ORGANIC EARTHLY FLOTATION

Back in 2006 I was sent a copy of the debut release by Øresund Space Collective, and I was amazed at the spaced out improvisation that I was presented with. Now, just seven years later and the 'band' is back with their 16th release. This is a band in the loosest concept, as only synthesizer players Mogens and DR. Space have been on all the releases and here they are again joined by all the members of the Danish band Papir (Kristoffer - drums, Nicklas - guitar, Christian - bass (only on 'Neptune Rising')). In addition, Pär from the bands Sgt. Sunshine, Carpet Knights, Hoofoot played bass. The line up for this album was completely by American guitar player Daniel Lars for whom this was his first trip ever to Denmark and playing with the Øresund Space Collective.

The opening track, "Walking on Clouds" (composed by Daniel, which the rest of the band jammed on) was the only one that was pre-written, with the other three being totally improvised. There are only four songs, but it still has a total playing time of 48 minutes. If you have never come across these guys, then they are well worth investigating. There is something incredibly entrancing and inviting about this style of space rock which has as much in common with jazz as it does with Hawkwind as the guys all take their cues from each other and goes wherever the music takes them. It is inventive, compelling and somewhat incredible all at the same time. This album had as much of an impact on me as their debut did, and now I see that I am going to have to spend some time investing in some of the others that have passed me by. This is a band that very much follow their own path, bringing together elements from many, to create something singularly and definitively theirs. All of the band combine to make this all work, building a sonic soundscape that allows the guitars to bring together the best of Hillage and Allen, in a truly wonderful way. For more details on this and all of their releases visit www.oresundspacecollective.com.

I had no faintest idea about this Danish-based Øresund Space Collective with surprisingly many releases, until our psych/space rock expert Eetu Pellonpää asked me if I would like to review their new album. Of course I do! Eetu's identifiable cover art on this gatefold LP is a very nice companion to the music. Even the vinyl itself is unique: coloured light blue, and the etiquettes are Eetu's drawings too. So I see this release as a celebration of the good old vinyl-form that can become an important part of album's identity.

The music is laid-back, dreamy space rock with jazz & blues flavour, totally instrumental, and features guitar as the leading instrument. Kev's review tells about the central element of improvisation. I didn't know that but it's easily felt in the free-floating way the tracks move forward - or rather, keep hovering in anti-gravity. 'Walking on Clouds', like the first side is titled. The album was recorded in just two days (April 2012), which is the best proof of the skill of this group. It doesn't sound half-baked or unfinished. My only negative remark would be that the four tracks may not vary the sound, shape or mood as much as would be an ideal. But still the whole album is an enjoyable ride and suits perfectly for either background for e.g. reading - or Tantric sex (of which I have no experience actually, but that felt like the right thing to say!) - or for slow lingering between sleep and waking-up on a hurriless morning, or why not as good night music too.

The title "Organic Earthly Flotation" sums up the music pretty well. This is not cold, alienated and synthetic soundscape as much of Electronic Music is, but warm, sensitive and organic, and it sure floats psychedelically. The spacey guitar playing has a bluesy vibe and synths furthermore paint the images of space. Sometimes they are Kitaro-like windy sounds, sometimes related to Schulze, Jarre and such, sometimes bizarre psychedelic bubbling (like in the end of side one of NEKTAR's Remember The Future). Drums - and naturally bass guitar - are also an essential part of the sound. No hi-hat or fancy tempo changes, but a relaxed basic backing to give the "earthly" feel. I get associations of the late sixties Pink Floyd, Bo Hansson's Sagan om Ringen, Manuel Göttsching (Ash Ra Tempel, Ashra and solo) and some other Krautrock, Jimi Hendrix's 'Little Wing' - and perhaps also Santana for the guitar work, but I was carried there by the track title 'Carlos on the Moon', which, I believe, refers to Carlos Santana. At least that's a better bet than Walter/Wendy Carlos, right?

I warmly recommend this to all friends of bluesy, relaxed space rock.

This is way more relaxed than many albums beforehand, the groovy, partially jazzy vibe is nearly gone here, except on the closing Neptune Rising maybe. And indeed, the line up saw a major change, as there is the complete PAPIR crew involved this time, additionally Americano Daniel Lars, who had his first trip ever to Denmark for playing with the ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE. Only synthesizer wizzards Mogens and Scott (Dr. Space) are staying, acting restrained though, 'Organic Earthly Flotation' is yet another album which works more guitar laden.

Walking On Clouds manifests in two sections, originally developed by Daniel, that means you can't really say that the music is completely improvised. Backed by a solid rhythm branch this is smooth, cheerful, featuring nice inspired guitar interplay, partially enriched with spacey patterns as well as chirping synths. Not quite a spectacular album - as I'm familiar with the complete studio discography - but surely something to dig. 'Organic Earthly Flotation' again proves their ambitious approach to update the sound with every entirely new production.

`Organic Earthly Flotation' is one of the latest in a steady cosmic stream of releases from the psychedelic Øresund Space Collective, and it's yet another reliable blast of mostly improvised and jamming space rock. As with the varying line-up featured on previous discs, founding members Dr Space and Mogens are joined this time by musicians from other bands like Denmark's Papir and Sweden's Carpet Knights, with a special highlight given to American guest Daniel Lar's powerful guitar skills. Because of this, the two sides of vinyl here deliver some of the most guitar heavy music to appear on an ØSC disc so far, giving it a very distinctive identity all its own in their eclectic discography.

The first side of the LP houses two parts of a longer jam entitled `Walking on Clouds'. It's a showcase for Lars' endless guitar soloing, with his distinctive and varied tone often channelling the sound of David Gilmour from the late 60's/early 70's Pink Floyd live shows that can still be enjoyed on dozens of bootlegs (shhh, our secret!). These two parts plod along for twenty six minutes with only slight variations, with some fleeting tempo pick-ups here and there and back again with brief wilder, more muscular outbursts spontaneously catching fire. Rising and falling synth swells wash around slow-burn reverb-heavy electric guitar ruminations that gradually grow in power, a dusty and earthy quality permeating the atmosphere. There's also some Ozric Tentacles-styled bubbling synth ripples too, and the second part is even more mellow and dreamier, with plenty of placid drowsy guitar strums over swirling synth winds.

Side B's `Carlos on the Moon' is unusually emotional for the band, gently melancholic and quietly reflective guitar strains carrying the opening minutes on lifting fizzy washes of synths. Second guitarist Nicklas Sorensen solos next to Lars throughout this one, and as the piece progresses, their two instruments duel alongside each-other, weaving together to make sweet green smouldering alien love! Par Hallgren's bass murmurs thoughtfully throughout then simmers nicely as the piece builds in intensity, Kristoffer Brochmann's unceasing hypnotic drumming casts a lethargic spell and dirty grooves even threaten to take hold in the burning climax before cooling synth waves bring us back to Earth sedately. The shorter album closer `Neptune Rising' throttles with a thrashing energy, some manic, repetitive and aggressive guitar runs sounding like Hawkwind jamming with Steve Hillage. It's cool, but is clearly whittled down from a much longer jam, so is just a tiny bit of a missed opportunity.

Special mention must go to the lavish LP set, and fans will know that the vinyl editions should really be the preferred choice to purchase for this group. Once again the band have delivered the goods with a beautiful thick gatefold sleeve with mind-bending painted artwork throughout by Eetu Pellonpää. The LP also comes with a digital download copy, so space cadets can take a cosmic trip wherever they go!

The other ØSC albums released in 2013 - the compilations `Hamburg Concerts' and `Live at the Kildemose Festival 2008-10' - not to mention the steady stream of live recordings of full live concerts uploaded onto the Net to download for free from Dr Space himself probably offer more variety than this release, but for those who especially enjoy this type of music with a particular focus on guitars, `Organic Earthly Flotation' is still a tasty slice of improvised space-rock from one of the leading modern bands in the field.

Three stars - but guitar freaks can add a whole extra star!