Super review by Cal Gibson, of The Secret Soul Society.

It’s a universally acknowledged truth that musicians and artists in general are peace-makers: the ones who seek to enlighten, to bring together, to heal the wounds that humans open amongst ourselves. Music, art, love: these are the highest human ideals that we strive for daily, the sauce that binds a world too often divided. Sandman Project are five Israeli musicians from Tel Aviv who come in peace, toting a global groove that snakes and shakes its way into your mind, body and soul. Geo-politics are always there of course, simmering away as the bombs fall and lives are lost: Sandman Project insist on something better, something inclusive, something to share with hope for a better future. 

Guitarist and composer Tal Sandman takes the lead on the bumping opener Karnataka: twirled guitar lines echoed by Tal Avraham‘s trumpet, the drums tight and firing – the melodies zig-zagging through desert blues territories. A caravan of love powered by a funk-fuelled injection. Twanging and toe-tapping: a heady brew.

The title cut, Where Did You Go?, showers synth sparks over the lead horn lines, hints of Ethio-jazz reconfigured for a brave new world. Sun-baked sci-fi for a world barely hanging in there. There is love and life and laughter in the grooves, a youthful glimpse of an ever-hoped for nirvana right here, right now.

With so much pain and terror emanating from seemingly everywhere, the big question is why the old men who send the young men off to kill are still here, still pushing hate and death and discord. Sandman Project and all musicians and music-lovers worldwide stand tall in harmonic opposition to the hate-mongers – this is music to soothe, to heal, to dance and distract and prove a better path going forward.

Temptations & Figs is a favourite: a low-slung groove full of light and shade, a summer afternoon drifting on the edge of consciousness, the sorrows of the world transfigured by joyful melodies and devil-may-care attitude. In years to come the band members will look back and think: we were kicking it for sure. A softly sung la-la-la completes the picture before Tal’s wah-wah pedal kicks in and the ghost of Hendrix shimmies down the stairs for an extended jam. Lovely stuff.

Before The Storm whips up the tension, horn floating over an effervescent groove, bassist Ariel Harrosh laying it out, some wide-screen drops into Sergio Leone country before the band fire up again, all forward-motion and the irrepressible urge to move and groove.

Where Did You Go? proves once again that there is always hope, there is always that desire to transcend the horror. Life goes on, creation continues, the hate and the hurt will not prevail. Love will save the day. An album to cling to, to abide by, clad in peace and spiritual longing.

Sandman Project’s Where Did You Go? Is out now on Batov Records.