Jammin’ with Jamie’s Album Review: Pia Isa’s ‘Distorted Chants’

JAMMIN’ WITH JAMIE

ALBUM REVIEW: DISTORTED CHANTS by PIA ISA

From: Norway

Genre: Doomgaze/Heavy Psych

Label: Argonauta Records

Release date: March 25th, 2022

PIA ISA is the solo project of bassist/vocalist Pia Isaksen from Superlynx (formed in 2013). The debut album contains 10 hypnotic hazy tracks all sung and written by Pia Isaken. DISTORTED CHANTS features Superlynx bandmate Ole Teigen on drums, who also recorded, mixed, and produced the album in his studio Crowtown Recordings. DISTORTED CHANTS also features slow, dreamy guitar sounds by Gary Arce (Yawning Man, Big Scenic, Ten East, etc).

Riff tools used on DISTORTED CHANTS.

MY REVIEW

DISTORTED CHANTS is sprinkled with more of a shoegaze sound when in comparison to Superlynx, yet still has a heavy hint of doom metal that really puts DISTORTED CHANTS in a unique genre of its very own. I enjoyed the music videos for “Follow the Sun” and “Quiet Beach”, where Pia sticks to a classic black and gray color scheme. The aesthetic fits along well with the haunting, ethereal sound of her solo project. I found the album to be very meditative and relaxing… so much so that I fell asleep a few times when reviewing the album (in the best way possible)! It can be very difficult to turn your brain off or sometimes. We overthink things we shouldn’t but listening to an album like DISTORTED CHANTS has been a gift from the doom rock gods (and Argonauta Records). No more boring rain sounds or frogs at bedtime. Listen to DISTORTED CHANTS and drift off to deserted desert rock space land.

TRACK LIST