Reverse : Universe - A review by sweet Lou

February 07, 2020

Reverse : Universe - A review by sweet Lou

Firstly - Happy New Year! We're definitely kicking 2020 off with a bang... speaking of which - lets dive into what's been floating around, Mouse's latest release, Reverse : Universe. An absolutely stellar collection of tunes that seemingly spills into one another - making it feel somewhat like a symphony, which if you've ever been lucky enough to see a Mouse show will make you feel right at home. Before we get into Reverse : Universe, let's give you some context.

It's no secret that we've been working with Mouse on some exciting projects. From shows in Gauteng to shows in Kwazulu Natal as part of Smokey Mercle's recent tour, it's been a spicy few months - and we're not stopping here! Keep an eye on our socials and stay tuned for an oh-so-special surprise.

Mouse is no stranger to putting out uniquely flavoured sound waves such as some early releases; Danger Danger and Tide Shift and a “phasey”, crushing album; Elephant Island and recently a single off of Reverse : Universe (“Electric Face”). Any fans of their older work will surely be just as caught as myself by this fitting addition to their already outstanding discography. As an engineer, I’d love to take this opportunity to congratulate Chris and Damon on how this glorious beast of an album turned out - the guitars absolutely scream on top of the thumping low which is seemingly all glued together with the swirling combination of ambient and not so ambient sounds of the vocals and other abstract sounds.

Finally! On to the actual album. One thing that never fails to bring a smile to my face, are albums that flow into themselves. For the most part Reverse : Universe follows this - starting with “Red Space”. The introduction begins with slow, reverb soaked harmonious guitars accompanied by spacey, soaring vocals. All working together seamlessly, creating an impressive degree of anticipation as the build up intensifies throughout the entire song eventually leading you completely blindly into the second track - “Invader”. As Invader begins, a sense of closure and satisfaction is evident as the typical “Mousey sound” we’ve all come know and love is revealed for the first time. Heavy, fuzzed out guitars and an absolute rhythmic explosion prove to take me by storm time and time again, as I’m sure they will to you. If you’re a Mouse fan you’ll already know that abrupt tempo, rhythm, feel and time signature changes are commonplace - Reverse : Universe is no different. Here’s an easter egg: "Red Space / Invader” can be seen being performed live on YouTube as the first instalment of Dystopias newest mini-series; “Is This Thing On?”

This takes us to the third track; “Electric Face”. This song has a strikingly similar sound to some of their previous releases. Quite possibly my personal favourite, the tone and groove is out of this world. I can’t quite place it but something about that heavy, octave fuzz just rubs me the right way. This is coupled with significantly heavier vocals creating a far more aggressive feel to the song than the previous two would lead one to expect. “Black Holes In The Universe”… can you guess the theme?

"Day Moon” is up next, taking a slight step back in terms of intensity…This is yet another example of how Mouse uses highly contrasting sections to capitalise on all changes, adding to the already ample excitement and unpredictability. Similarly to “Red Space / Invader”, “Day Moon” too, slowly builds up towards a final destination which is more subtly satisfied than the aforementioned. To be completely honest, I have absolutely no idea where "Day Moon” end and “Worm Wood” begins - the fifth track on this conceptual collection. This song instantly greets us with a huge change of feel - some temporary relief in anticipation of the insanity which is about to unfold. The way the vocals fit over the rhythm section seem to slowly develop, although in actuality the melody remains stagnant for the first section. I’ve always found it to be extremely interesting how skilled musicians are able to do so much with something so seemingly simple. The track then once again fades out into a rippling pool of echoes and dripping textures.

By Evan Captures

The following song, named “Palindrome”… to be completely honest, I have very few words on this one. I can describe it as a psychedelic, nonsensical, experimental, instrumental interlude which is confirmed by its rather short runtime. That being said, “Palindrome” definitely fits right in there and has earned its place amongst the ranks of Reverse : Universe.

Shall we go on? “Invisible Legs”, firstly - what a name. This arrangement is infested with tempo changes which constantly yet smoothly evolves from slow and heavy to fast and heavier. I have to explain my bias towards this song. King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard is amazing and for some reason this song tastes like “Infest The Rats Nest”. Dear Mouse, consider the “Stu throat shout” nailed. This once again fades into perfect chaos as we wave “Invisible Legs” goodbye and the second hello. “Pulsar” - The names on this album are fucking great I’d like to add. We are sadly reaching the end of this aural journey through the mind eyes of Durban dudes, Damon Miles and Christopher Chay - what a ride has it been. Many moons ago, “Pulsar” was performed at Railways Cafe tenaciously clung to my inner thoughts until finally reunited with the actual song on this album. That is by far one of the catchiest guitar riffs I’ve ever come across. To end this tale, we shall conclude with the final song on Reverse : Universe; “Into Dust”. Once again, an oddly applicable name.

This song can be seen as the cherry on top - see it as the calm after the storm. After the all the chaos and energy finally comes the melodic and ear pleasing finale. A strategically placed gem which really wraps the entire album up and adds a brilliantly satisfying feeling of completion. Balance has now been restored. The take-home message from this is for you to decide… I think I have a good idea of mine.

As a whole, Reverse : Universe had me on the edge of my seat and blew me away. It’s been nothing but a pleasure being able to convey my feelings towards something made with so much heart and love. A massive congratulations to Valentine Ocellata for the stunning album art which could not suit the overall impression any better in my opinion. Another huge congratulations to Mouse for their mind-blowing performances and to Damon for recording, mixing and mastering Reverse : Universe in its entirety. If you’re around Durban in the coming week, be sure to catch the album launches at The Winston as well as Pablo Honey.