There are only five tracks on this 39 minute album, but boy are they atmospheric. Just like Swans, very difficult to classify, although they describe themselves as experimental folk rock. Some drone rock, some kind of psychedelic, some retro 70's non-pop deep album cuts stuff. This is the kind of music that won't grab your attention right away (like some hook-laden pop tune) but slowly and subtly infiltrates your psyche surreptitiously, like some shamanic ritual until you are engulfed in the world of TAKH. "Salomonne" begins with Tibetan-like vocal drone, the moves directly into Swans territory, so much so that you can sense the ghost of Gira hovering in the background. A very cool drone-rock piece with VU influences as well. It's a great song that gets better and better the more you play it.

Annelies Van Dinter (aka Echo Beatty) takes the lead on "Unabashed and Knowing," both vocally and percussion-wise. It's very cool to have both male and female lead vocals in a band like this. Reminds me a bit of how Gira and Jarboe operated together back in the old days. Once again an excellent song with neat minimal post-punk guitar. "Drôme" is a slow, plodding number with vocals by both Annelies and Pieter, but as melancholy as it seems, the mood is actually hopeful. Pieter takes the lead on "Azure Blue" and this track sounds very Native American to me melodically, but musically gothy. Ending with the 10-minute "Hair of a Horsetail," this enigmatic, shamanic opus really puts you in the sweat lodge of rock, the closest thing to being sacred and ceremonial.

For a debut album, this is pretty fucking great. The first time through I liked it, but after that I L-O-V-E-D it, and that doesn't happen often in my world. Some might think it to be 'Swans-Lite' without the excesses Swans is often known for but really, TAKH is in a class of its own. Then again, if Swans was looking for an opening act for their European tour, this would definitely be the one to resonate with their fans. I only hope TAKH continues to put out superb material such as this.