NIK TURNER'S SPHYNX: XITINTODAY

This is one of the forgotten gems of prog. Of Nik Turner, sax and flute player of Hawkwind, one would expect something on the heavy side, but this wonderful album is very quiet and spacey (though not completely without rhythm, and in the last track it even rocks a little - but don't expect anything like Hawkwind). With half of Gong - Steve Hillage, Mike Howlett, Tim Blake, Miquette Giraudy and Harry Williamson (who did not play with Gong but later became an important member of Mother Gong) - plus former Hawkwind drummer Alan Powell and Morris Pert of Brand X on percussion the lineup is exquisite.

But the biggest surprise is Nik Turner himself. His flute clearly dominates the album, and one really feels the ancient Egyptian Gods evoked by it. The music makes a lot of use of vocoder, which adds to the feeling that supernatural beings are around. This is not an album to play in the background; listen to it late at night by candle light, and then the Gods will come to you. Sometimes they will be scary, as is the habit of Gods. But when Isis and Nephthys appear they will seduce you. In my opinion clearly the best album of 1978.

Warning: The 1994 CD of Nik Turner named "Sphynx" only has the lyrics in common with this album. The music of that release is completely different though, not even the same compositions. It is not a bad album itself, but no competition for this masterpiece. So stick to the original. And then "Hommage to Thee, oh Ra, in Thy Rising".