Introducing: Galactapus
Consider me both terrified and utterly delighted by receiving an invitation to check out the mystical experimental music of local quintet Galactapus. It’s not every band that makes such an immediate and visceral impression. In fact I almost don’t want to spoil it for you by trying to describe/categorize it.
Spoiler notwithstanding, Galactapus’s music draws on progressive and garage/surf rock, drone, noise, and heavy doses of Asian/Middle Eastern sound that combine to put out a very druggy, mystical vibe. In the band’s bio they say they “would debate” any comparison to Sun City Girls but as far as a touchpoint goes, you are very much in the ballpark. The Residents as well (in fact like the infamous group, Galactapus’s members are all completely masked and anonymous). Unlike the Residents though they also choose not to perform live.
If that sounds at all intriguing, even if you aren’t into what they are putting down I can almost guarantee that you would allow that Galactapus are doing some interesting sonic exploration, well beyond the realms of what (most of us) are experiencing on a daily basis. I am very impressed and even more so because often this kind of music can honestly be a pretty tough sell. Galactapus pull it off in a way that’s both engaging and interesting. At their best they are getting sublimely weird without necessarily completely jettisoning harmony and song structure. It’s a fine balance.
You can purchase the band’s albums via their website, and check out the video for single “The Lustful Arts” above which pretty much nails the band’s self description: “It’s a coy and tangled listen, a firehose of mutating sound played by a carousel of unlikely instruments, all eating each other. But the bombast of confusion goes a long way in relaying their bizarre sexual energies.” Touché
It’s just a shame that Galactapus don’t play live as this sound, in the right venue, with the right kind of visuals, could make for one very fucking mind-blowing show. Throw Black Widows and Mother of Fire into the lineup and hooooly shit.
