first solo album since 1990's Spectrum, having spent the last 30 years performing with the band Spectrum and producing for the likes of MGMT, Panda Bear and Beach House. All Things Being Equal takes the listener on an auditory psychedelic trip, as each track explores humanity's symbiotic relationship with planet Earth amidst an urge for simplicity. The album was inspired by Kember's recent move to Sintra, Portugal, a charming city with ancient ruins against the backdrop of lush greenery.
The synth remains a crucial component in Kember's music as it generates disjunctive sound waves that drive his psychedelic melodies. All Things Being Equal incorporates unearthly arcade buzzing with murmurs and hisses that mirror the natural world, as if to exhibit the conflict between the environment and industrialization. Originating as instrumental studio sketches, Kember's change in scenery gave birth to lyrics that add substance to the LP.
All Things Being Equal reflects an evolution in Kember's musical aptitude intertwined with his self-reflections. In "Spinning Coins and Wishing on Clovers," an eccentric voiceover spits rhymes of repetitive poetry as to poke at our strive for money and power, while album closer "I Feel a Change Coming On" is an optimistic contemplation on what is yet to come, ending with an powerful explosion, because in order to begin again, first you must destroy everything.
(Carpark Records)The synth remains a crucial component in Kember's music as it generates disjunctive sound waves that drive his psychedelic melodies. All Things Being Equal incorporates unearthly arcade buzzing with murmurs and hisses that mirror the natural world, as if to exhibit the conflict between the environment and industrialization. Originating as instrumental studio sketches, Kember's change in scenery gave birth to lyrics that add substance to the LP.
All Things Being Equal reflects an evolution in Kember's musical aptitude intertwined with his self-reflections. In "Spinning Coins and Wishing on Clovers," an eccentric voiceover spits rhymes of repetitive poetry as to poke at our strive for money and power, while album closer "I Feel a Change Coming On" is an optimistic contemplation on what is yet to come, ending with an powerful explosion, because in order to begin again, first you must destroy everything.