Album Review: Red Lama – Motions (All Good Clean Records)

The Norwegian seven-piece rock group known as Red Lama was formed in 2011 by a group of friends, but it was only in 2015 that the band found their last member and completed the current line-up, responsible for writing and recording the band’s 2016 debut LP ‘Dreams Are Free’.

On February 23rd 2018 they return with their follow up album, Motions via All Good Clean Records.

There’s a dream-like quality to Red Lama’s new record, one that feels like an out of body experience. The sultry vocals have a hell of a lot to do with it but the haunting rhythm of the guitars add layers. The likes of Awakening & its eerie effects conjure up images of soulless deserts, winds that cut to bone & hidden monuments to ancient gods below the shifting sands.

The rockiness that they do so well keeps things ticking along nicely as Post Optimism is nicely upbeat. However where Red Lama excel is with the slower, more groovy numbers like Have a Great Today & Come What May. These tracks deliver enthralling hooks, soulful vocals & psychedelic-tinged melody.

Then there is the fizzy flashes of heaviness in Fular and the double header of Elements I & Elements II. Both offering trippy sounds amongst the simple guitar melodies & the soft & subtle vocal hooks.

The one negative comes in the pointless & bland, Wave. The haunting melody does little to take it out of the doldrums. Easy to overlook though, thanks to the rhythmic quality of the everything else. The perfect, relaxing soundtrack to a chilled evening.

Red Lama – Motions Full Track Listing:

1. Perfect Strangers
2. Awakening (featuring Bjonko)
3. Post Optimism
4. Have a Great Today
5. Come What May
6. Fular
7. Wave
8. Elements I
9. Elements II

Check out the single, Come What May via Apple Music above & via Spotify here. You can order the album via All Good Clean Records here. Find out more/keep up to date with news on Facebook and Instagram.