The Drum

The Drum Media 24 MAy 2005

Recent gigs by ARonas have shown the group to be one of the most tightly knit, inventive and infectious groove/instrumental bands to have emerged on the Sydney scene in recent history. The debut album, Culture Tunnels, is further evidence of this. With two drummers, Evan Mannell and Dave Hibbard, as well as percussionists Josh Green and bassist Dave Symes, there is an enormous diversity of rhythmic ideas, and the group draws everything, from dirty punk-rock sounds to earthy bluesy feels, to funk grooves. These are married with lyrical melodies, penned and played by young piano prodigy Aron Ottignon, and, most importantly delivered with a fresh, intense energy and unity of sound. Every song is a journey, and there is that constant and most satisfying feeling of not quite knowing where the players will next take their ideas. Simple motifs are explored with the emphasis on subtlety of feel, and then build into frezied vigorous jams.

From the opening track ‘Burn For Me’, which is based around a commanding., Pacific-inspired drum groove – and features some virtuosic playing from Ottignon – to the closing one, the spacious, laid back and beautifully melodic Ai Leik Et, Culture Tunnels is all compelling listening.

Jasemine Crittendon