KARKARA - Nowhere Land

Karkara's debut album "Crystal Gazer" had been one of my favorite psych releases of 2019, and I still feel a little bad not having bought it in any physical format yet.

But the French trio obviously didn't wait for me to catch up and already followed it up with their second work. This time I ordered a copy, in one of three limited cassette spices.

KARKARA - Nowhere Land (pumpkin orange cassette) (2020)

One thing's for sure: If you enjoyed the first album you most likely won't hate this one. Indeed most points in my description of Karkara's style still stand, as the main formula remains the mixture of fuzzy psychedelic rock with Arabic elements.

Especially in faster tempo this often (more often than on "Crystal Gazer") makes them sound like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard with straighter beats.

The combination of ferocity (this shit is raw!) and space still very much reminds me of Libido Fuzz, but even more of their other countrymen Slift's masterpiece "Ummon". I also still feel some connenctions to the sound of Bone Man, mostly during the grungy mid-tempo of the final track "Witch".

All in all "Nowhere Land" strays into fewer directions than its predecessor and seems a little more focussed in comparison. Which makes it less adventurous on first listen, but lets it grow into a just as pleasant banger. 

No, there's no rocket science to unpack on this album. It's just a dirty, crunchy, ass-kicking Fuzzkraut Morgana.

The tape edition features a nice alternative artwork and looks beautiful as long as you don't try to read the credits, which might evoke headaches, since the font really is ridiculously small.

Other than that though everything is perfectly fine. Karkara has nailed it again!