After six years with Israeli garage-rock band Monotonix and a three-year recording hiatus, guitarist Yonatan Gat teamed up with percussionist Gal Lazer and bassist Sergio Sayeg to create an entirely new sound. After their first album Iberian Passage—released in May 2014—comes the LP Director. Director is a musical trip around the world, with song titles describing a journey (“East to West” and “North to South”) and evoking images of specific destinations (“Gibraltar”, “Casino Cafe”, and “L’Atlantis”). Yonatan Gat and company combine a conglomeration of Middle-Eastern folk melodies, psychedelic guitar, and drum beats with punk rock intensity.
Gat recorded this LP, composed entirely of improvisational songs inspired by his travels, in three days. The band recorded constantly for hours upon hours, and edited the tracks to sound like a journey around the world. Director is a patchwork of lengthy and intricate guitar riffs and punk-inspired beats that could be described as unpredictable, or even a little scatter-brained. Long songs seem to be made up of shorter unrelated hooks, and endings to songs are often abrupt, sometimes in the middle of a phrase. The goal of Director was for it to emulate the sound of Yonatan Gat’s live shows, an objective it certainly accomplished. Upon first listen, the LP starts off with a beachy surf-rock vibe (“East to West”), progresses into psychedelic Middle-Eastern improv melodies (“Canal”), then intense guitar-centered garage grooves (“Gold Rush”) and back again. “Boxwood” emulates acoustic Spanish guitar, but quickly melds into the frantic percussion of “Gibraltar.” The LP is a series of unpredictable twists and turns.
Recording an LP composed entirely of improv was an interesting choice. The recording certainly sounds live and authentic, and is definitely not overproduced. Each song tells a story, and is titled accordingly. If you’re up for a change of pace, give it a listen, but I strongly suggest listening to the tracks in order. Listening to this LP on Shuffle might just cause your brain to explode. If you want a feel for Director, give “Tanto Que Tem Nem” a listen. The song, like the entire LP, will leave you simultaneously intrigued and confused, but not in an entirely unpleasant way.
Grade: C
