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Propane Propane, Indigo: Case of the Blues

Released on limited vinyl in 2012 via Clostridium Records, the Indigo sophomore full-length from Sweden’s Propane Propane is a crisp execution of a classic stoner rock idea. Where much of the European scene has given itself over retro methodologies or to the thick-toned psychedelic jamming of the Elektrohasch set, and there remains a strong core of acts embroiled in a commercial heavy rock that to American ears seems like an impossibility yet nonetheless thrives and results in copious summer festival slots, Propane Propane walk an effective balance between the two, tapping into their inner Colour Haze on the quieter moments of “Cosmic Hideout” but delighted in the chugging riffage that comprises “ANT.” What’s perhaps most impressive about Indigo – which was preceded by a 2009 self-titled and 2011 B-sides compilation – is how seamlessly the Nässjö-based trio makes these sides come together. Guitarist/vocalist/recording engineer Benjamin Thörnblom (he also wrote the liner notes included with the LP and handled synth) would seem to be the figurehead in the band, and he provides a strong presence right from the start of opener “Rise” on vocals, the structure of that and the other songs being an even more classic element than their riffly influence. A Karl Daniel Lidén mix assures a big, open sound, and Indigo is remarkably well balanced, professional and smooth without being overly so. Thörnblom isn’t above throwing in a little “stoner rock lead singer” voice every now and again when the burl is called for, but his approach in general is dynamic enough to not make it so outlandish, and his guitar work, lead and rhythm, is exceptional, as the solo on “Rise” also demonstrates. Fitting accompaniment comes from bassist Niklas Andersson and drummer Jakob Gill (Rickard Swahn has also joined on guitar since the album was put to tape), who don’t so much follow the riffs on the alternately soft/loud nod-worthy grooves of “Kometh” as fill them out, and the result is a strong power trio able to jam out one minute and the next lock into a serious-business rocker constructed from elements that might be familiar but are nonetheless put to excellent use. “Kometh” (6:38) rises to a righteously wah’ed apex before crashing down and delivering a final chorus with effects layered in the mix en route to the shorter “ANT”’s more straightforward thrust, which finds Propane Propane capable of Swedish heavy rock of the highest order.

A sense of balance and flow persists through the rolling grooves of “ANT”’s chorus and into the more psychedelically driven “Cosmic Hideout,” the sonic largess of Thörnblom’s guitar and Andersson’s bass tones rumbling like some forgotten idea that sounding big and modern doesn’t necessarily equate to being over-produced. They do shift from the more open psych to heavier crunch after the two-minute mark, but even so, the context is different on “Cosmic Hideout,” and the result is one of the album’s strongest tracks, with landmark bass work from Andersson – yes, I mean it – and unabashed groove that gets tied together with an epilogue’s return to the guitar meandering that started the track at the end, showing that as far into the heavy rocking cosmos as these gas giants may want to go, they haven’t forgotten their purpose. Side A of the 180 gram platter rounds out with “Truth,” which pushes the diversity of sound even further via a screaming guest vocal from Kongh’s David Johansson placed right as the groove is at its most vicious, resulting in a heavy sort of metal (as opposed to a heavy metal) not so dissimilar from latter day Dozer in its starting point but nonetheless Propane Propane’s own as regards the destination. Thörnblom answers back by leading through a mounting swirl of leads and Gill’s prevalent crash cymbal ends the track. Even without having to flip the record, you know something just ended. Side B launches with “Aquatic,” a more patient instrumental given to flourishes of chugging here and there that add excitement to a slower pace and psych layering in the guitar. Of everywhere on Indigo, the fuzz might be most prevalent here, and notes held into feedback bring what might have started as an intro jam to a hypnotic finish, just in time for “Return of the Burning Son” to punch the listener in the face with the song’s immediate rush. There are parts of the album early on where the vocals come off as distinctly forward in the mix, but the balance on “Return of the Burning Son” smoothes that out while answering some of the stonerly straightforwardness of “ANT” earlier in the album – all bad attitude and burl and a touch of blues at the halfway point that leads to a guitar-fueled build that ends the song raucously but not over the top. Propane Propane are never completely out of control here, and if anything” Return of the Burning Son” is a little more restrained than it needs to be, collapsing in its final moment.

Fortunately, it’s not long before the largesse of “Food of the Gods” – the backing vocals of which add depth right away – reminds of what Monster Magnet could and probably should be doing in this day and age, elephantine plod and space rocking effects coming together with a remarkable fluidity while Thörnblom emerges as a frontman capable of directing the traffic even as he’s in it. The song comes to a halt at its midpoint, lead lines echoing out as the vocals fade and a rhythm layer rumbles behind periodic crashes, feedback taking hold with drawn-out notes as the beginning of a build well-placed after that of “Return of the Burning Son” toward the end of the album overall in that it works essentially from the same idea, but does it bigger, more forcefully and more memorably. It also takes longer to get there, but Propane Propane use their time wisely, continuing their even-handed thrust of heavy riffing and heavy psychedelics until feedback and the backing vocal track ring out the last half-minute. Backwards guitar opens the closing title-track and soon turns to face forward as the song gets underway. Its runtime – over 12 minutes – is intimidating, but really the track itself only uses about four of that, in line with some of the shorter cuts on Indigo, while the rest is given to the droning bonus track “Morte Subconscia.” Before that, though, “Indigo” drives home an entrancing instrumental build, Thörnblom tossing out hooks in his solo like he was fishing the southern tip of Vättern before the trio bring the song back down to a quiet finish, smoothing the way into “Morte Subconscia” with soft thuds from Gill and strumming from Thörnblom before the rumble and manipulated samples take hold. The noise persists past the 10-minute mark and then gives way to the silence that ends the album, making the final stretch of Propane Propane easily the least reliant on structure. I don’t know if that’s the band’s way of saying nothing’s off the table creatively, but if so, message received, though I’d be surprised if they went drone-doom next time out. Despite that ending, Indigo is a remarkably strong collection of heavy rocking tracks that prove worthy of the attention of heads who might encounter it, and with striking artwork, thick vinyl and cohesiveness of sound that makes its way into everything they do – even that noise at the end – Propane Propane stand themselves out among the current Swedish and current European heavy rock set by refusing to bend or one another impulse of trend in the genre. That’s pretty much the ideal.

Propane Propane on Bandcamp

Clostridium Records

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