There Is Nothing

There Is Nothing (also known as "the green one") is the fourth of Ozric Tentacles' first six independent releases on cassette, each one with a different background color. Released by the band in 1986, it was reissued on CD by Dovetail Records in 1994. Of these first releases, this album is one of the best: good selection of songs, good sound, strong performance. Only a couple of tracks sport poor sound quality (unless it was intentional in the case of "Thrashing Breath Texture"). Tracks are slightly shorter than usual, with only two pieces reaching ten minutes. The album opens with a typical fast-paced Ozric number, "The Sacred Turf," followed by the Arabian-esque tune "O-I." Other highlights include the 12-minute "Imhotep," which showcases a spirited synthesizer solo, and the electronic reggae "Crab Nebula." Some of the electronic percussion ("The Eternal Wheel," for example) has not aged very well, making the album a bit weaker than Sliding Gliding Worlds, but there is enough energy in the performance to compensate. Recall, a division of Snapper Music, has reissued the album as a two-CD set (including new artwork) with Live Ethereal Cereal under the title There Is Nothing/Live Ethereal Cereal. ~ Francois Couture