OFF: Space Rock Reviews from Prog NG

[Chuck Rosenberg]

---Saw a few things in here that I've never heard mention of on BOC-L, so I
thought the Hawk-contingent here might be interested... Chuck


Subject: some reviews
From: "spacefreak" <geospy at otenet.gr>
Date: Sat, 10 July 1999 01:03 PM EDT
Message-id: <7m7u8f$3qi$1 at newssrv.otenet.gr>

Few reviews of the stuff I got lately (not strictly progressive though)…

CIRCLE 'Fraten"
Outstanding space rock cum kraut band from Finland. With multiple influences
ranging from repetitive CAN, CLUSTER and NEU sounds to loose HAWKWINDish
jams and JESSAMINE post rock freshness, they play with a dinstinct sense for
complex and weird music. Analogue keyboards and electronics, interwoven with
floating guitar lines, this is aural bliss…

QUARKSPACE "Spacefolds 5"
NATIONAL STEAM "National steam"
I grouped these two together because they are the brainchilds of  Dave
Wexler and Paul Williams. For both bands spacerock is the base of departure
but different directions are followed. QUARKSPACE has a more floating sound
that flirts with the 70ies german electronic scene, especially mid period
TANGERINE DREAM and  ASH RA TEMPEL sequencers.The sound is constantly
uplifting, in times hazy but elegantly flourished withprogressive and jazzy
elements. NATIONAL STEAM are more improvisational and esoteric, a strange
mixture of "Ummagumma" period PINK FLOYD, early HAWKWIND and west coast acid
guitar improvisations. There is also some well digested modern electronica
thrown in… Both albums are excellent and totally recommended trip outs.

UNLIMBO "Prahna fish"
This is for lovers of the good old OZRIC TENTACLES. Festival vibes, hippie
space rock with ethnic (middle eastern and arabic) jams, clouds of
didjeridoo and sitar, a good dose of cosmic dub and british folk jigs
consist one of the trippiest deleriums of 1998. Absolute space psychedelic
must.

ZONE SIX "Zone 6"
A 90ies version of ASH RA TEMPEL's "Schwingungen". Trippy, ultra psychedelic
cosmic krautrock, with echoing female vocals, abstract floating guitar based
soundscapes, mellotrons and an impressive flair for improvisation. A very
mindblowing album from one of the best german bands around.

OLE LUKKOYE "Doo doo doo (Remedy for a dwarf)"
Russia's ultimate space rock band on their 3rd album. This is a monumental
release, featuring 7 long tracks of a unique ethnic flavoured progressive.
Pagan acid rituals, dark balkan soundscapes, breathtaking beauty,
shamanistic spiritual depth, fantastic mixes of  traditional acoustic
instruments and layers of resonating guitars and keyboards,result in a deep
mind trance. This must be THE release of 1998.

ATMAN "Tradition"
Close in sonic mentality to OLE LUKKOYE but utterly acoustic, like a stoned
version of THIRD EAR BAND, comes Poland's ATMAN. On their 3rd full length
album and with the addition of vocalistAnna Nacher, they abandon the long
trippy ethnic improvisations for a more "song" structured, yet utterly
otherwordly, approach. A colourful patchwork of earth rituals that flow
linked into a folky AMON DUUL 2 lysergic trip. Excellent!

STONE BREATH "A silver thread to weave the seasons"
This duo part of American band MOURNING CLOACK issued their 2nd album of
hazy psychedelic folk. Very 70ies sounding INCREDIBLE STRING BAND influenced
songs with loads of exotic instrumentation, bizarre ethnic fragments and a
dark medieval atmosphere. The best american prodressive/psychedelic folk act
of the moment.

FIM FROIL "Fim froil"
A german duo, consisted of Limo (SHINY GNOMES, FIT & LIMO, DISCOLOR) and
Riff (COMIC GARDENERS, RIFF & THE MADHATTERS). As it is expected, a very
dreamy psychedelic album full of the old PINK FLOYD type fairytale
influence.Fuzzed out guitars, harmonium drones, spaced-out synths, sitars –
all the elements are here to create a zonked late night delight for head
people.

AUM "Aum"
New belgian band with a very modern ambient spacy sound, a lot like a more
ethnic OZRIC TENTACLES instrumental bubbling space rock. Fusing a multitude
of styles like dub improvisations, cosmic jams, chinese bell music, reggae,
ambient soundscaping, GONG like space rock; they may not be very original in
their ideas but came up with a hell of a tripped-out album. A private and
limited to 500 copies  release.

VASDEFERENS ORGANIZATION "Saturation"
The alter ego of the texan based musician, composer and producer Matt
Castille. "Soaturation" is a mysterious album of 8 strange soundscapes
varying from weird ethnic evocations to totally out-of-your-mind guitar and
sitar experiments. There are no song structures, which may confuse some, but
massive layers of electronically processed sounds, making the album a
definite delight for  the more experienced fans of cosmic krautrock
experiments. A beautiful, yet weird album.

7% SOLUTION "Gabriel's waltz"
Second album for this american neopsychedelic band. On this one they
restrict the long space rock guitar excursions of their debut, for a more
depressive psychedelic sounds that takes an influence from bands like
TELESCOPES and SLOWDIVE. Mellow vocals flowing into the atmosphere, various
guitar distortions, resulting into a pulsating slow and depressive
impression. Extremely well done. The CD version includes a bonus cover of
CAN's "Oh yeah".

DRYGIANNAKIS, Costis "Meta-optical landscapes"
The brain behind Greece's excellent experimental band OPTICAL MUSIC in his
first solo output. Central figure in this album is the avant garde moods of
Mr Drygiannakis that merges different, even conflicting influences into a
polyphony of sounds that construct two impressive pieces of contemporary
musics.Totally unconventional, this is an attempt for a new language,
neither classical, electronic, free jazz, ambient or in between. The tracks
are completely undefinable, majesticaly complex, emotional and experimental
at the same time. Something new and fresh and yet ancient in its
experimentation. A very adventurous challenging album, full of surprises
that explore the boundaries of musical language and still remains
accessible. A feast to enjoy in all its twists and turns. Mega recommended
to adventurous listeners! (url: http://www.anet.gr/edo/)

BREITBAND "Fadu und der unterschied"
BREITBAND are a new german band that explore the 70ies tradition of cosmic
krautrock. They use a large variety of instruments (guitars, synthesizers,
samplers, didgeridoo, flute, kalimba, ethnic percussion, old radio & TV sets
ets.) on 2 long soundscapes. The effect is a total cosmic bliss of early
TANGERINE DREAM, Klaus SCHULZE and LIGHTWAVE sounds played with a modern
technical feel. A remarkable debut.

HOOD "The cycle of days and seasons"
"Post rock" is a definition that seems to me pointless. UK's HOOD sound no
more than guitar driven floating psychedelic rock of the highest echelon,
involving floating hazy journeys through obscure, moisten memories and that
remote feeling of being alienated yet bound to nature and its forces. A
modern sounding head album recommended for solitary repetitive listens.


--
spacefreak