Released a full six years after the apocalyptic soundscapes of 1996's acclaimed "Dead Cities", "The Isness" is certainly not the record most FSOL fans might have expected when (if?) Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans returned from their Stone Roses-esque exile from the limelight.
During this time away, stories began to circulate about FSOL. As usual, most were piffle, but the one about Gaz Cobain suffering a serious illness was true. The fact that he immersed himself in Eastern (especially Indian) culture en route to a cure is also correct, and is probably the key to "The Isness" sounding the way it does.
From its' far-out title on down, "The Isness" is something of a prejudice suspender. During the course of its' cavernous, undulating grooves, it takes in contributions from ex-Beefheart/ Jeff Buckley guitarist Gary Lucas, bassist Herbie Flowers (Bowie, Lou Reed and, er, Sky), erstwhile Oasis keyboard man Mike Rowe, strings from Alex Balanescu and more Indian instruments/ session heads than this writer would normally permit house room.
But that's the thing about "The Isness": its' mellifluous grooves, huge arrangements and acute sense of well-being are more than enough to reel you in, and after several listens you're more than content to be hooked. In conversation recently, Gaz Cobain told me of FSOL'S desire to capture more "organic" music after the startling (but sometimes alienating) electronica they created during the '90s, and "The Isness" is largely successful in realising this ideal.
Indeed, from Cobain's nymphs'n'faeries cover artwork onwards, "The Isness" radiates warmth and a sense of inclusion "Dead Cities" or even "Lifeforms" would have run a mile from. Selecting stand-out tracks doesn't really enter the equation, as the album works best as a whole entitiy, though naturally you'll be drawn to particular sections.
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If pushed, then, this writer would cetainly rate "Elysian Feels" enormous drums and startling phasing, followed by the gently seductive "Go Tell It To The Trees, Egghead", which revels in its' discovery of the double bass, slide guitar and flute as valid forms of expression. This latter reminds strongly of Ultramarine circa "United Kingdom" and is none the worse for that.
Eventually signing off with the moody tablas'n'experimentation of "High Tide On The Sea Of Flesh" and the massive "Galaxial Pharmaceutical", not to mention a cheeky answerphone message, "The Isness" is really a rather surprising and unexpected rebirth from one of the late 20th Century's major electronic innovators and - in the innocent and playful sense - something akin to true Psychedelic excellence.
They'll undoubtedly be accused of having their heads down the Prog, but I doubt Cobain and Dougans will care. "The Isness" has the courage of its' own laid-back convictions and drifts into areas few of the current retro-fixated mob would dare to think of.
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