Deep Earth: Soundsystems 2010 Review

I came to Deep Earth via their CS on Moon Glyph and their association with one of the best local bands around right now, the ambient/electronic trio Food Pyramid.  After really soaking in the muscular kraut synth of their tape Deep Earth, I went looking for other material from the group, and found their home base mostly being the Chicago based label Chronic Boom Soundsystem, which serves up vinyl and cassestes of ambient projects from the area.  The first tape I got from them is the 2010 retrospective Soundsytem 2010, which collects some of their sold out material into one central hub for fans of the band.

The first side of the tape covers the bands release Soundsystem Consciousness 2009 while the second side covers the groups contribution to the film soundtrack Corridors.  Both sides show the trio’s focused, outer space synth jams, which are equally tight and exploratory.  While some ambient/electronic/synth bands literally record right to tape, capturing the improvisation and noodling that comes from shedding all pretenses of boundaries or rules, I have always gotten the impression that Deep Earth has a plan.  While there are moments of sonic journeying, it never feels like Deep Earth cut any corners, with each track seemingly heading, full steam ahead, towards it intended destination.  The songs are focused and thick, with even the slower tracks sweeping out of the stereo like a Mack truck, even on songs where they let pop melodies or a little bit of funk beats into the mix.

When you look back at a bands discography, there have been many times where I have found that the point that I (and generally many others) have come to a band has generally been because that was the time when the band finally got their sound together.  With many bands, they struggle to find their sound or make a convinving case that allows them to rise above the noise before finally putting the pieces together and having something “click.”  I was very happy to find that not only was Deep Earth an anomaly as far as being quality work put out by Deep Earth, but their previous work is equally as good and different enough to sit right alongside the really great material on House of Mighty.

-Josh