“Conqueror Worm” by Blue Sunshine is a Maximalist Free Jazz Blast of Ritualistic Processional Cinematic Noise

Blue Sunshine, photo courtesy the artist

Blue Sunshine’s “Conqueror Worm” blasts open with a cacophony of saxophones before receding to soft voices speaking in an almost conspiratorial chorus out of which emerges the parade of horns and chant-like vocals. Tortured screams join this procession of sound like the early Residents covering Magma. The song title is perhaps a reference to the 1968 folk horror film The Conqueror Worm starring Vincent Price as Matthew Hopkins who is appointed Witchfinder General by Cromwell to extract confessions from witcvhes throughout the countryside. The song has that kind of menace and intensity but cast in the form of a deconstruction of avant-garde free jazz into a conceptual, maximalist composition that is as sonically confrontational as it is challenging and fascinating. Listen to “Conqueror Worm” on Spotify and follow Blue Sunshine (a project name that is itself a reference to the 1978 psychedelic, cult science fiction horror film) at the links below. Blue Sunshine’s debut EP titled, appropriately enough, Folk Horror released on October 21, 2022 with physical editions on vinyl, cassette and CD.

Blue Sunshine on Instagram

Blue Sunshine on feralcuts.com

Blue Sunshine on YouTube