Radio Massacre International - 1995 - Frozen North

1. Wrecks

2. What's the Point of Going to Crete?

3. Small Frozen North

4. Rosemary's Baby

5. Drown

6. Frozen North I

7. Frozen North IV

Among the myriad of berlin-school projects (many of which are solo), the tradition of jam-oriented bands (most notably exemplified by Tangerine Dream), still persists. The trio behind Radio Massacre International (Duncan Goddard, Gary Houghton, Deve Dinsdale) are particularly remarkable in their constant inventiveness, that perpetually captivates in a way that I think can only come out of jamming among deeply engaged, seasoned musicians.

Considering the fact that they have material that seems to go as far back as 1980 (under their DAS alias) I suppose it comes as no surprise that Radio Massacre International's debut "Frozen North" is already quite the masterpiece. You can hear a lush, masterful proficiency in their use of ambience, synth pads, guitar with pedal effects, and of course the sequential arps. They often don't start immediately with the berlin-school arps we all know and love right away, but in doing so the impression is so much more epic. The group opens our eyes to the possibilities of what can be done when all the right elements of a unique jam band come into play.

When the guitar comes in over the arps it creates a most compelling tour de force that seems to soar like a bird across a colorful ambient canvas. Perhaps most people are more familiar with the guitar's use in rock music but its use in berlin-school isn't unheard of (Ashra, Michael Rother), although in this case its accented in and out and not as much in the spotlight as the other leading melodies.

I can attest from my own experience that it is very hard to keep a group improvisation continually interesting, yet RMI's work excels in a way that pre-meditated composition can't. The experience of the musicians and their diverse skillsets with an intimately small collective to play off from seems to play into that advantage. It could also be because the albums are usually curated from much longer improv sessions, some full versions now being available Bandcamp (highly recommend 'Republic' and 'Borrowed Atoms').

Theres a range of different songs on here. The album starts off with some excellent straightforward bangers like 'Wrecks' and 'Whats the Point of Going to Crete', then diverges further into its icy theme with 'Small Frozen North' which has such beautiful shimmery pads. In the next track 'Rosemarys Baby' we seem to descend further into a dark magical realm through an ice cave that beckons us to go further. The pads give us an ominous quality before continuing on into the epic last 3 tracks of the record, which take up most of the album's running time.

It is as if we've emerged out the other end of the cave and we're outside in the frigid arctic expanse as we fly overhead. By "Frozen North I" the arps have picked up pace and its like we've caught an air current. The diverse range of impressions the album conveys is impressive. They seem able to give the impression of chaotic blizards, pristine clearings of sparkly powdered snow, and cold slippery glaciers or stalactites of glistening ice. In the later part of this album, elements of all things arctic are explored.

With the epic 40 minute closing track we enter into a realm that is perhaps more transcendental, abstract, not of this world and yet forged out of this vast icy landscape as if here the snow and ice finally reveal their hidden secrets to us. Here we have more abstract textural sounds, suggestive of bits of shiny particles of mist, followed by a deep glacial yawn that hints of an ancient geological majesty. About 15 minutes theres a building of momentum and we gradually seem to be brought back into the material plane, but with darker overtones than before. The deep tonality of the arp sequence sets a backdrop of rolling clouds, or perhapse a dive under the torrential arctic oceans of ever deepening indigo darkness. The dark gives way to a more lush, and serene direction around 28 minutes in, with wisps of steam-like percussion amon myriad of interesting textures and cosmic sound effects.

Radio Massacre International demonstrates an astonishing range of ability in terms of tone, melody, improvisation with the cohesion of a well crafted composition, tasteful use of effects, and proficiency in instrumentation both acoustic or electronic. Their past work throughout the 80s (DAS) seems to have paid off and they debut with one of my favorite berlin-scool records of all. Frozen North is epic in both its duration (clocking in at well over two hours) and content. The lengthier compositions don't seem to drag, managin to stay captivating throughout. For anyone new to berlin-school or all things kosmiche, I would highly recommend this. A prime example of the 90s at its peak, courtesy of record label Centaur Discs. 9/10

https://radiomassacreinternational.bandcamp.com/track/small-frozen-north

Ernst Schulze - 1971 - Paranoia Picknick

Ernst Schulze, vocalist and co-founder of superstar German rock group Ihre Kinder, made this curious debut in 1971. For the most part its a folk record. Kind of. Well, not really. Maybe it's because it's what im used to, or maybe its because a lot of folk is very centered around the stories and I'm unaccustomed to the German language (for now), but its the tracks that divege from the traditional format and are more experimental and psych rock I found to be most memorable.

A1 - Ich Sehe Immer Wieder Grün
A2 - Der Traumtänzer
A3 - Synthetischer Orient Nr. 1
A4 - Nur Ein Spanier
B1 - Kirchenlied
B2 - Kurt Mittag, 55, Staatenlos
B3 - XY
B4 - Paranoia Picknick
B5 - 10 Finger Blind  

First off, Schulze's vocal prowess is simply wonderful throughout. Sonny Henning's rhodes-esque piano totally rocks out with bassist Walti Schneider and guitarist Wolf Stumm in "Der Traumtänzer" (A2), which seems to be the only track on the LP to really rock out with the exception of "XY". And like the group Agitation Free from around the same time period, they explore some Middle Eastern influences in "Synthetischer Orient Nr. 1" (A3). The fourth track "Nur Ein Spanier" always stuck out to me with its intense energy, and Jack Grunsky's eerie, forlorn harmonica playing.

I feel like there's something lost in being unable to understand the German language, particularly in the somewhat more traditional sounding folk pieces on side B which sound like they might be rather story oriented (an issue I hope to rectify in the near future). The song "XY" is the other track that really rocks out, but more oriented towards Wolf Stumm's creamy-overdrive guitar and a sax player who is not credited.

The last two tracks are the really freaky experimental stuff I so much adore. Title track "Paranoia Picknick" is a haunted collage of voice recordings. "10 Finger Blind" is kind of industrial, almost Neubauten-esque. Overall its a diverse one of a kind record with such a variety of styles of composition. I'd definitely recommend this record to anyone looking for something a bit different in their quest for 70s psych and folk rock. 8/10

Dennis - 1975 - Hyperthalamus

Dennis, a supergroup with members from Xhol (Klaus Briest; b), Frumpy (Carola Kretschmer; gtr + Carsten Bohn; dr), Thirsty Moon (Michael Kobs; kb + Willi Pape; sax) and Ougenweide (Olaf Casalich; perc) made just one LP in 1975. The results were absolutely spectacular.

A1. Do Your Own Thing
A2. Others Do
A3. Already
B1. Grey Present Tense

One thing that makes Hyperthalamus so special for me is its pacing. While holding together as a six person line-up they form a sound that's refined and understated while still managing to be loose and laid back. The liquid-borders between a wide range of sections provide a psychedelic and disorienting experience.

The album opens with a musique concrete sound collage that flows into a serene and pastoral guitar with dreamlike atmosphere. Tracks A2 and A3 are more hard driving psych rock compositions.

The full sided last track 'Grey Present Tense' runs the whole gamut of artistic experimentation, going from chaotic and free-jazzy, into an almost jazz funk sort of jam, the keyboardists Manne Rörup and Michael Kobs playing off eachother like fire. The second half of the epic dissolves into a more subdued vibe with an excellent sax solo from Willi Pape that the rhodes sounding keyboard compliments really well. The rhodes keyboard later becomes a synthetic, almost squarewave sounding instrument that goes into a solo of its own, with interesting warbling effects, followed by some impressive drum playing from Carsten Bohn playing off the keyboard and bass.

I feel like this album is so well put together there's not even much to say. Its well paced and performed, with an undeniably kinetic chemistry between some very experienced veteran musicians, each contributing their own unique vision that compliments everyone else's. 9/10

Annexus Quam - 1970 - Osmose

 

A1. I
A2. II
A3. III
B1. IV

By 1970, minimalism and spontaneity were coming to fruition in pyschedelic culture. Rock was being incorporated into jazz more than ever, with bands like Grateful Dead applying simmilar cues and methods of playing off eachother, and jazz legends John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, and Wayne Shorter were dabbling in the psych rock projects of Weather Report and Mahavishnu Orchestra. Psych rock bands in Germany such as "Annexus Quam," "Ash Ra Tempel" or Peter Hamel's "Between" seemed to be exploring wider spaces and meditative drones, parallel with things happening in the minimalist scenes of San Francisco and New York.

This self-titled debut starts off with a slow build that opens with Hans Kämper blaring on the trombone. The pacing and time create a wide sense of depth. Perhaps it would have been nice to have a more extended exploration of this sound but instead the LP moves onto something more up beat. The instruments combine into a jam that seems to melt together along with the vocals which are mostly wordless, swelling in and out like the wind. The integration of various tapeloops with effects added seem to further heighten its sense of mystery. In part III, Harald Klemm's flute playing is absolutely gorgeous. The whole-sided part IV I found most interesting, with its slow jazz pacing that seems to come apart and fall back together again multiple times with interesting guitar effects. The spanish guitar and sax in the second half played by Hans Kämper and Ove Volquartz respectively are just gorgeous, ending with a slow arrhythmic jam that percolates with exotic percussion and plucked string.

Osmose isn't as out of the box as the likes of, say, Henry Cow but its sense of space, pacing, mood and atmosphere is downright compelling with its somber, almost haunted vibe. The structures to the compositions remain elusive and avoidant of hooks, melding into new sections with undescernable borders, not at all helped by the lack of song titles. Their creative approaches seem to demonstrate a sense of patience and intense focus that brings together an amorphous sense of form that's contributed by each instrument in almost perfectly equal measure, as there aren't even any solos or very many refrains. This is well worth the listen if you want to hear a good example of the more spacious and atmospheric sounds going on in 70s psych rock.

Peter Frohmader & Richard Pinhas - 1999- Fossil Culture

1. Fossil Culture 1
2. Fossil Culture 2
3. Fossil Culture 3
4. Fossil Culture 4
5. Fossil Culture 5
6. Fossil Culture 6
7. Fossil Culture 7

Prolific in their ongoing endeavours stretching as far back as the 70s, Peter Frohmader and Richard Pinhas (of Heldon) come together and create something very interesting. Released by experimental US label Cuneiform Records. Their expertise in electronic experimentation and manipulation of guitar distortion and sound layering are well demonstrated throughout this album, taking full advantage of the CD's 70+ duration.

A lot of what I really like about Fossil Culture is its pacing. They take their time with exploring a variety of interesting soundscapes, giving ample time for the synergy between the electronics and meticulous guitar manipulation to work their magic. It seems that perhaps these were the best takes of various jams they did together, as suggested by its creative spontaneity. The range of electronic elements from techno beaks to synthscapes is impressive and well mixed.

The tone, atmosphere, and overall mood comes off as very brisk, sometimes dark, and psychedelic. Track 4 has a very interesting mood that seems to descend into an abyss with dull flashes of light scattered by the plucking of a bass guitar and harmonic distortions and some interesting experiments with water.

Fossil Culture is very good at what it does, with a staggeringly huge breadth of electronic instruments and techniques. While it does work adequately as a gallery of what I presume are the best outtakes of various jams, it would have also been interested to see what these musicians could do together with a more coordinated approach to their song writing. I would love to see Frohmader and Pinhas get back together because I really think they were onto something here. 8/10

Munju - 1977 - High-Speed Kindergarten

A1. Kirschsuppe
A2. Fall Oslip
B1. Patschamenga Underground
B2. Talk to Me But I Listen to You  
B3. High Speed Kindergarten

Starting in Würzburg, Germany by ex-member of Missus Beastly Jürgen Benz (flute, sax), Munju is a really interesting Fusion band that takes on a number of influences and sounds. The percussion is very lush and intricate, with kind of an afro-beat style. The first track is written by Jürgen Benz who does some soulful Bobby Humphrey-esque flute playing, along with an excellent congo performance by Joseph Spector and guitar picking by Dieter Kaudel. They have a very fluid feel to them, the notes coming out like liquid. Benz goes on to masterfully switch between alto sax and flute in 'Fall Oslip.' Such a lovely harmony between the guitar around halfway in, and ending on a dark and atmospheric solo on the sax.

Thomas Römer demonstrates some real percussive chops in both 'Patschamenga Underground' and 'Talk to Me But I Listen to You' who is closely followed with precision by Specter's congos. Dieter Kaudel can also do a mean flamenco in 'Talk to Me But I Listen to You.'

'Talk to Me But I Listen to You' is an excellent funk composition with complex bass by Wolfgang Salomon, backed magnificently by Röme's drums, and some real shredding from Kaudel.

The last track starts off kind of slow jazz with a melodic prog, slightly Spanish feel to it, then goes into some goofy recording of a crowd of people, then returning back with a funky sort of groove. Not sure how well this experiment succeeds, but Benz does some great flute solos.

Hard to think of anything bad to say about this short 36 minute LP, as all 5 tracks are pretty solid and Jürgen Benz masters both the flute and the sax so well. I suppose, having heard more Fusion from this time, especially by '77, it's not the most groundbreaking original stuff ever, but its masterful at what it does. Its prog, its jazz, its funk, its afro-beat. There's a lot going on here. 8/10

Vágtázó Halottkémek - 1988 - A Halál Móresre Tanítása

I find it somewhat difficult to classify what genre the Hungarian band Vágtázó Halottkémek (Galloping Coroners) sounds like. I suppose I would just use the catch-all "psych rock" to describe them, but that's not quite it either, for there also seems to be somewhat of a hardcore punk type rawness to it. Vágtázó Halottkémek manage to tap into this sort of frantic primeval energy that almost makes me think of Viking battle music. At the same time it also has more cohesion in composition than, say, Acid Mothers Temple; the tracks feel pretty distinct from eachother. Chaotic "freakout" jams are something I'm very fond of and this band happens to do it very, very well.

1. Ki Vele, Az Istenért!
2. Ráébredek
3. Tárulj, Világ!
4. Mi Történt?
5. Élö Világegyetem  

 A Halál Móresre Tanítása is a whirlwind of chaos that varies with each track. The first track is perhaps the most chaotic, but even that maintains a certain pulse of some kind. Tracks 2 and 3 remind me of some of Hawkwind's more energetic jams. The way these songs are organized make it hard to articulate whats going on, and have this almost subconscious effect where the mind can't quite remember what's happening. Even so, it somehow keeps changing. There's this amazing part at the end of track 3 with tribal percussion, flutes, and a-melodic dronings. Track 4 is unusual from the rest, probably the most accessible, with a sort of catchy Gothic guitar hook that's kind of like something from The Cure or The Chameleons except with screaming and dissonance. The album closes with a relatively more chill vibe with acoustic guitar, verbed out vocals, and more primeval chanting. 

If you want coherency and catchy hooks, this album probably isn't for you. If you like strange music with noisy atmospheric jams this should be right up your alley. An excellent debut from an instrumentally eclectic band. 8/10