Early Show: Rubatong – Cataract
Han Buhrs vocals, Tatiana Koleva vibes / percussion, Thijs Elzinga guitar, Luc Ex acoustic bass
It’s still wondrous how whimsical and simultaneously coherent Rubatong can sound, especially considering the diversity of the band members involved: classically trained percussionist and marimba ambassador Tatiana Koleva; electric guitarist Thijs Elzinga, who plays everything from psychedelic rock to country and blues; Luc Ex, who developed his angular bass playing in The Ex; and of course founder Han Buhrs, who sets the tone with his hypnotic and extremely flexible vocals. All these elements come together on the new album Cataract, a gripping and continuously challenging listening experience.
‘A whimsical repertory which remotely resembles Captain Beefheart… Rubatong handles the blues as an open art form: merely as a point of departure from which to create a new form of expression. In doing so, this quartet hits the listener’s soul with the precision of a drone attack’ (live review in de Volkskrant, *****).