With two years since the release of their first studio album O(h)M, diehard Telesma fans have anticipated new material with what has grown to now-hurricane force. Their triba-delic blend of music is absolutely one of a kind, and though the wait has been arduous, deliver they have. Fading in with the rolling drawl of the didgeridoo and an ever-increasing rumble of applause, Hearing Visions: Live, is a tour de force, showcasing perfectly the magic that their performance is all about.

Now a regular to the quad of seasonal Baltimore venues, the setting for Hearing Visions is the recently passed December 20^th Winter Solstice festival with Alex and Allison Grey at local hotspot Sonar. Released on May 1^st, and recorded as-played, this album is a perfect medley of something old and something new, offering a fresh flow to some O(h)M favorites, granting listeners some awesome improvisations, and blessing us with some brilliant new material to boot.

The flow of the album itself is an effortless and organic progression from one breathtaking work of art to another. Individually, each song plays out with the precision and accuracy of a studio album, but together the experience is intensified, becoming an ever-consuming shockwave of awesomeness. The first true song on the album is Egyptian Sun, a shake-your-hips number that sets the tone for absorbing the Telesma essence. With a brief shout out by vocal lady Joanne Juskus, they flow strait into the funkier stylings of Nyatribe, where your face is absolutely owned by drumbeats and basslines.

Continuing with the shamanistic feel, Shivananda is the first improv off of the album, and it will take you directly back to your tribal roots. There is still that signature psychedelic flare, as always, but the beginning of the song is all about drumbeats and chanting. Nine minutes of strait jamming is something that is very rarely shared with the audience, and to get a glimpse into the workings of the band purely riding their musical wave is a Master Card moment.

Starting with Ascension—a rehearsed piece that sounds semi-Toolish (the band, not the douchey guy) to begin with—the latter half of the album comes in a burst of all new, never-before-seen goodness. They flow strait into Spectacles, another improv that has a chilled-out, almost summery vibe—ironic, taking into consideration the winter setting of the recording—and is laced up Telesma style with chanting and haunting synth. The guitar that takes over in the middle of the song is a simple reminder of why exactly we are alive.

Liquid Light is an absolutely phenomenal new piece, and as the second tune on the album that clocks in at just over nine minutes, it is an absolute blessing to this day-and-age of three-minute hits. Slower, with that signature high-pitched electric guitar, this is a song to close your eyes and fall into. Joanne’s voice again complements the song just right—giving a spiritual quality to the music without detracting from the melodic grace of the instrumentals. Towards the end of the song, the pace picks up with a little bit of funk thrown into the basslines as is seen throughout the disk.

CyberMonkDub is their last improv, and it actually takes a turn away from the Telesma norm. More electronic than most of their other songs, it is an interesting digression from the tribal soundings, and goes to show just how eclectic this band can be. The fact that it is a live improvisation speaks wonders about both the eloquence and expertise of each individual artist, as well as the complementary way that they work together to form the whole of Telesma. This rolls into Tycho—the last all-new release on the album. Vocals in Sanskrit, this jam keeps us suspended in the heat of all of those millions of reasons that Telesma rocks.

Closing the set with upbeat Amor Fati was the perfect choice. It leaves the listener positively electric with the energy that was created throughout the performance. It is a far cry from center to say that one will find this album “decent,” when words such as “captivating,” “très magnifique,” and “absolutely rockin’” so readily come to mind. Though a live disk, you can tell right away that both the performance and recording are right on par with their studio counterpart. There aren’t any awkward cuts, and everything flows together with finesse—something that, surprisingly, isn’t always easily achieved in a live-recorded set. The only apparent outside noise is the cheering and shouting from the crowd between songs, but the music itself is unmarred and flawless. And, really, can you blame the crowd for their enthusiasm?

After listening to this album, it is an absolute necessity that you check these guys out live—and now is the perfect time to do it. They play the upcoming Summer Solstice on this 20^th of June, which is a three-day orgy of amazing music, art, and festival shenanigans in Harmony, Maryland. A week later they will be playing at the Eastport A Rockin’ Festival in Annapolis along with a decent number of other local acts. On the 4^th of July, they are gracing the stage at the 40^th Annual Smoke-In, at DC’s National Mall, which is an event that is absolutely not to be missed. There are no excuses: catching some summer jams with this band is absolutely mandatory.

To grab Hearing Visions, proceed to their nearest venue, or check out cdbaby.com/telesma. To take a glimpse into the Telesma world, go to myspace.com/telesma.

Tags: Alex Grey, Hearing Visions, Smoke-in, Summer Solstice, Telesma, Winter Solstice