Detroit's
Paik returned with their droney style of instrumental space rock with
Corridors. From the opening drums and guitar line on "Tinsel and Foil," guitarist Rob Smith, drummer Ryan Pritts, and bassist Ali Clegg create a fuzzy and hypnotic seven-song album. On this follow-up to 1999's
Spacer, the trio continues to impress with ambient landscapes of sound, combining intricate instrumentation and fiery emotional tones. The second track, "Strange Familiar," is a grand, orchestral flurry of sound, while "Spacer (2001)" is a powerful and steadily haunting track. Drawn-out guitar feedback and steady rhythms are the band's foundation. Their sound is somewhat comparable to the concise, repetitive sounds of
Mogwai. Clegg's throbbing bass carries "Spanning Time," while Pritts' steady drum work on "Stellazine" and Smith's ghostly guitar on "The Longest Day" show the collective talents of this forward-thinking trio.
Corridors was recorded at Detroit's Ghetto Recorders Studio by producer Jim Diamond from November 2000 through January 2001 and was released by Beyonder Records later that year. ~ Stephen Cramer