Levitation have been savours during this pandemic. Offering escape and salvation through the means of live sets beamed into our homes, they’ve been a wonderful form of entertainment in a world where four walls have become the norm. From the sandstorm desert driller of a set from Oh Sees to the cosmic UFO space sounds of Acid Mothers Temple to the latest live set from Alex Maas of The Black Angels.
Taking place across a couple of sets from a cosy record store to what looks like a town hall, Alex Maas serenaded us to a stunning set of ethereal and haunting psychedelic-folk. Delving away from the spiralling doom sounds of The Black Angels, and showcasing his criminally underrated stunning vocals and songwriting, Alex Mass was utterly mesmerising with what was a set of nothing short of beautiful brilliance.
Whether it was drawing from the incredible debut solo album Luca, one of the finest albums of 2020, as well some beautiful new material – it was truly encapsulating. One standout track was Taishōgoto, named after the Japanese instrument itself – much like Flamingods’ ode to the instrument (maybe we can see a Black Angels x Flamingods Taishōgoto), which I look forward to hearing more of witnessing in person one day. All in all, time flew by in an era where it feels like the days last forever. Alex Maas showcases why he’s one of the finest on the planet today.
Also, hopefully when we’re all allowed to go to live shows again, we can still be treated to these live sets. It would be great to support artists, promoters and festivals from across the world, and it sure beats spending an hour trying to decide what to watch on Netflix…
Check out the video of Too Much Hate taken from the live stream, below:
Purchase Maas’s album Luca here
