MY BROTHER THE WIND

"Fire ! Fire !!" has a fairly powerful soundscape early on as the guitar makes some noise. Check out the bass 5 minutes in, it reminds me of Geddy. It starts to settle back some around 9 minutes and it sounds like mellotron after 11 minutes. "Pagan Moonbeam" has an ethnic vibe to it. It settles down after 3 minutes to end it. "The mediator Between Head And Hands Must be The Heart" is drum and mellotron led early on. This is repetitive but good.

"Torbjorn Abelli" is spacey with guitar. It's building some as the bass and drums join in. It settles after 10 minutes to end it. "Under Crimson Skies" hits the ground running as the guitar solos over top. It turns spacey before 4 minutes as the beat continues. The guitar solos tastefully before 6 minutes. Beautiful stuff. "I Wash My Soul In The Stream Of Infinity" opens with water sounds as the guitar and bass join in. Drums too as it builds. Spacey sounds as well. Great sound here ! Water and birds sounds end it.

You know I don't remember mellotron being on the debut although they don't show it as being on here either but it sure sounds like it. Regardless more atmosphere and psychedelia is always a good thing in my books.

Check out the band's own video for proof, linked right here on their Progarchives page. It's not your typical YouTube promotional whitewash, but a dynamic visual document of the actual album track being created in real time, live in the studio without any overdubs. Other groups have tried to master the art of intuitive music-making. But these guys are fast becoming masters of spontaneous combustion.

And that pretty much sums up the band's work ethic: capture all the energy on the first take, and give it all you've got. The new album took nearly twice as long to produce as their almost instantaneous debut (meaning: four hours instead of two). And the extra effort adds more variety to the music, enriching the band's entirely improvised, twin-guitar psychedelia with a healthy smattering of Mellotron and organ highlights.

Fans of Scandinavian Prog may recognize guitarist Nicklas Barker, moonlighting from the heavy rockers of ANEKDOTEN. Being released from the pinpoint discipline of his parent band must have been a liberating experience, and for listeners too. At first exposure I'm reminded of fellow Scands HIDRIA SPACEFOLK, but without the obvious OZRIC TENTACLES influence, and far more attractively unstructured in an almost Germanic sort of way (circa 1971).

Thus the classic Krautrock head trip of "Pagan Moonbeam", with its sitar-like guitars and echoing toms. Or the ominous lysergic flashback of "The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart", the unwieldy moniker itself a direct link to German culture, quoting the final intertitle from the dystopian 1927 Fritz Lang silent film "Metropolis".

The longer tracks ("Torbjörn Abelli", "Under Crimson Skies") ebb and flow with a sense of real purpose, unlike the often indiscriminate noodling of other jam bands. Note the unexpected jump-start to "Under Crimson Skies", sounding as if the producer was caught napping, and how it gradually settles into a quieter but no less urgent groove before making a seamless transition to the stately daydream of the title track at the end of the album.

On the advice of a trusted Progarchives source I came to this band totally blind, without even knowing their name, let alone any of their music. And like the beneficiary of some biblical Krautrock miracle cure my eyes (all three of them) have been opened, once again, to the wide range of quality new music still waiting to be discovered in the four corners of the world.

The quartet is drawn around the familiar Post Rock configuration of two guitars and a rhythm section, and likewise shows a similar affection for long, evocative album and song titles. But their music is pure, unadulterated instrumental psychedelia, offering further proof that Krautrock was never a strictly German phenomenon, and didn't fade away at the end of the 1970s.

And in the classic Kosmische Rock tradition of instant composition (as opposed to random jamming) the entire album was produced in about the same length of time it takes to play it twice: two hours, more or less (!) That sort of totally spontaneous, live-in-the-studio energy is hard to resist, especially when expressed in the rising intensity of a track like 'Karmagrinder' (possibly the best name for any piece of Space Rock, by the way), or the adrenalin drive of 'Electric Universe'.

There's a nice symmetry to the running order too, with a pair of shorter numbers sandwiched between four longer thrashes. The title track provides a brief, dreamlike respite from the harder workouts, while the aptly-named 'Precious Sanity' is a mere 100 seconds of angular guitar tuning straight from the playbook of Robert Fripp.

The extended improvisations sometimes meander a bit too far, but cut these guys a little slack, please. They had only just met when they entered the studio, and were still becoming acquainted while the tapes were rolling. Which is exactly how music of this sort was meant to be created: no fuss, no muss, no egotistical rock-star posing...just four likeminded musicians following their muse, who fortunately was in a mood to kick some cosmic butt that day.

A strong debut, with even better to come.

My Brother The Wind is one of many bands exploring instrumental improvised progressive rock, made with an approach and sound that place it within the space rock genre. Floating, often ethereal arrangements, gentle guitar soloing and layered, wandering psychedelic oriented instrumental motifs make up the majority of such excursions , and this foursome is no exception to that.

Opening or concluding with passages featuring arrangements of a more searching and uncertain nature is a part of the package one gets too, and again a feature found on this production. Perhaps a bit too many such sequences, at least for those not already fond of this type of music. It dos take something of a trained ear to appreciate these moments. But it's when the band have found a direction and is exploring it with direction in hand that improvised space rock is an intriguing experience, and this quartet are top of the trade once they have established a pattern to investigate.

The rhythm department is the essential foundation for most bands of this ilk, and My Btother The Wind has a most excellent one. Tight, finely interwoven bass and drums motifs that shift pace and intensity in a fluid manner a strength the other instrumentalists can rely upon. And they do so in an impeccable manner, from the tight, energetic and driven landscapes explored on opening construction "Fire" Fire" to the raga-oriented themes of Pagan Moonbeam, complete with a Bo Hansson oriented organ motif, and the final gentle concluding title track "I Wash My Soul in the Stream of Infinity". Always nicely moving onwards, with a dual set of guitars or guitar and one additional instrument wandering through an initial phase fully formed or not, coming through on the other side either finishing off a journey or reorienting themselves to take on a new one. Personally I found the band to be at their very best on "Torbjörn Abelli" on this occasion, an improvisation I presume was developed as their musical tribute to the late Swedish bassist of the same name who passed away in 2010. Rather fitting that this construction is the one that made a most profound impression I guess.

I doubt if My Brother The Wind will recruit any new fans to the realms of improvised space rock with this production, as their excursions this time around to my ears appear as somewhat more typical of the genre than on their most excellent debut. But those who already enjoy music of this type can note down this CD as another must have creation, the band is excellent and their ideas and improvisations maintain a high quality throughout.

And of course, the glorious 'tron is in full effect all over this record. Despite the band wearing its influences on its sleeve, this music does have its own character, as all good music does. And the jams never seem indulgent - vibe is king. My personal favourite is the ultra-far-out title track, since my tastes veer more to the ambient end of things. But the whole album is a pleasure and is essential listening for fans of psychedelia, Krautrock and spacerock. Pick this one up!

During the last couple of decades, we, here in Europe, have had an underground surge of bands trying to conjure up the majestic fire breathing Krautrock of the past. Bands like Øresund Space Collective, Electric Orange, The Spacious Mind, Papir and My Brother the Wind all fit into this newly found love of free structured psychedelic music that takes its inspiration from the more esoteric of 1970s bands. I guess it is all down to one's tastes, but I find myself far more enticed, persuaded and wet in the trouser-department listening to the aforementioned acts, than I do with a lot of the current American psych bands, which rely heavily on metal, sludge and slow lethargic song structures. Somehow they feel too rigid for my tastes.

Another way of illustrating the massive leap there is between these two ocean-parted psych deliverers, try imagining these acts as kite flyers. Big yellow butterfly coloured kites swooping around in the skies. If the American kites are recognizable by the controlled atmosphere - the carefully thought out placement, where the wind is in your favour and you have just about everything under control, - then these European acts are the direct opposites. My Brother the Wind's music is like flying a kite in the heart of the city, where buildings upon buildings continue to add unnatural corridors for the wind to grow wild and increasingly unstable. Then the music is ready to start.

I Wash My Soul In The Stream Of Infinity is one of those special albums, where this old trait of Krautrock seems to reach that incomprehensible level of flow. It is like flying a kite in a storm. Take the first track here, that without warning catapults itself into a high powered electric vortex with huge bursts of fiery guitar, pulsating organs and a hypnotic rhythm section that propels this magnificent excursion forward like a regular YIIIIHAAAAW space wagon. What takes this one to another level altogether is when the mood quiets down, and the wind suddenly gets audible through a series of ghost-like mellotron sweeps, that gives this listener goosebumps on the insides of his arms.

One of my favourite things about this second album is the diversity it holds. Unlike a lot of these modern day space rock flights, you have soft and mellow psychedelically tinged sections often recalling the great Indian inspiration going back into the end of the 60s - branching out in a series of stylistically enhanced groupings such as Indian folk rock, Raga-like jamming and the devotional yogi type blend one could find in the likes of Popol Vuh. It's the latter here that My Brother the Wind wields, and to tell you the truth, I have never ever come across any band, other than Popol Vuh that is, who were able to play this kind of music successfully. These are slow acoustically submersed endeavours, with lots of Eastern flavoured phrasings and the odd break away electric guitar solos, that shoot you out into the starry skies without any need of a kite.

Finishing the album off, we have the title track that again shows another side of this outfit, with its fluffy and soothing texture. It laps up against you like tiny waves in the bathtub lulling you into these beautiful guitar filled dreams with smooth yearning notes - almost telling you that it is about to end - feeling much like a slow heartfelt epilogue of the album.

This is, along with Æthenor's latest, my pick for album of the year 2011. It takes the old ideas of the early Krautrock scene - y'know the idea that music can achieve artistic merit without having to think about it for days on end making it into a building project, - but alternatively relying on what the feel of the moment is giving off at any given time during recording. Just like CAN did a couple of decades back - My Brother the Wind bring the idea of instant song writing to the fore, with but the odd chance of sprucing the thing up afterwards by adding a whiff of sweet mellotron.

It's all based around certain guitar riffs, that all of a suddenly behave like those wild and frantic kites, that I was on about before - they suddenly gain altitude and transform into magnificent gliding birds of sound swooping up and down with great elegance and poise - manifesting themselves in the instruments around them - taking every little part of the music on an astonishing ride up there among the feathered creatures.

My Brother The Wind is a 4 man collective from Sweden, who play improvised space/psych/prog. The men responsible for this effort are all from other bands - Nicklas Barker ( Anekdoten ) on guitars and mellotron, Mathias Danielsson ( Makajodama ) on guitars and sitar, Ronny Eriksson ( Magnolia ) on bass and Hammond organ and Tomas Eriksson ( Magnolia ) on drums and percussion.

The first thing you notice about this album is the space. Not of the cosmic variety in this sense, but that the songs are allowed to breath and take shape, forming around a solid core, but on the outside of that core having the feeling of being ready to splinter and soar off into the universe. Not to worry, the 'Wind' somehow manage to keep it all together and make it all sound very cohesive. This is trance inducing, mind blowing music that carries you on a wonderful journey through the cosmos.

First track 'Fire! Fire!' starts the journey off in fine form. Almost like the starting of the engine, the guitar, keys and drums look for that spark that will cause all parts to work as a whole and when the bass line kicks in, this is the spark that unites! At 13 minutes long, this is a space/psych workout with soaring guitars, wild - almost out of control - drumming and that bass line keeping it all together. When the mellotron really kicks in near the end of the song you know you've dropped the booster rockets and are settling in for the rest of the trip. A great opener.

Track 2 is the much shorter and beautiful 'Pagan Moonbeam'. Acoustic guitar and sitar give this number a wonderful Indian feel as bass and drum move the song along at an almost plodding pace. The real highlight of the song for me though is the keys. It adds an early Pink Floyd touch over top of the Indian base. This one could've went on for 13 minutes also and I would have been perfectly happy with that!

Track 3 is 'The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart'. This is where the boys really kick up the improvisation. This song seems to be built upon Tomas Eriksson's drum line. It's almost like they said "okay Thomas, you play something and we'll all join in". However the track came about, it still evokes that 'floating through space' feel with the somewhat creepy mellotron seeming to pull it all along. By the end of the number, Thomas' drums seem to retreat from being the lead instrument and falls into rhythm with the rest of the band. Good stuff!

Track 4 'Torbjorn Abelli' is the slow burner of the bunch. The rhythm section of bass, drum and guitar slowly but surely move along at a nice pace while some outstanding lead electric - I assume from Mathias Danielsson - rips through it all. A hint of mellotron far in the background just adds to the depth and beauty of this number. This one just continues to ramp up for 11 minutes, with an added bonus of a second guitar lead - I assume from Nicklas Barker - at the back end of the song, until it closes out softly. The perfect space rock song!

Track 5 'Under Crimson Skies' is a foot tapping mind blowing full out bluesy/jazzy rock jam, for the first three and a half minutes anyways. This is re-entry folks! The rest of the song is very cool and calm, with great guitar sound, walls of spacey sounds, and bass and drum bringing it ( us ) all home. Another 10 minute epic!

Track 6 'I Wash My Soul In The Stream Of Eternity' puts our feet firmly back on ground as it begins with the calm sound of a rippling stream and with light guitar, keys and rhythm section taking us to the end, where stream and chirping birds close it out. A perfect way to end the trip. Beautiful!

This is the kind of album that reminds me why I love music so. It really can take you on a journey. From the tension of initial take off, to the relaxed semi-comfort of the middle part of the trip, to the nervousness of landing and the thankfulness of being home. This album conveys those feelings and it is why, it's my favorite instrumental album from last year. You don't need lyrics to tell a story, when you have musicians with this sort of vision and talent. Well done.

5 out of 5

EVERYBODY: Get on this train! This is human expression at its creative best--at its highest potential! Five stars without questions or qualm! This is ESSENTIAL music not just for prog lovers or even just for music lovers but for any human being that might aspire to squeak out the most of their human potential. Ride the waves of Ronny Eriksson's bass lines. Fly into the stars with Mathias and Nicklas' guitar (and keyboard) sounds. Dance across mental planetscapes with Tomas Eriksson's batterie play. Music not to be missed!

The impressing Fire! Fire! evokes soaring guitar walls first while the band is preparing for the cosmic journey. Emergency, emergency - what a lively bass - this makes a difference to many other space rock oriented bands provided with a rather hypnotic rhythm backbone. What I mean, this sounds like Ronny Eriksson is constantly trying to run away, back and forth, but the other band members are skilled enough to follow over the course due to a concentrated collaboration.

Leaving this fulminant start behind Pagan Moonbeam shows them on rather acid psych respectively indo/raga paths where The Mediator Between Head And Hand comes way more eclectic, avantgarde oriented with melancholic mellotron backing reminding me of Anekdoten. Torbjörn Abelli is relaxed floating right from the start, again both guitars are playing an intriguing duett, great interaction. The song gradually increases with incredible tension.

Under Crimson Skies starts suddenly ... somewhere amidst an extended jam I would say ... and evolves to one of my favourite space rock explorations I came across recently. I love this sensitive experience - this especially applies to the floating part. The Eriksson groove section is involved with an impressing drive and both guitars are nicely meandering around and complement each other as for the soloing and rhythm tasks.

MY BROTHER THE WIND is a project which initially may have found together for having some fun temporarily ... but now it's clear, there's no way out in the meanwhile, I emphatically insist, you have to continue - come on, boys! Finally let me say, that 'I Wash My Soul In The Stream Of Inifity' is an accomplished and emotional affair, don't miss that - 4.5 stars - which means close to masterpiece!

"Fire! Fire!!" opens the album with solid abstract tonal space, from where the bass guitar starts to open the rhythmic imperative for other players. Raw guitar riffs quietly answer, and the sea of sounds starts to wave predicting the sacred turmoil of psychedelic rock raga. The melodic forms find their shapes, forming sacral state for the guitar to pray redemption from the heavens. Hazy winds blow over the freely voyaging musicians, pace keeping stagnant, but the intensity taming as the drums switch to a march-oriented sequence. Guitars echo both the starting theme and a new brilliantly shimmering layer of pickings. Mellotron creeps in to escalate the dramatic spheres of the coda, which closes the long process with sudden drop of all instruments. As an anekdoten, there is a neat video being spread from this session as an album promotion material.

"Pagan Moonbeam" continues with calmer moods, building from a single note for acoustic emphasized dharma-activities. Some vintage analogue synthesizer and sitar solo upon this sonic carpet, before the short oriental tune ends to tingling announcements of cross- rhythmic bells. This peaceful moment leads to more aggressively fuzzy acid guitar and powerful drum battering of "The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart". Melodies wander indecisively, giving so far the strongest associations of Wetton-era King Crimson live improvs, as the instruments search their mutual traits from the mysterious planes of neurosis. One fine detail I paid attention was the rapid single note pulses from a guitar, which were responded by the others, leading the whole piece evolving quite dramatically. Maybe the jam however ended to some unwanted directories or something, as the track is faded out as its tempo starts to decrease.

Following euphoric song for "Torbjörn Abelli" is really touching; A calm and sorrowful hazy elegy for a late gentleman, who pioneered the minimalist psychedelic rock at Sweden with most influential way, and was really ahead of time in global scale when considering psychedelic progressive rock music. Driven by the guitars, the song is again relating powerfully to spiritual context, which I sense very powerfully in this album and group, refers to these being present also in the album covers and written titles. This hopeful lamentation passes calmly towards the Nirvana, intensity of the aether growing ever thicker when reaching the broader levels of Samsara. Parallel guitar and bass lines start the ending process, which is conducted calmly, allowing the notes echo without haste to the infinity in the wake of Torbjörn's spirit. I really appreciate this homage, and believe the hypnotic power-approach developed by his groups Pärson Sound and Träd, Gräs och Stenar have certainly influenced also My Brother The Wind's spontaneous improvisations, along with the long jams of Baby Grandmothers. However the 1960's tones have not been replicated here in totally purist manner, and these sounds are part of today's sonic reality, carrying forth the torch from earlier generations along the sacred path of psychedelic illuminations.

The peaceful melancholia is cut powerfully by "Under Crimson Skies", which starts abruptly directly from a middle of jam, already been developing for some time before implemented to this record. This creates a strong contrast; an element which was used more strongly on their first album. Guitar practices interesting soliloquy bringing forth themes like phrases, and then answering them back, others creating a hypnotic groove for him at the background. The solo instrument and the group fusion together later, and slowly oscillating phasing mesmerize the scenario. These dreamy characteristics culminate to wonderful reverb-treated electric guitar psalm, conjuring long causeway of peaceful notes disturbing the ability of sensing time, and allowing an experience of transcendental cosmic harmony. From this long moment I got an association of some tamer acid rock passages of The Spacious Mind. These feelings lead to the album's title track, which is also the end of this journey. Soundscapes from the solace of fountain streams lead to the dominant jam rock characteristic of this record, holy mantra being weaved with guitar, ever repeating its calm and peaceful theme, and rhythm section supporting this progress steadily and monitoring situation for potential changes and reaction needs. The second guitar keeps firmly in creation of blurry background tones, painting a vision of colossal psychological state of hope. "Nothing ever dies". Background tones start to gain melodic forms, before the grandiose entity disappears back to the divine gardens.

I personally think the simplicity of the content of this music strengthens its power dramatically. It unites the sacral sense of style from the players, creating cantatas for sermons held in more earthly temples, where gigs of this group usually occur. Being privileged to witness one such concert, I felt this album was closer to that mass, which was certainly the musical highlight of my year. I can also claim so for this wonderful album, where the band has certainly developed to even greater heights from its fine debut record. Personally I am currently very open for this kind of music, allowing the flow on euphoric and logical sounds, which are yet surreal and solemn in their abstract form. Thus my sincerest listening recommendation of this album for anybody liking improvised spiritual music. The band offers quite much free streams of their stuff in though their web presence for sample listening, and in addition of these studio jams I believe there are some live gig recordings stramed freely from their Soundcloud page.