Review: The Utopia Strong ‘Doperider’
When I was first introduced to The Utopia Strong by The Shaman himself, I was a bit taken aback by the fact that the project counted ex-world snooker champion Steve Davis as one of its members. I was fortunate to review one of their live gigs in September 2024 in Manchester and was left open-mouthed throughout the whole performance.
Upon chatting with Steve briefly before the gig, he mentioned that they didn’t have a setlist as such, they just improvise and ‘go with the flow’. What transpired was a night of eclectic and wonderful soundscapes that enthralled a captivated audience.
Now, over a year later, Kavus Torabi, Michael J. York and Steve Davis return with Doperider, a new album of seven tracks that are their most experimental yet as the trio continue to evolve. The group note that they are ‘deliberately not trying to repeat ourselves,’ and on opening track Prophecy, you’re transported to another dimension as they draw on ‘the influence of Magma and Zeuhl music – a longstanding passion for all three members – for the first time in earnest,’ while the intricacies and emotion of the sonics wash over you.
Spell Of Seven is a ping pong of noises that will probably come as a surprise to many, as it offers a different and unique set of sounds, but it’s not hard to imagine the trio locked down, improvising as they put the track together piece by piece. They each bring a wealth of different experiences to the table allowing them to go off on psychedelic tangents. Moths Of The British Isles is a curious title for a curious sounding track, but once again, I find myself drifting away, thinking about walking alone, searching for wild habitats where the moths hang out. It’s a slow and sedentary piece of music which is both soothing and calming.
a psychedelic trip into the unknown…
The Atavist is a shorter piece, but still impactful, as it comes across as more experimental than the others, if that’s even possible! In the time I’ve taken to think about what to write, it has finished, and my mind has been filled with a kaleidoscope of beautiful images and softening sounds which leads into the melancholier Unity Of Light. As the band comments, these tracks ‘began as purely electronic pieces, with Mike and Steve on modular synths and Kavos on an analogue synth’, elegantly evolving across time. There is no rushing or overcomplicating, just three artists creating a mournful piece of music that will open people’s eyes and ears to what experimentation can achieve.
Harpies is another euphoric track, with sounds floating around the ether, and this is what happens when a person’s musical tastes change, as Steve has ‘gone deeper into abstract electronica’ and it’s evident across the album, as the modular sounds form the strong foundations for the other two to flourish.
The band tell us that the album title, and subsequent final song, Doperider, comes from ‘the Paul Kirchner compendium, Awaiting the Collapse’, which Kavus had recently bought. There’s a character called Dope Rider who rides across the desert getting into all sorts of mischief, and it’s a fitting finale to end on. This is one album that will transport your mind to places you never imagined, as it’s a psychedelic trip into the unknown.
Label: Rocket Recordings
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
