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Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra – Have an Existential Crisis
| August 08, 2023 | Independent |
| Album | Vinyl/Digital | 37:38 | 14 tracks |
| Robo Rocksteady | San Diego, CA, USA |
The History of Ska so far (abriged)
It all began in Kingston, Jamaica in the 1950s. Born from this source, the Ska wave got washed across the Atlantic Ocean where Punks, Skinheads and Mods gladly adapted to it. And until now, the Caribbean Offbeat sound is famous all over the globe. From Ska to Reggae, from Rocksteady to Dub, and from Skacid to Two Tone, one world has been conquered and united under one love and one sound. But this is not where the story ends. Here we are with a new chapter called Robo Rocksteady. Be thus introduced to Californian half-human half-machine duo Satanic Puppeteer Orchstra and their recently released tenth album Have an Existential Crisis.
Keeping the Fire Burning
What SPO-20 (vocals) and Professor B. Miller (music and lyrics) present here, is a classic Reggae or Ska album at first sight. It contains seven stunning and relaxing offbeat tracks. But Satanic Puppeteer Orchstra would not be the greatest Robo Rocksteady combo in the world if that were all. First of all, there is of course the unique style which derives from the human-robotic interaction undertaken here. Purists and hardliners may be offended by this modern, satirical and yet deeply accurate approach to Ska. And futhermore, Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra combine traditional Reggae music with contemporary contents. All those who want to Reboot the Simulation from time to time, who are often Asking for a Friend or who are So stuck in their existential crisis will be able to relate.
Existential Crisis for Collectors
A real gem is the vinyl version of Have an Existential Crisis, and that is not only because of the value that vinyl has anyways. The 12“ version comes with a puzzle, decoder glasses and a maze. If these three items have not helped the listeners to have an epiphany, probably the Dub version of the album will. This goodie was created by Nate Bridges (Black Market Dub). Nevertheless, happiness also comes easy when streaming the album, so those without a record player are not left out.
8/10 Mangoes
Credits
Additional musicians:
Nick Buchmiller
John Roy
Scott Schramp
Spencer Moody
Marie Haddad
Paul Jenkins
Pat Beers
Jacob Turnbloom
Elena Fox
Sean Tejaratchi
Cover artwork by Derek Yaniger
