With only three songs under their belt, Zoos of Berlin are garnering a lot of attention from the land of internet music nerds, deservedly so. The songs on this EP cover a lot of ground and will appeal to many different styles of music enthusiasts. The overriding aura of this quartet mixes the dreamy soundscapes of Brian Eno with the fantastical mind of David Bowie and the prog of a band like Yes. For good measure they throw in some angular guitar riffs the way a band like Can can.
The first song out of the gate, “Below The Old House” is an instant enjoyable listen. Like a dog tilting his head, you hear it and wonder what will come next and how they came to create music this lush and wonderful (and why you hadn’t yet heard of them, seeing as how this EP was released last November). The alarm call introduction to track two, “Speak Well Of Manderlay” puts the Eno-influence into the front seat (with the Secret Machines riding shotgun). The building crescendo into a space age barroom piano dirge, this song belongs on the soundtrack to a Gattica sequel, should anyone ever want to make such a film.
The third and final track, “On Large Amusements” slows things down a tad and gives each band member a little room to breathe. It’s a perfect closer for an EP that is far too short. Here’s hoping we get a chance to hear a full Zoos Of Berlin record soon, because if it’s anything like this three-song, I will need a map or trail of breadcrumbs to keep from getting lost in it.
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