Making their first appearance in 2007 with The Other Side of the Island, it felt like The Stargazer’s Assistant would just be a one-off. Luckily, David Smith, David Knight, and Michael J. York found something worth revisiting through the drone and ambient layers of their early release. Returning with their third record since 2016 in Fire Worshipper, The Stargazer’s Assistant continues to explore realms that live in the in-between. This is the most alluring quality of this trio, their ability to be informed by tradition, and yet completely open up to exploration.
On the exploratory side, it is the lineage of Coil that defines Fire Worshipper. Like amorphous tentacles, it approaches with “Agni,” settling into an astral scenery. At times it can have a minimal touch, as with the slow and deep synthesizers of “Agneya.” But, there is also a more expressive form, becoming obtrusive with “Re-Atum.” The sounds become piercing and more nuanced, shedding away their earlier formless element, and constructing a sharp, crystalline maze of sonic artifacts. It is a pathway into the stars, which is eventually transformed into an alien message, lost in transmission from a faraway world. “Odqan” sees this representation, as electronic bleeps and slight glitches map out these beautiful, unknown territories.
Yet, as much as their gaze is looking outwards, the trio does not lose touch with a more humane history. “Shamash” first toys with this idea, as the distant, abstracted folk spirit is evoked through flute sounds. It feels like they are still coming from some great beyond, placed amongst the musique concrete scenery. In a more discordant fashion, the bagpipes of “Shango” further affirm this folk spirit, opening up the doors towards ecstasy. This is when the tribal approach comes in to capitalize, either in the eventual evolution of “Shango” or in a deeper sense with the record’s opus “Shalman.” In its 14-minute-long run, the track perfectly encapsulates the spiritual backdrop of The Stargazer’s Assistant. The meticulous and patient build-up, the circular progression, and the repetitive mantras, all work together to create a primal, bacchian dance that traverses the darkest corners of world music.
As Fire Worshipper unfolds, it is striking to see how The Stargazer’s Assistant have achieved equilibrium across multiple dimensions. This is a work capable of navigating both through light and darkness, and one that is informed by tradition without losing its experimental self. And to do all this while retaining a great flow across the 40 minutes of this record, now that is not an easy feat.
