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

Embryo - 1970 - Opal

A1. Opal
A2. You Don't Know What's Happening
A3. Revolution
A4. Glockenspiel
B1. Got No Time
B2. Call
B3. End of Soul
B4. People from Out the Space

Embryo is a band from Munich, Germany, exploring an eclectic range of styles, from jazz-rock to prog, to psychedelic jams with elements of blues to some middle eastern influences. All of which can be readily discerned just by the first two tracks. The two founding members are Christian Burchard (keyboard? possibly bass [by logic of reduction....the specific instruments don't seem to be formerly credited]) and Edgar Hofmann (sax). The other two members who are credited are John Kelly (guitar) and Ralph Fischer (vocals).

Along with their diversity, the four-piece blends perfectly together to create a diverse range of compositions that manage to be both concise and spontaneous, with the excellent and strange blaring of Edgar Hofmann's saxophone. This groundbreaking album was released on the ever-amazing Ohr, home to countless big names in German psychedelia right up there with the label Brain.

I'll avoid going into the specifics of each composition as I think the tracks will speak for themselves. Ralph Fischer's charming lament for the death of soul in 'End of Soul' is rather poignant considering his brief affiliations with Xhol Caravan. The LP is rather short but makes the best use of its time with seemingly no filler whatsoever, keeping the listeners attention from start to finish. Nothing more to say other than just fantastic jams, composition, and sax playing. 9/10

Et Cetera - 1971 - Et Cetera

Et Cetera's self-titled LP is the first album under this respective alias, and the second album by Wolfgang Dauner, whose project formerly went by Wolfgang Dauner Group. They are a talented group using many exotic instruments that blend together in a way that seems somehow chaotically organized.

A1 - Thursday Morning Sunrise
A2 - Lady Blue
A3 - Mellodrama 2a
B1 - Raga
B2 - Milkstreets

There's a variety of instruments used in this album, which are unfortunately uncredited. From the start you can hear the strange guitar-like instrument played by Dauner, whose existence I've been able to ascertain from the live footage. Thursday Morning Sunrise is challengingly atonal, going in and out of a coherent meter. The drum playing I think is  very remarkable, creating strange shapes with a sense of rhythm I can only compare to experimental jazz drumming. Lady Blue is a well written psychedelic spoken word accompanied by a haunting chorus.

After that theres a relatively brief interlude of the more conventional jam 'Mellodrama 2a' before jumping into the second epic 'Raga.' Less chaotic and more spacious than Thursday Morning Sunrise, it features even more wide an array of exotic instruments and percussion with a sitar that ties everything together. The album closes with the altogether meter-less Milkstreets, showcasing more of the drummer's dynamic rhythmic abilities.

Although the music doesn't go far beyond the realm of what appears to be mostly pure spontaneity, Et Cetera's self-titled release is wonderfully strange.They are talented musicians whose dynamic abilities with straddling the line between order and chaos are sufficiently interesting for the duration of this LP. 8/10

Circle - 2004 - Golem / Vesiliirto

Circle is a newer psych jam band from Finland, whom I've always found to be consistently interesting and adventurous throughout their career. From what I've heard so far, Golem / Vesiliirto still remains my favorite.

Disc 1
1. Salamander Sword
2. Matka
3. Destination Thunder
4. True Incubus from Beyond
5. At War with Mercy
6. Forbidden Steel Patriot

Disc 2
1. Korahteleva Haapa
2. Tuliset Miekat Käsissä
3. Kavaljeeri
4. Neljä Kolkkaa
5. Haulikko Ja Kivääri
6. Skanner / Lähetys

I like it when music can confound my brain and make me wonder "how did they make that?" The opening track Salamander Sword sounds that way to me. It's got a mysterious vibe that changes slightly each time I hear it as if gazing into a crystal ball. The vocals are hypnotic and shout on into space, with the clanking of strange machinery boiling under the surface backed by a vague hint of strings. This whole album has such an interesting vibe that is dreamlike or a depiction of the subconscious, with really good use of electronic/sound layering. As can often be the case with Circle, it's questionable what distinguishes the tracks from each other, so I would mostly recommend this to people who like jam bands, but want some really far out. Track 5 on Disc 1 goes into some almost industrial territory, with its cacophonous sound effects. The end of Disc 1 clears up into more quiet folky minimal territory with Forbidden Steel Patriot.

The interplay between the guitar, synth, and drums on the second track of Disc 2 is rhythmically interesting, in a way that sort of reminds me of Can. The album evolves into a complex rhythmic syncopation in track 3, having a sort of serialized Morse Code quality to it. Not sure what time signature its in. After that the album seems to dissolve back into the strange audio soup we heard in disc 1. It leads in with track 4, but by track 5 its somewhat stranger and more intense this time, verging into an almost Caroliner Rainbow level of insanity: gremlins whispering nonsense into your ear, synthesizers going in and out of coherence and incoherence. The second half of the song levels out into a jam that's pretty nice but I also wish they would have stayed with the chaos in the first half. The final track is the longest. It keeps the overall vibe of the album going with nothing particularly memorable about it other than just being a really awesome jam, as is per usual with Circle.

Its interesting how the first disc (Golem) is live while the second (Vesiliirto) is studio, which does make sense, especially considering the complexity of tracks 2 and 3 on Vsiliirto. They created a most unique vibe that underlies the whole thing while peppering in a variety of other experiments along the way. Its long and meandering, but makes for one hell of a unique trip. Its not the most meticulously crafted project, but there's simply nothing quite like it. 8/10

Ardo Dombec - 1971 - Ardo Dombec

A1. Spectaculum
A2. Supper Time
A3. A Bit Near the Knuckle
A4. Clean Up Sunday
B1. Downtown-Paradise-Lost
B2. Oh, Sorry
B3. 108
B4. Unchangeable Things?!

Ardo Dombec are an obscure 4-piece progressive jazz/blues rock group that only made one release off the Pilz record label. Less on the spectrum of fast or freeform jams, the songs are a lot more tightly written. Helmut Hachmann's sax and Harald Gleu's vocals are the two main spotlights for this album; each are excellent at what they do.

There's nothing particularly unique about this album. They just REALLY know how to get down, and it has memorable song writing. My favorite track by far is 'A Bit Near the Knuckle' which is perfect in every way, easily switching between normal and half time. The sax riding beautifully over everything, and Wolfgang Spillner's simple but excellently backing drums, and some of my favorite German psych rock vocals.

I try to avoid using this adjective, but 'Clean Up Sunday' has the most undoubtedly Jethro Tull-esque flute soloing. It's very well done though. The song is more spacious than the previous tracks, with a sweet backing bassline. Halfway through is a nice little guitar solo followed by some verbed out acapella that seems kind of abrupt? The song continues with this whole other kind of jam that at first doesn't seem to fit but manages to seamlessly go right back to the previous section.

'Downtown Paradise Lost' showcases Harald Gleu's harmonica blues playing which is pretty ok. 'Oh 
Sorry' is another goofy little oh-no-your-record-got-scratched prank. Eh, woulda been better without it. '108' is some pretty laid back acoustic guitar accompanied by flute. I guess by this point I redact my statement about their consistently tight song writing. The last track is solid but still not as memorable as some of the earlier tracks.

This LP is alright, but doesn't manage to capture quite as amazing a momentum as 'A Bit Near the Knuckle' which is what I will always remember it for. The b-side tracks just seem more like padding compared to the a-side. Its far from perfection but there's some good jams in here. 7/10

Emeralds - 2009 - Serpent Bodies

1. Hanged Man
2. Keep Watching the Skies
3. March of the Mule
4. Strange Love

I now draw attention to a psychedelic project with the involvement of a local friend, Seattle band Emeralds (NOT to be confused with the drone artist of the same name) who released this EP in 2009 through the funky alcohol and multimedia-infused label "ggnzla RECORDS". This short release manages to carve its own niche into the musical pantheon somewhere between Hawkwind and Uriah Heep, picking up from where the fantastical realm of 70s Heavy Metal and Hard Rock left off. From this vintage sound they expand upon new possibilities through more contemporary eyes, with heavier distortion, a more sinister energy, and an effortless shuffle thorough different flavors of fast and slow, good and evil, harmony and dissonance.
In The Hanged Man, the vocalist washes over the chaos, integrating as another instrument instead of taking spotlight; a hallmark of doom metal's extension from Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer. Yet it doesn't remain content with just being any one of these things, which becomes even more apparent with the second track 'Keep Watching the Skies': a short but energetic and melodically complex tune in which the keyboard plays off the backing guitar really well, and the lead guitar soars but for a couple of measures in regal ecstasy.

'March of the Mule' goes even heavier with the melodic distortion, charging onward to the steady but powerful marching cadence of the drummer, giving way into a psychedelic explosion of high energy that breaks down into a more spacious prog rock realm of "epic-epicness". The way in which the guitar, synth and bass integrate so perfectly with the ferocious beast of a drummer make this perhaps my favorite track on the EP.

The EP ends with the massive and atmospheric 'Strange Love'; a more psych rock oriented tune with verbed-out vocals that seem to channel a strange and mysterious fairy tale vibe. A suitable closer with a sense of both finality and the onward journey for cosmic truth. This EP manages to pack a lot of content for its short duration, and with a ferocious intensity that demonstrates a wide and proficient knowledge of psychedelic rock and roll.

Zweistein - 1970 - Trip / Flip Οut / Meditation

Well, this one's quite the oddity. It took me a couple tries of listening to find the right headspace for this sort of thing. The majority of it appears to be various acapella experiments from vocalist Suzanne Doucet with occasional guitar accompaniment. It was a 3xLP release that apparently came with a mirror in the center part of the cover (seems to have fallen off from most surviving copies). Presumably, each of the three records are sectioned as "Trip (In / Out) / Flip Out (Wrong/Right) / Meditation (Point / Circle)", with every track being full-sided containing various movements.

LP A/B: Trip (In / Out)
A1. Beginning
A2. Analysis of Tune
A3. To Hear Inside
A4. A Very Simple Song

B1. Misty Tour
B2. Water Sound
B3. Television
B4. Organ Dreams (A Very Simple Song)

LP C/D: Flip Out (Wrong / Right)
C1. Childrens' Golden Garden
C2. To Become a Child
C3. Children's Golden Garden

D1. Everything Returns
D2. Indian Child
D3. The Theory of Relativity

LP E/F: Meditation (Point / Circle)
E1. Atomical Fantasy (Electronic)
E2. Incarnation
E3. Childhood's Church
E4. Life Train
E5. Dream of Love and Death
E6. Atomical Fantasy

F1. A Verdi's Soul Born Again
F2. Mind Beat
F3. Himalaya's Way
F4. Heaven Bridge
F5. Out of Time
F6. Atomical Fade Out


In Depth

I would say the first 10 or so minutes (A1 and A2?) of this album seem deceptively insubstantial compared to everything else, picking up almost immediately by the second half of side A (In) with some interesting guitar experiments. Side B (Out) has all these strange watery vocal effects and psychedelic synth organ drones.

The second LP "Flip Out" goes right into more crazy vocal experimentation, including lots of pitched up chattering reminiscent of Pink Floyd's "Ummagumma." The second side (Right) has more intense experiments with field recordings of various kinds of voices, starting off with what sounds like a rollercoaster filled with people speeding through an enormous cold and empty metal chamber. There are a couple parts to Right that are even straight-up noise. The second half of Right, into more high pitched voices reminiscent of the previous side (Wrong), with strange hypnotic singing.

I really like the start of Meditation: Point, which I presume to be Atomical Fantasy (Electronic). More of those bird like synth noises reminiscent of Morton Subotnik. I felt pretty bored from the sections after that one, which sounds like random percussion banging and someone who doesn't know how to play recorder and accordion. I acknowledge examples of non-musicians such as Cosi Fanni Tutti's trumpet playing in TG. I guess it's all subjective as to when such things are enjoyable, and I'm not sure if I can give a consistent answer as to why and when I'm into something like that. The second half of Point has some pretty cool atmospheric musique concrète, followed by more silly recorder noodling, random baroque organ, and more accordion drones which are kind of cool at times. This LP side started out promising but mostly lost my interest by the second half, with occasional redeeming elements here and there.

By the final LP side (Circle) I feel pretty uninterested. More percussion banging without variation, just a straight beat and not a particularly interesting texture that doesn't stop for the first 7 minutes, over more random accordion and organ noodling. At around 7:30 there's some guitar plucking. It's slow, and seems like it would be cool if I was anticipating some epic buildup, but knowing there will be no payoff, no lead up to any sort of coherent progression I find that I just don't care. The strumming remains pretty much the same with little variation before going into some other random section of field recording and recorder. Now I mostly just feel relieved that the album is almost over. I do like the section at around 13 minutes, that has shingles and more of those bird synths noises. It really seemed like there was potential here for a really far out LP, but this just isn't it. Most of the time it seems there's little thought put into how these sounds are presented, given little to no melodic or rhythmic variation, any interesting elements being almost incidental. Perhaps I just don't see what she sees in these experiments.



Overall

Whether you find this album enjoyable all depends on your threshold for prolonged minimal sound experiments, primarily vocals, accordion, recorder, and organ. If you have the patience for modern classical artists like John Cage, or liked Pink Floyd's "Ummagumma", Mike Patton's "Adult Sounds for Voice", the original Amon Düül, or maybe John and Yoko's "Unfinished Music No. 1-2" this is right up your alley. It was a challenge to get through with occasional payoff. It seems like it tries to come off as a highly conceptualized experiment but instead falls flat, sounding random, amateur, and limited in its scope and understanding of avant-garde musical possibilities. It is kind of neat that a mostly conventional pop singer would want to go far out and do something like this, but perhaps if she'd applied herself a little more or learned some instruments instead of what sounds to be like a collage of noises quickly thrown together it could have been more interesting. But on the other hand, maybe there's also a place for amateur stream of consciousness experiments like this too. You decide. 4/10

Dom - 1972 - Edge of Time

Despite its unassuming cover, Dom's 'Edge of Time' is a very interesting and well done LP. They were a 4 piece, who only put this out in the early 70s. It's very thought out and well put together with many different sections. It has only 4 tracks but all are pretty long and make every minute count.

1. Introitus
2. Silence
3. Edge of Time
4. Dream

The album has a nice dreamy quality to it, with excellent use of acoustic guitar over organ drones, as well as many out of this world synth textures. I really like the wispy magical quality to 'Silence' with the whispers and moans of the vocals, and how they meld into the hypnotic organ during the first section. The next section has some REALLY awesome tape experimentations that sound like an aircraft, with a flute playing over it while the guitar just slowly plucks away. The combination of sounds here works amazingly well, creating a mood that's hard to describe. A truly unforgettable piece.

This isn't the first time German psychedelic rock has reminded me of industrial. Especially with their early experimention in sound effects and tape loops. The title-track starts with this mesmerizing combination of the eeriest soundscapes over a wavering organ. It then goes into this slow acoustic jam that seems to float over this strange and evil soundscape. When it picks up with the drums, the synth makes this incredible harmonic buzzing noise that's hard to describe. The female vocals are a nice touch, and I dig the spoken word. And the flute near the end is great too.

The last track goes totally off the rails with chaotic dissonance for about 1 minute. After that is a nice progression of acoustic guitar and a sustained synth pad, backed by some excellent bass guitar. It's probably the most jam oriented section of the whole album and they do it really well, although the creative decision to suddenly cut it off at about the 5 minute mark into something entirely different is kind of strange. The section after that sounds like dissonant xylophone noodling and all manner of exotic cymbal hits, some prepared piano, and a timpani (perhaps this being where they fiddled around with the studio's on-hand equipment. just a hunch). It's a much more random seeming piece than tracks 2 and 3, which are by far the standouts on this album.

Dom incorporates a number of great folk elements without quite falling into the category of folk itself. It's very concisely organized while maintaining a mood that is both mellow and uneasy at the same time. There's really no other sound quite like it. It's not particularly long but it makes its point effectively with memorable parts especially in tracks 2 and 3, although 1 and 4 are alright as well. 7/10

Agitation Free - 1973 - 2nd

In Agitation Free's first album they did laid back psych rock jams with middle eastern influences, kind of reminding me of Caravan's first LP. But their second LP '2nd' is a whole other story.

The band started out with a tumultuous, ever-changing line-up that didn't start to settle until around 1971. As such, the two remaining members from the band for the recording of '2nd' are bassist Michael Günther and guitar/bouzouki player Lutz Ulbrich (he played a zither in the previous LP). The other three members are Stefan Diez on guitar, Burghard Rausch on drums, and Michael Hoenig on synth.

greek guitar 'Bouzouki'

A1. First Communication
A2. Dialogue and Random
A3. Laila Part I
A4. Laila Part II
B1. In the Silence of the Morning Sunrise
B2. A Quiet Walk
     a) Listening
     b) Not of the Same Kind
B3. Haunted Island

One thing I favor highly in an album is diversity, and 2nd has a lot of it. Far-out synthscape and intricate guitar melodies will be found all throughout. It starts with the delightful and highly accessible epic 'First Communication.' From there it gets a lot stranger. Whereas 'First Communication' was mostly this complex and melodically lush prog rock piece, the next track 'Dialogue and Random' is a strange synth-only experiment reminiscent of Morton Subotnik. Short but sweet. It kicks off right back into some prog rock awesomeness with Laila. I especially like the groovy bass playing in Part II. In the Silence of the Morning Sunrise is this moody, almost noir attitude groove, and featuring awesome synth bird sounds near the end.

A Quiet Walk is a real oddity. Sparse and eerie, with all kinds of awesome "haunted house" synth noises that goes into a fast rhythm guitar heavy thing in the second half (indeed its called 'Not the Same Kind'). The closing track Haunted House is extremely interesting. There is no way I can adequately describe the vibe to it, but it's something that's really one of a kind. And the way in which the album leads up to it as a closer only serves to add to its sense of mystery. It's one of those songs that grows on you with each new listen.

2nd is an example of the more adventurous 70s rock groups who treated their LP as a thematic "artpiece" to be taken in as a whole, with the concise use of each element, reminiscent of Faust. It's something to mull over, something that commands full attention. And it changes meaning/significance after each playthrough. I highly enjoy albums that are capable of doing that for me. 9/10

Novalis - 1973 - Banished Bridge

Banished Bridge is a synth-heavy prog album that, although not especially ground breaking, is very dear to me in its raw emotion which I find somewhat reminiscent to Eloy. In this debut, Novalis was a four piece consisting of Heino Schünzel (bass), Hartwig Biereichel (drums),  Lutz Rahn (synth), and Jürgen Wenzel (vocals and guitar). It consists of the epic whole-sided title-track, followed by three shorter ones on side B.

A - Banished Bridge
B1 - High Evolution
B2 - Laughing
B3 - Inside of Me (Inside of You)


Listening to these songs again conjure up past memories in a way I don't commonly experience with other records; A time when I was newer to the various styles of 70s prog. This style doesn't seem to have blues or classical influences so much as much soul and gospel, which works especially well with Lutz Rahn's keyboard playing.

The title-track Banished Bridge is an epic 17 minute piece consisting of many sections, which can be somewhat divided into two identical halves. The bird field recording in the opening is such a great touch, and Jürgen Wenzel's vocals seem to just soar through like a bird by the 2:20 mark, in almost a whisper that reminds me of Pink Floyd's 'Green is the Color' (feeling a sense of déjà vu with this comparison?). The intro goes until around 3:30, when the two-halved sequence begins. Here you can hear Lutz Rahn multi-layering what I think to be three synths together in such a gorgeous way, giving way to this awesome in breakdown. The lack of guitar in no way leaves Novalis' empty sounding in Lutz Rahn's driving performance on multiple keyboards, with spot-on precision and emotion. There's also a great choir piece around 10 minutes in, reminding me of Amon Düül II's 'Yeti' but perhaps more powerful and focused. These are musicians with a direct motive and a means of executing them effectively, in contrast to Amon Düül II's more jam oriented endeavors.

It's hard to express the way I feel towards the next song, High Evolution, one of my favorite 70s psych/prog songs of all time. It evokes in me an anxious sense of mortality and existential wandering. The circular nature of existence that comes with time and age. There is something incredible of about the frantic hyper-arpeggiation of the synth, with the dazed and verbed-out existential musings of Jürgen Wenzel. Really wish I could look at what the official lyrics were because they sound incredibly interesting. But anyway, it's an incredibly tight prog rock masterpiece, each sectioning fitting so well into eachother, and in creative ways. I absolutely adore the backing vocalists. The mixing is perfectly balanced, with just the right level of effects.

The third track Laughing never made as big an impression on me compared with the other ones, not to say it's particularly less good, but in how the other ones deeply effected me emotionally, whereas Laughing is more compositionally interesting. It features some soulful keyboard soloing that really rock out and very tight acoustic guitar by Jürgen Wenzel. Laughing doesn't come at me in the raw, immediately sort of way the other tracks did, but it's just as complicated and interesting, and I admire it no less for being that way. Novalis are very tight with their sections, every part exactly where it needs to be for the right amount of time, and impressively this track is no exception. One could argue it's the most complex song on Banished Bridge.

The closing finale, Inside of Me (Inside of You) takes it's sweet time to built up to what (for me) is the most emotionally rapturous and soulful part of the album. Once again I wish I could read what the official lyrics were, because I adore Jürgen Wenzel voice and like the bits of phrases I can make out (I've never been particularly good at hearing out words in music very well). There is something emotionally pure, direct, and uplifting about the keyboard's church organ playing, its effectiveness somehow residing in its simplicity, with its bright and bold major-sounding chords. The brief rock-out ending in the last 15 seconds makes for a nice touch as well.

I don't know if this album is for everyone. I'm not sure who exactly I'd recommend this to. If synth-heavy psychedelia isn't your bag, this may not be your thing, although I might still implore you to give it a try anyway, for the uniquely talented synth-layering methods of Lutz Rahn's playing. And keep in mind that Novalis's precise playing is not like the more open-ended, jammed-out soloing that most psych rock is associated with. Some people I've shown this record to have complained about the shrillness of the organ sound, but it's something I've always personally liked about that instrument so that was never an issue for me. I've always regarded it as one of my most precious finds within 70s psych/prog realm. It's one of those LP's I keep going back to, luring me with its roller coaster of existential as well as uplifting rawness, clarity, and excellent musicianship, as well as its short/concise length of around 37 minutes. I would give this an "objective" 8/10 for its excellent musicianship but not particularly groundbreaking sound, and a "personal" 9/10 for its emotional resonance with me.

PS: It has a curiously inconspicuous album cover, in a style that reminds me of Arvo Pärt and Organum.

Brainstorm - 1972 - Smile a While

Brainstorm is this amazing jazz/prog rock band I stumbled upon through Spiegelei's catalogue. They are a four piece with Rainer Bodensohn on vocals/flute/bass, Roland Schaeffer on just about everything looks like, Joachim Koinzer on drums, and Eddy von Overheidt on Piano. It is one of the more intense, high energy prog albums I've heard, with Joachim Koinzer's excellent drum skills leading the way through.

1. Das Schwein Trügt
2. Zwick Zwick
3. Watch Time Flow By
4. Bosco Biati Weiß Alles
     a) Bosco Biati
     b) Weiß
     c) Alles

5. Snakeskin Tango 6. Smile a While     a) Intro     b) Brainstorm     c) These     d) Antithese     e) Morning Tune     f) Smile a While 7. You Are What's Gonna Make it Last 8. Don't Forget

The first two tracks start with a bang: incredibly dense, heavily percussive sections. The third track being a short flute intensive interlude, followed by "Bosco Biati Weiß Alles" which starts very sax intensive, a nice drum solo in the middle, and then in Part C these almost bossa nova style vocals that harmonize with the guitar.

I love the crazy vocals in Snakeskin Tango. Brainstorm can really cut loose on a tight, high concept level of instrumentation. The epic 15 minute title-track is perhaps the best example of this, where they rock out really hard. A well crafted epic showcasing the talents of a tight group with wide ranging skills.

The last song, You Are What's Gonna Make It Last is the shorter, more radio friendly song on the album. Even in the context of a quaint psych blues rock ditty, I think they really kick ass, complete with short-but-sweet guitar solo.

Not much else to say. Smile a While is brain candy for the Prog Rock enthusiast, with a diverse range of instrumentation and rhythmically complex ideas. Highly recommended. 9/10

A.R. & Machines - 1972 - Echo

Echo was the last  of the two albums Achim Reichel did with The Machines before going solo, and it's one of my favorite jam oriented psych-rock albums ever. It is an epic 2xLP consisting of only four very long tracks (if you count tracks 2 & 3 as the same, since they are kind of a continuation of each other). Music is written by Achim Reichel, who did a lot of the instruments although it's not clear to me which ones exactly. Guitar is credited Helmuth Franke, drums by Tarrach, sax by Jochen Peterson, jew's harp by Arthur Carstens, clarinet by Norbert Jacobson, vocals by Conny Plank, Klaus Schulze (!!!), and Matti Klatt. Lyrics written by Frank Dostal. The record was released by big-time label Polydor. For better ease of reference I have chosen to list the track names and sections by their English translation:

1. Invitation
     a) Invitation
     b) To New Adventures
     c) In the Magic Forest of the 7 Senses
     d) In the Labyrinth of the Mind
     e) At the Waltz of the Inclinations
     f) Under the Black-Green-Red Banner
     g) International Anthem

2a. The Echo of the Presence
     a) Awakening On the Shore
     b) In Front of the House at the Growing Mountain
     c) Signal
     d) Knowledge is Spring in Autumn
     e) Iron-Laura with the Lyra

2b. The Echo of Time
     f) I am Astonished
     g) On the Sledge
     h) To the Echo of Time
     i) Down the Rainbows
     j) Through Feelable, Measurable Nothing
     k) Eternal Farewell On Lilac Ardour

3. The Echo of the Future
     a) Suspicions
     b) At the Dance of the Electrical Winds
     c) Before the Birth of a New Dimension
     d) Interstellar Communications
     e) The Opening of the Big Gate
     f) The Dream of Balance

4. The Echo of the Past
     a) Memories of the Day After Tomorrow
     b) Ab Libido
     c) Ego Lego
     d) Burns Like a Light at the End of a Tunnel

I have sort of a hard time telling which section is which. It would probably be easier if I could see the vinyl grooves. The album starts off with some psychedelic guitar layering, accompanied by this interesting watery sound and drums mixed rather low. By the 5:30 mark of Invitation the guitar fades out with just the watery noises, giving way to glass clinks and vocal mumbling; a very psychedelic and disorienting collage of sound without rhythm, punctuated by bass diddling. At around 6:40 the rhythm guitar comes back on in full force. The way it plays off the bass, and with the synth backdrop gives off this desolate feel that seems to pull on ones heart strings. Also some excellent strings and flute whose performances appear to be uncredited (done my Achim Reichel himself possibly?). Achim Rachel demonstrates a gift for writing these liquid compositions, with each section sort of melding into the next. On one hand it's like a jam, but paying closer attention it seems pretty well thought out. I would be curious to know the creative process behind it. After desolation comes the sound of wind accompanied by Jochen Peterson's sax. By this time the synth (wind) has taken over, mixed louder than the rest. The amount of layering in these compositions show the meticulous work that must have been done in the mixing process. By around 12:10 of Invitation the drums pick up with a touch of phaser effect that accompanies the wind sounds. The song crescendos into an awesome guitar jam-out (section f?). It ends with some very strange acappella and other dissonant sounds.

More meticulous guitar layering in "The Echo of the Present" that is absolutely gorgeous. I'm guessing Achim Reichel does the picking, with Helmuth Franke on backing rhythm. The album continues with this wispy sort of vibe. By around 3:50 we hear the first vocals, which I think are done rather well (4 people are credited with vocals so I have no idea which person it is). I love the incredibly psychedelic synth craziness that comes in at around 6:20. Even though I can't tell which section is which, I think that's a good thing in this case, because everything flows together perfectly. This album sounded like a freeform jam my first listen, but now it seems fairly laid out and purposeful to me. Echo demonstrates such an impressive amount of control in every respect, with the most cutting edge proficiency in effects and synth crafting. The second track ends with some awesome electronic drones.

The other tracks stick relatively well to a similar collage of ambient soundscapes, trippy guitar, krautrock buildups and sample manipulations. Skipping over to the last track, the album closes with "The Echo of the Present." Some very emotional interplay between the vocals and the sax, giving way to a rather silly acappella discourse around 4 minutes in, incoherent caveman noises reminiscent of the original Amon Düül. Not gonna lie, it's a bit of a jarring, unexpected transition. This is the point where the album really diverges stylistically and takes on a much lighter tone which goes on until an absolutely abrupt transition at around 12:50. The next section had dramatic sounding strings with some spoken word over it. I really don't know what to make of this closing track. The sections feel way more stitched together, a total farcry from the liquid brilliance of the previous tracks. It somewhat makes up for this with the awesome ambient section 16 minutes in, but for the most part ends up sabotaging whatever momentum that Echoes could have culminated into. I think if the acappella silliness could have been replaced by something that could transition better into this beautiful last session the album could have been close to perfect. However, considering the fact that there's over an hour of well crafted psychedelia throughout this whole LP, I can't complain too much.

The controlled jamming and mixing reminds me of the Walter Wegmüller's Tarot, which was mentioned previously in this blog. There's expertly done field recording manipulations, guitar effects, and trippy soundscapes throughout the whole thing. Achim Reichel demonstrates himself to be a real sonic visionary in the psychedelic rock genre, molding and coordinating these compositions into shapes seldom realized. Echos is very thematic in how the tracks aren't dramatically different from each other stylistically. One could argue that its excessively long, perhaps downright indulgent with the closing track, but for the most part adds to its sense of immersion. A real one of a kind LP which would have been near perfect had the final track not been such a letdown. 8/10

Sub - 1971 - In Concert

At a Glance

Originally released in 1971 by Italian rock/pop label Help!, 'In Concert' was later re-released by Penner Records, Mayfair Music, and Garden of Delights. Sub, is a 5 piece hailing from Munich, Germany and consists of Christian Wilhelm on vocals, Klaus Kätel on guitar, Peter Stimmel on bass, Johannes Vester on keyboard, and Lutz Ludwig on drums. Aside from a 7 inch release in 1969 by Rex Records, this looks to be the only thing Sub ever put out.

A1. Substhin I (18:17)
B1. Off (3:56)
B2. Substhin II (2:35)
B3. Gimme Some Lovin' (3:53)
B4. Ma-Mari-Huana (4:52)
B5. Match I (2:25)
B6. Match II (2:32)

The Skinny

I really did not know what to expect coming into this album. Although Discogs.com categorizes it primarily as Hard Rock, I think Psychedelic is more accurate in this case. As you can see, it starts off with the whole-sided epic "Substhin I." Listeners beware if you don't like 'synth noodling.' I happen to like that sort of thing so it doesn't bother me (lucky for you it's only in this track). Their psych-blues style is reminiscent of Satin Whale's debut, but perhaps more rugged and not as academic. Substhin I is alright, showcasing each musician but I found it rather indistinct.

I think the stuff after Side A is where 'In Concert' really shines. "Off" (definitely my favorite track) is very interesting for is unusual rhythm while also managing to be very expressive, the vocals reminiscent of 60s psych rock. Christian Wilhelm does an excellent job with english lyrics that don't sound awkward. Non-native english vocals create their own unique style that I've come to associate with the krautrock sound.

I really like Ma-Mari-Huana. Horny and stoned soulchedelic love-mumblings that are almost reminiscent of Suicide's vocals with heavy phaser effects.

Overall I would describe 'In Concert' as quaint. Proficient in what it does. Not particularly above average or groundbreaking, but solid. The vocalist I'd say is definitely the standout of the bunch. If you are a fan of late 60s, early 70s psychedelic rock, looking for a new fix, this might be just what you need. Otherwise it's not something I'd recommend to anyone new to the genre. I give this album a 6/10.

Pärson Sound - 1966-68 - Pärson Sound (2001 RE)

The double disc self-titled Pärson Sound compilation is a collection of various jams spanning from 1966 to 1968 by a group who briefly went by International Harvester, until settling on the name Träd, Gräs Och Stenar (trees, grass, and stone). Never to see the light of day until being released by Subliminal Sounds in 2001, it captures some of the earliest instances of very hypnotic minimal psych rock drones. Although it's rather messy and lo-fi, they play with the utmost intensity and soul, making the lengthy durations feel more than worthwhile. I never once get the feeling that any of the tracks go on for too long.
 
The psych rock jam oriented aspect of Pärson Sound is a sound much more prevalent in a lot of the ones today (Acid Mothers Temple, Colour Haze, Pharaoh Overlord, Electric Moon, Electric Orange, ect). As such it seems ahead of its time, although didn't get released until much later when the style has become more acceptable and sought after. It's awesome getting the chance to hear such echoes from the past.

1-01. Intro
1-02. Tio Minuter (Ten Minutes)
1-03. From Tunis To India In Fullmoon (On Testosterone)
1-04. India (Slight Return)
1-05. A Glimpse Inside The Glyptotec-66
1-06. One Quiet Afternoon (In The King's Garden)

2-01. Sov Gott Rose-Marie - Parts 1-3: "It's Only Love", "Till Indien" And "Sov Gott Rose-Marie"
2-02. Skrubba
2-03. Milano
2-04. On How to Live
2-05. Blåslåten

The first of the 20 minute tracks is From Tunis to India in Fullmoon, which features hypnotic ripps riffing between saxophone and guitar, with an ominous cello floating in the background, although the lo-fi recording makes it a bit less audio than I'd prefer. One is especially reminded of Acid Mothers Temple's freak-out jams in its spontaneity its energy, and babbling vocals.

India (Slight Return) is a blissful, zen-ed out jam, much slower than the fast pacing in the previous track. After India it goes to a completely meter-less ambient drone of what sounds like eerie vocal manipulations and guitar feedback. One Quiet Afternoon is a noisy jam with some totally far out guitar feedback and weird vocal stuff. Overall a diverse range of ideas on the first disc.

Whereas all the tracks on Disc 1 seem significantly unique from eachother, disc 2 starts to come back with some familiar stuff. Track 1 of disc 2, Sov Gott Rose-Marie is pretty much an earlier version of India (Slight Return) (the former from December 1967, the latter from February 1968). Only this time it's significantly more well recorded and with clearer, sort of dirge-like vocals that come in on what I assume to be part 3.

Skrubba is an outdoor jam recorded in Stockholm, May 1968. It's the longest track clocking in at just under 29 minutes. Possibly my favorite of this comp for no particular reason I could give (it's not so radically different from their other slow jams) than the fact that it's pleasant and immersive in its length. One of the tracks that especially makes me wish it was better recorded, what with 6 instruments playing at once. There's an awesome solo at the end which I thought was some kind of woodwind, but am going to guess is in fact the soprano sax being played by Kjell Westling. The electric violin played by Urban Yman is also very cool. At this point I would say that I'm more into 'From Tunis to India' and 'India (Slight Return)' as far as favorite tracks go, but I still hold Skrubba in high regard.

Milano is an intense psychedelic explosion of cymbals that was initially meant to accompany a friend's art exhibition (wonder what it was). The groovy beat that it climaxes to at the end is so reminiscent of a sound that is prevalent in jam rock bands today. The transition into On How to Love via hand drums, bird sounds, and flute is just perfect. It's a great mellow song that contrasts well with the intensity of the previous, and the way the acoustic guitar, flue, hand drums meld together is so lovely. The field recordings of birds gives the whole thing a nod to their grounding in the outdoor (indeed they participated in a significant number of outdoor live events it seems).

The final track is unlike anything else. Blåslåten is a floating world of cascading saxophones and perhaps other horned instruments layered over eachother. I don't see any musicians listed under the credits but I assume the sax is by the same Thomas Tidholm from the other recordings. It makes for a nice finale contrasted from the other ones in its lack of meter or their usual lineup, ending with a silly little free jazz thing that I'm not 100% sure is preferable to leaving out entirely(if you're all for anti-aesthetic and not taking things too seriously: yay; If you're all for making the best sonic progression of things: nay).

The Pärson Sound compilation has always been one of my main go-to albums when it comes to jam oriented psych rock. Its early existence highlights the continuity of musical trends, and the ways in which some of the aesthetics we've come to love have come back full circle; another missing link emerging from the depths of time and forgotten tape reels. And we have labels like Subliminal Sounds to thank for it. A real treasure. Not the greatest in its technical prowess, but free in spirit. The recordings, picked within a 3 year gap, were very well chosen in their diversity and ordering. And I have to give it props for being perfect for any intense psychedelic trip, as it goes through such a variety of speed, intensity, and mood. Perhaps this sound was a bit too ahead of its time and they went on to have a somewhat different aesthetic as Träd, Gräs Och Stenar but in accordance to the psychedelic rock today, these guys really had the whole thing figured out from the start. 8/10