ANGEL GOPHER

After listening to this release by acoustic folk/raga duo FIT & LIMO, one could be forgiven for doing a double take upon discovering that it is from 1993, and that the group didn't release a single recording in the 1970s, let alone the 1960s. Apart from the self-avowed idolatry of INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, which luckily avoids much of that group's nerdy cleverness, I hear bits of countrymen EMMA MYLDENBERGER in the many seemingly improvised passages.

"Late Summer" evokes the pastoral disposition of early MIKE OLDFIELD and FUHRS and FROHLING. The insertion of flutes imparts an ancient and eerie mood in tracks like "The Carpet" and the sweet "Black Berry", while "Stony Glory" utilizes sitar and crumhorn to achieve an appealing cross between transcendental meditation and a courtly dance. Vocals are generally sparse but recall at turns ISB, DONOVAN, and BROSELMASCHINE.

While I can't recommend this highly to prog fans who cherish sonic bombardment, for those willing to meet the music in its own ecosystem, "Angel Gopher" might offer you much more than surface pleasures.