S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor

While it’s generally accepted that My Bloody Valentine stand as Serena Maneesh’s main influence, the Norwegian art project of Emil Nikolaisen, Serena Maneesh, offers many different variations on the thick, shoe-gazing theme. On the third album, the impenetrable walls of reverb and shimmering sound once again make for a haze where vocals drift in the sway of unidentified flying instruments. “Melody for Jaana” is a spooky LSD trip set to music. The rhythms never gain traction and fuzz out into a weightless mirth. “Blow Yr Brains Out In the Mourning Rain” attempts to rev up the rhythm section but the drums are no match for the wall-peeling guitar riffs that shift subtly underneath the vocal groans. “Honeyjinx” revels in a molten-metal riffage that grinds into the dirt. “D.I.W.S.W.T.T.D.” is a pop song transmitting from a radio that sounds like it’s jammed between stations. “Magdelana (Symphony #8)” slides from psychedelia into jazz and African rhythms with bucolic flute and more unidentifiable textures. Quite the surreal experience.