The Zig Zag Manoeuvre
Apollon, 2020
8/10
Listen to The Zig Zag Manoeuvre
Perhaps the most unusual outfit on the Apollon roster, Norway’s Ping bring us on an adventure that’s highly experimental, where the sounds of the ‘60s as well as metal, pop, folk and many others are arranged in unorthodox and unpredictable ways.
“Londonderry Revolutionary” starts the album with a mashing of avant-garde sounds that span hip-hop, prog-rock, and circus rock, and “God Made My Day” follows with both firm, rock spirited sounds as well as eccentric ideas that recruits a saxophone.
An album where no 2 songs resemble each other, “Get Ready” builds into a thick display of nearly metallic sounds, while “Trillby Hatter” is a quirky form of folk-rock that would make David Byrne smile. “The Usurpers Of The Afterlife”, one of the record’s best, then brings in strings for an orchestral slant to the precise yet playful climate.
Near the end, “Hammer Falling From The Sky” offers some of the best singing amid proficient drumming and both calm and busy instrumentation, and “Milk Your Mum” finishes the listen with a dreamy quality to their multi-faceted template.
If artists like Zappa, Ween, Tom Waits or even Melvins mean anything to you, Ping should definitely be on your radar, as their curious brand of rock is as unclassifiable as it is enjoyable.