The Kingdom Of Heaven Is Within You: A Quick Review Of The New Album From ESP Summer (His Name Is Alive & Pale Saints Spin-Off)

A duo that's nearly legendary among certain listeners, ESP Summer brings together Warren Defever of His Name is Alive and Ian Masters of Pale Saints. The one-time 4AD wizards have reunited for Kingdom of Heaven, the new record on Disciples. To say that the release is special is likely going to be an understatement.

While some of this, like opener "Tengoku no ōkoku", relays the source of this inspiration for this record (a number from Roky Erickson and The 13th Floor Elevators), lots more is more abstract and amorphous. "Kumamushi", for example, recalls the semi-instrumental selections on It'll End in Tears, with a reverb-heavy sound that echoes recent reissues from Defever's His Name Is Alive. Less found sound, and more reverent drone, a cut like this transports as it disturbs. There are subtle undercurrents here that provide just enough tension to give this long-player a glacial drama.

The entirety of Kingdom of Heaven seems to be a prelude to the 14-minute closer "Uchu". This one, a number that seems to favor Defever's current approach, undulates in and out on a keyboard figure, vocals whispered and ghostly echoing around at the start. If the whole Kingdom of Heaven project is a collaborative one, there's enough here to place this firmly within Defever's corner of the musical world. Certainly the re-emergence of Ian Masters is significant too, but those looking for In Ribbons II may end up getting lost in the depths of this sonic void. Braver souls will find this an engrossing journey, and one which hypnotizes as much as it soothes.

Kingdom of Heaven is out on Friday via Disciples, and the link below.

[Photo: Disciples]