This was the last CAN album to feature the great Damo Suzuki and remains my personal favourite. It is a much more ephereal work than Tago mago or Ege Bamyasi, excellent albums both. Future days contains only four tracks, Future days, Spray, Moonshake and Bel Air but it holds a wealth of beauty within.
Suzukis vocals appear even more detatched and dream like, and the CAN core maintain a reserved pulsing brilliance. Moonshake is one of the most arresting tracks I have ever heard and once heard feels like you have known it for ever. Michael karoli plays the finest guitar riffs i have ever heard and its all so understated.
There is a deeply ambient feel to this album but in a good way, and it stands up well to repeated listening. Like the best of CAN, the more you listen the more you hear, even the mammoth Bel Air is stuffed full of mysterious passages. Word is that while the band were ensconced in their Inner Space recording studio embarking on those massive jams the heating system malfunctioned slowly gassing the band.
Future Days has a timeless quality to it, if it were released next year it would not be out of place. It conjures up a very vivid inner landscape in the listener, the title track hints at great optimism and wonder and is Damo at his strangest humane best.
I love the way the great CAN albums appear colour coded, Tago Mago is orange, Ege Bamyasi green and Future Days a deep cobalt blue, the colour to be found on some strange exo planet orbiting a far off star.
The musicianship is flawless without being overwhelming or showy, Michael Karolis guitar is one of rocks true joys to behold and Jaki Liebezeits drumming is of the very highest order, Future Days may appear effortless but this is surely a tribute to the unique combination of people and their absolute commitment to music without commercial consideration.
Many believe that this was the end of the golden age of CAN, I deeply love all their music but understand its not for everyone, Future Days is a great introduction to this truly unique band, listen, enjoy ‚repeat.