Future Museums : Damo’s Dream

Neil Lord, aka Future Museums, was tapped to put together three different bands back in 2019 to be backing musicians for the great Damo Suzuki. Suzuki, of course from Can and a plethora of collaborations over the last 50 years in experimental music, was to play three distinct shows in the US. Austin, Dallas, and Houston were to be the sights of these shows. Unfortunately due to Visa issues Damo couldn’t end up coming to the US for these gigs with Lord and Future Museums.

Instead of calling it a day, Lord ends up playing a show with his Damo-inspired Future Museums band and plays a spaced-out improvisation in the man’s honor. The result is Damo’s Dream, a two-track exploratory jam that gets heavy and heady. It’s an all-out Krautrock/Komische trip comprised of two longform songs. Talk about making lemonade when life gives you lemons, this lemonade is spiked with just the right amount of hallucinatory joy.

On April 26th, 2019, Future Museums was comprised of Michael C. Sharp(Drums), Peter Tran(Synth), Rodolfo Smith-Villareal III(Drums), Mari Maurice(Synth, Saxophone, Violin), Nicolas Nadeau(Guitar), Reed Faitak(Bass), and Neil Lord(Guitar). A who’s who of forward-thinking Texas musicians, this Future Museums conception was ready for anything(even without Damo), and they turned in two riveting tracks that make up Damo’s Dream.

Though Damo Suzuki wasn’t in attendance in the physical sense, according to Lord “Damo haunted the performance with no apparition.” The two tracks that comprise this monolithic release jump into the ether head first, with side 1 opening like some dream symphony. Guitar, synth, saxophone, violin and the headiest of intentions bring us into a sort of sonic swirl. The double drum attack adds a sense of weight and foundation.

Side b’s trip has a sort of dream jazz feel. Saxophone gives the proceedings an almost Sun Ra or Pharaoh Sanders vibe. As the drums kick in there’s a real Mugstar vibe happening as the song soars into almost space rock vibes. The song builds into a wall of noise, becoming the heaviest incarnation of Future Museums I’ve ever heard.

The spirit of Damo is tapped into and shared for the taking.

There’s a real beauty in the chaos here. Future Museum’s cacophony of sound is exhilarating, jaw-dropping, and taps into the spirit of Krautrock, Komische, space rock, and experimental music in general. Damo may not have been in attendance, but his essence was felt. His spirit summoned by seven fellow travelers on the stage of the Barracuda during simpler times. When stages could still be used to summon magic through the power of music.

7.7 out of 10

‘Damo’s Dream’ is available now. Buy it from Aural Canyon here.