ALBUM OF THE WEEK
On a recent trip to his home in Mauritius, Zun Zun Egui frontman Kushal Gaya learnt of how local sugar cane workers would use the rhythm of the clanking sugar mill to sing their work songs. Fascinated with this synthesis of machinery and man, Gaya has imbued Zun Zun Egui’s eclectic melodies with a heavier industrial sound on this album.
Shackles’ Gift lurches along with the vigour of a seasoned drunk. It is adventurous, emotive and Gaya’s occasional gibberish belies the depth of his lyrics. The effect is a slightly discordant but utterly fascinating listen. It’s as if Battles, Queens of the Stone Age and Led Zeppelin had a brawl and Shackles’ Gift is the album they made once the bad blood had been settled.
Zun Zun Egui’s technical ability is obvious. Tracks such as ‘Tickle The Line’ and ‘I Want You To Know’ do a good job of exhibiting the band’s skill in crafting engaging licks. However, they fall into comfortable grooves that they seem less willing to get out of, a marked difference between this album and their innovative debut. The album is nevertheless a wonderful combination of psychedelia, Afro-funk and industrial rock, and proves that Zun Zun Egui will continue to find new areas to explore.
4/5.
Shackles’ Giftis out now through Bella Union/[PIAS]
