As well-received as Goat’s debut effort World Music was, it’s particular context could have begun to feel stale over time. The Sweden-based outfit’s explosive brand of psychedelic worldbeat was accompanied by a press-baiting backstory of voodoo rituals and mask-wearing that threatened to marginalise as something of a novelty. The album itself was enigmatic where the story felt tired. Its nine tracks were extraordinary examples music rooted in countless genres done right, and so the pressure was on for its follow-up. Thankfully, Commune meets expectations, and surpasses them by considerable lengths.
For all intents and purposes, Commune is a darker creature than World Music. Opener ‘Talk To God’ begins with a solitary bell chime, evoking a ritual of sorts, before surging into a delicate Eastern-tinged guitar line that forms the foundation of the track. Percussion, one of Goat’s greatest assets, is characteristically simple and splashy. This music is repetitive in a satisfying way, feeling primal and essential.
The vocals, handled primarily by two female voices, are in a similar vein to those found on World Music. Mostly indecipherable chants, they are beautiful and near shamanistic. Their treatment in production, however, is as fuzzed-out as the guitars, which can be a little frustrating at times. Though not unpleasant in sound, the clearly versatile vocals lose high end in distortion when at their most dynamic, which can make them feel detached from the action. Not a major gripe, and the vocals will certainly come to life even more on the live circuit.
The considerable pace built by the album’s first tracks is broken by cinematic interlude ‘To Travel The Path Unknown’. The guitar work in these quieter moments is virtuosic at its best, reminiscent of a Morricone Western score. These moments are far less fleeting than on the album’s predecessor, opening the door to a more experimental sound which, given the group’s seemingly endless pool of cultural inspiration, should serve to retain interest for some time.
The ritual draws to a close on ‘Gathering of Ancient Tribes’, a gigantic, emotive explosion of sound. Drawing on a guitar motif similar to that of the opener, vocal delivery is desperate and stirring – a first for the group. Bowing out to cries of “into the fire!” the vocals surge into one of the most satisfying guitar solos of recent years. It’s a noisy, climactic end to an album of varied volumes and tempos, and feels incredibly fitting.
Goat have proven themselves as much, much more than a fun act with a novel backstory. They’ve become a bigger, bolder beast unafraid to push the boundaries of their sound. Like a grown-up Gang Gang Dance, a lot of the joy in listening comes from the unpredictability of their approach. This is almighty.
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