Release date: 27th April
Vortex, the fifth album from instrumental rock outfit Toundra, is another fine bit of work from the talented fourpiece. A very atmospheric and intriguing collection of songs, this is a great example of instrumental music done well.
Sometimes an album needs a vocal line as a driving force to progress the piece but Vortex doesn’t fall into that category. With soaring melodies and varied solos, it’s an intriguing release that manages to hold your interest for each part of the musical journey that Toundra takes you on for the duration of the album.
There’s plenty going on over the course of Vortex, from gentle, ambient ideas right through to massive walls of sound and stunning solos, and everything sits really well together. Toundra have clearly found their little niche and know what works and what doesn’t by now, so it results in a coherent, tight and together album as a result, with highlights including the first ‘full’ track Cobra and later track Mojave, which is an adventurous eleven-minute monster that traverses several different styles and genres whilst still sounding undoubtedly ‘Toundra’.
As a whole, there’s not much to fault with Vortex, and is perhaps the strongest release from Toundra to date. They’re soon going to be touring, so make sure to catch them live at one of their upcoming dates.
9/10
04.05.18: VOID, Bordeaux, FR
05.05.18: Supersonic, Paris, FR
06.05.18: Kleine Zaal, Melkweg, NL
08.05.18: Usine, Geneva, CH
09.05.18: Dok, Gent, BE
10.05.18: Hoxton Square Bar, London, UK
12.05.18: Temple of Boom, Leeds, UK
13.05.18: Nice ‘n Sleazy, Glasgow, UK
14.05.18: Exchange, Bristol, UK
16.05.18: JUNGLE, Koln, DE
17.05.18: Keller Club, Stuttgart, DE
18.05.18: Rocas, Luxembourg, LU
19.05.18: Molotow, Hamburg, DE
20.05.18: KB18, Copenhagen, DK
23.05.18: BiNuu, Berlin, DE
24.05.18: Groovestation, Dresden, DE
25.05.18: Papirna, Plzen, CZ
26.05.18: A38, Budapest, HU
27.05.18: Viper Room, Vienna, AU
29.05.18: Le Farmer, Lyon, FR
30.05.18: Molotov, Marseille, FR
