FISH RISING

Every fan of Gong (especially the "Angel's Egg" and "You" period) should own this album. The glorious Gong rhythm section is still in tow; Tim Blake (the synth guy) is still here making all those wonderful bubbly trippy noises, and Hillage's echo-obsessed guitar excursions are particularly satisfying. Overall, Fish Rising has a magical atmosphere and consistent level of effectiveness that Gong albums could never quite convince me of (I blame Daevid Allen). The opening track, for instance, is 17 minutes long and eventually builds into the most furious space-jam you will ever hear in your life -- the climax (you'll know it when you hear it) is one of those moments that makes you feel like your head is going to explode! The rest of the album is equally fine, featuring blissed out instrumental passages and unhealthy amounts of echo. I love quite a few of Hillage's solo albums, but this first one may just be the best -- check it out!