Zuma 85

It's not often that a group that impressed you quite a bit live a few years ago comes back with an album that is barely off your plate. It was eight years ago when Allah-Las performed at the Maifeld Derby in Mannheim on a late sunny afternoon and surprised the audience with a set, quoting the music of the last 40 years and yet making everything seem like it was from them. Now they are back with Zuma 85 and celebrate the past again in their songs, with other influences added. Now they also incorporate elements from krautrock and Soft Machine into their semi-instrumentals, dare to approach relaxed and partly dreamy melodies, but do not forget to strike hard tones from time to time. This little band from Los Angeles is great today and worth to give them a listen.