Psychomagia is the second album by Abraxas, led by Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, performing compositions written by John Zorn, which was recorded in December 2013 and released on the Tzadik label.[1]

Psychomagia
Studio album by Abraxas
Released	February 2014
Recorded	December 2 & 3, 2013 at Orange Sound, NJ
Genre	Avant-garde, jazz, rock
Length	44:06
Label	Tzadik 8313
Producer	John Zorn
Abraxas chronology
Abraxas: Book of Angels Volume 19 (2012) Psychomagia (2014)
John Zorn chronology
The Hermetic Organ Vol. 2 (2014) Psychomagia (2014) The Alchemist (2014)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Free Jazz Collective	[2]

Martin Schray stated "these tracks are true Zorn compositions interwoven with Near Eastern melodies, western soundscapes and jazzy wackiness and Abraxas play these pieces with the abrasive, breathtaking energy of a monstrous jam session. The musicians never consider technical skills as ends in themselves, they always serve the compositions. Psychomagia is a High Mass for guitar freaks, fans of the music of Frank Zappa and for those who like the harsher sides of Bill Frisell and Marc Ribot".[2] New York Music Daily stated "On one hand, this album is so tuneful that fans of traditional surf music are going to love it; at the same time, it’s so deliciously evil in places that the most cynical Yo La Tengo diehards might be caught drooling".[3]

Track listing

All compositions by John Zorn

1. "Metapsychomagia" - 7:31
2. "Sacred Emblems" - 3:02
3. "Circe" - 6:03
4. "Squaring the Circle" - 5:51
5. "Celestial Mechanism" - 2:32
6. "Evocation of the Triumphant Beast" - 6:25
7. "Four Rivers" - 3:54
8. "The Nameless God" - 4:35
9. "Anima Mundi" - 4:14

Personnel

• Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz - bass
• Aram Bajakian, Eyal Maoz - guitar
• Kenny Grohowski - drums

References