Callisto - Pot-Pourri

 

 

Callisto - Pot-Pourri
Self-released - October 2021
Grunge, doom, prog, hip-hop
Rated: ****

"Pot-Pourri" is the latest musical gem from France, courtesy of Callisto, the solo project of The Lance Vance Vengeance guitarist and vocalist Olivier. True to its name, the five-track EP is a mix of sonic flavors, touching on grunge, doom, prog, and even a little hip-hop and reggae for extra seasoning. "Pot-Pourri" starts off on the heavy, more stoner rock-adjacent side with starter "Ram Dhun" and follow-up "Dernier Tango", but gets increasingly experimental and playful as the EP moves on. In true Lance Vance fashion, "Ram Dhun" opens with a massive wall of fuzz before digging into a righteous, piercing riff and an explosion of layered vocals and distortion. The huge sound has a devotional, celebratory feel, in line with the traditional Indian song, or bhajan, it takes its name from, and Callisto's heavy take on it hits all the marks. "Dernier Tango" (or "Last Tango") ups the ante further, with punchy hip-hop percussion running under grinding riff after riff, sharp and weighty while Olivier's cool-as-a-cucumber, poignant vocals drive it all home. The whole second half is a buffet of choice guitar work, serving up churning low end and southern-twang licks alike. Gears are decidedly switched going forward, however, as highlight track "Course de luge" ("Toboggan run") rears its groovy head with eerie, keening guitar lines winding their way through snappy hip-hop beats. Hefty vocals fill out the mix, and the brilliant melding of genres brings to mind Gorillaz if they got some dirt on their monkey paws and took a heavier, darker route. Follow-up "Mec tyrannique" ("Tyrannical man") dives deeper down the hip-hop rabbit hole with sinister, biting beats and keys. Olivier's smooth, calm vocals turn out to be perfectly suited for rapping, and the curve ball track still fits right into the wide-ranging "Pot-Pourri". Phenomenal closer "Sauve!" ("Save!") dials things back a bit and lays down some delicious, jangly acoustic guitar, creating a warm and joyous soundscape. Some fuzzy punch is added, and a melodica is even thrown in for a winding, eastern run that fits just right. Callisto has shown his hand with "Pot-Pourri", and it holds promise and ingenuity in spades. This guy is one to watch.

(Written by Shasta Beast)

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