Following on from my review of the first Arica album, here we have the second one, again with the musicians anonymous but commendable for their transcendent creativity and improvisational synergy. What can I really say about this record that hasn’t been said in my review of the debut? Firstly, it is every bit as good and perhaps a little better, even more ‘higher key’ zonked into the stratosphere than the previous record. The same stylistic descriptors apply, but here we are treated to shorter tracks that explore a greater variety of sonic textures, though all still hanging together as a ritualistic, meditative whole.
So, again we have a record that should just be heard rather than dissected – if you like the sound of the little I’ve said about Arica’s music, you will almost certainly love this stuff to bits. Enjoy!

Note: although the original LP is pretty scarce on the street so to speak, you may still be able to score cut-out copies from the Arica Institute, and they have also put this album onto CD, which you can buy if you prefer. It sounds like a vinyl rip, but apart from a few minor crackles the sound is great. However, the CD doesn’t feature any of the original artwork or photographs – not even a track listing, though they’ll provide you with one on request.

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