ARZACHEL

Arzachel is Steve Hillage (GONG) first historical formation and this album is among the freakiest 1969's progressive rock essays. This self title and unique album from the band is completely amazing and turned to seriously fuzzed out guitar sections, accompanied by crazy, eccentric keyboards. Arzachel's music alternates strong, incisive psych pop songs with long "lysergic" trippy improvisations where the guitar and keyboards duet propulses you into an other galaxy. "Garden of earthly delights" is a typical psych-pop compostion with reminiscence from early Pink Floyd, including catchy melodies and a happily 60's psych instrumentation with Emerson- like luminous keyboard treatments (thinking about The Nice). The guitar lead section at the end is pure magic, intense and emotionally spacey. "Queen street Gang" is a real trippy / hippie projection with an efficient leading musical theme, including a nice groove. The solo parts are dominated by an extravagant Hammond Organ. "Leg" starts with a funny pipe organ introduction then goes into a dynamic, powerful bluesy rockin' trip, including mesmerizing guitar solos, a pure musical "fury". "Clear innocent fun" is a more heavy rocking song, featuring a moody like musical expression and lot of guitars and distortion. An impressively emotional, abrasive and aggressive composition. My favoruite piece with the next to come. "Metempsychosis" sounds like an Amon Duul II B side, a gorgeous psych / atonal ambience with lot of noises and manipulations. This is a darker mantra like trip and the only instrumental piece on the album. So good! "Arzachel" is among my favourite 1969's progressive rock albums with "Electrip" (Xhol Caravan), A=mh2 (Clark Hutchinson) and a few others.