Sometimes, a record shows up that catches you so off guard, you're not quite sure what to think of it. These releases act more as a true document of something grand, as opposed to just another handmade CD-R release. These times are rare, but when they happen, there is little to say. I was put in this position recently upon the arrival of The Lost Domain's "Something Is..." CD-R on the fantastic Rhizome imprint. The Lost Domain are an Australian group, based around John Henry Calvinist, that have been playing and recording free form experimental music for over a decade now. Finally, it seems, proper interest is being taken in this brilliant band whose explorations remind me of a more subdued version of Blowhole, who happen to be one of my favorite bands of all time.

"Something Is..." consists of two tracks from different sessions; the 46 minute "Alain-Fournier's Dream" from 2001 and the slightly shorter, "Malcolm Mooney For President: Heavy Milford Graves Style, No Cymbals/Fade Out" from a year later. The list of instruments used on these recordings is long and impressive. In fact, there are so many, I won't bother listing them all. Instead, I'll focus on attempting to give you an idea of how this music sounds and what impact it has on the listener.

There are so many different elements audible on the first track, "Alain-Fournier's Dream," that it feels like the five members of The Lost Domain have studied every musical genre imaginable. Psychedelic-tinged improvisation and jazz might the most obvious, but hints of rock, blues, and even folk exist in this epic piece. It meanders like a soft, slow river that goes on for thousands of miles. It's like the Nile, in this respect; it might not be the mightiest, most overpowering river in the world, but it is perhaps the most famous and gave birth to an entire civilization. It's the long-term impact of this piece that is most important. On the initial listen, its effect is very subtle. You might feel like there's a ladybug crawling up your arm, or you might feel a cold chill up your spine. But give it some time.

Out of the blue, you will feel it infect your blood. The music and sounds of "Alain-Fournier's Dream" will echo through your cerebrum. Strained saxophone notes will permeate your every move and render you helpless against their aural assault. There is something that transcends the music here. I feel like there's a tangible aspect to this track that I can reach out and grab. It's beautiful and it's fantastic. The Lost Domain have constructed such a piece of art with this sprawling epic that the only way to get the full experience is by strapping on a pair of headphones, laying on your back in the sun, and watching clouds change shapes overhead as their music blares in your ears. To say the experience will move you is a vast understatement.

The second track, which clocks in just under 30 minutes, is the more abrasive of the two. Smooth synthesizers and distorted, ragged guitars weave in and out of a minimalist, tribal-induced drum beat. This is the most psychedelic moment on the album, but it doesn't last. Like everything else here, The Lost Domain know when enough is enough. Just when it feels like there is an insurmountable wall of acid-laced tones, the haze of the synths and shards of guitar tones fade into the mix while a skronk-filled saxophone comes to the forefront. It's these combinations of jazz textures with psychedelic sounds, and their seamless transitions, that make this record so great. This is simply brilliant music.

The Lost Domain are a band with an old soul. One listen will stick with the listener long after the 75 minutes that it takes to get through "Something Is..." At its best, this is something perfectly disjointed and beautiful, all held together by the fragile hand of John Henry Calvinist. It never fails in its execution, and it exceeded every expectation I had. This is music that is wise far beyond its years and is a taste that, once acquired, will never be quenched. 9/10 -- Brad Rose (25 May, 2005)