Nepal Death – Freak Street Blues
“Freak Street Blues” by Nepal Death is an attracting voyage that captures the essence of Kathmandu’s famed Freak Street, which is rich in countercultural heritage from the 1960s and 1970s. This psych-rock tune is an extensive collection of sounds and inspirations, with contributions from an extraordinary array of musicians such as Ebbot Lundberg of The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Pontus Torstensson (Exorcist GBG), Lisa Isaksson (Me and My Kites), Becher Clausen (Papir), and Milton Andersen. The tune starts with a delicate sitar sound and calm percussion, which fade in to create a dreamy, almost extraterrestrial atmosphere. This psychedelic atmosphere is further accentuated as the guitar enters, preserving Jimi Hendrix’s energy with flowing, exciting chords. The flute drifts in and out of the mix, creating an ethereal layer to match the sitar and guitar and enhancing the track’s hallucinogenic impact. Vocals appear at 1:09, adding a Hawkwind-inspired edge to the music. The singer’s performance, paired with the electric bass sounds, contribute to the song’s dreamy, cosmic feel. The end result is a sound that is nostalgic and inventive, paying tribute to the hippy period while creating its own unique persona. At 3:26, the music stops briefly to allow for an acapella part of oriental trippy vocals. This surprising turn adds an element of surprise, drawing the listener deeper into the track’s hypnotic realm. The guitar solo that follows is a standout, extending the track’s psychedelic journey until 4:21, when the acapella vocals return to complete the song in a dreamy, almost meditative style. “Freak Street Blues” is an attractive combination of Eastern and Western elements, a musical excursion that pays tribute to the past while still expressing artistic creativity. It’s a piece that begs you to get lost in its layers, recalling the essence of a time and place when music was a means of transcendence.
