Alive 2023 - Golden Oak (Iceage Productions)

As you probably know, the Australian Iceage label is known for extraordinary experimental, electronic, drone, industrial and general fist-in-your-sleepy-face noise.

On the other hand, Golden Oak is known for its cheap, usually cask-borne, wines and fortified wines. Golden Oak is beloved of ... well, I won't say it, but you know who I'm talking about.

One assumes that, by choosing the band name, there is a droll (if not perverse) joke afoot.

So let's have a listen. “Alive'” is the first and only track. Curiously, what with the big sound and the slight reverb, it reminds me of a bit of an old Tangerine Dream bootleg (during which the crowd's squeals added to the music). As if in response, in “Alive” the crowd sounds (conversation, occasional cheering) is (I think) bolted on, which helps present the piece as if it was performed to large flocks of commuters on their way through Central Train Station, ignoring the sublime beauty of the piece as it insinuates its way around the pillars.

I hesitate to call “Alive” a song, despite the fact that there are human vocals. It's just that they've been treated in such a way that they may as well be found instruments.

As the song changes direction, we naturally ascribe breaks that would indicate that it's several pieces, not one. But, you know. Composers do this. And really,as we lose track of time, we realise that we've headed down a sonic rabbit-hole.

Hypnotic, groovy, well-paced, beguiling and, apparently, unstoppable.

Verdict? “Alive” is bloody magnificent, working as well as “background” music as it does “foreground” music with a comfy armchair, a roaring fire, a decent red, a slice or four of Stilton and a slow groovy journey to infinity.

Golden Oak can be found on Iceage's Bandcamp page, where there is little or no information about the band "electronics by Golden Oak" is as good as you're gonna get.

1/2