SOFT EXPLOSION LIVE

IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI ("Glass Beads Game") was arguably the best psychedelic rock band in the former Yugoslavia, in the late 1970s. During 1978 they recorded material for their eponymous debut, which was released the next year, and had several notable live performances in Belgrade. In taht period Goran Cvetic was member of the band and he managed and designed their stage lighting effects, video and film projections for live concerts. Without much ambition Cvetic tape-recorded their concert at the Belgrade Dental Medicine College for his private archives, using a simple cassette recorder.

Many years later, these tapes were unearthed by Thomas Werner, so his German label Kalemegdan Disk released an LP record "Soft Explosion Live" in summer 1991. Given the circumstances of its production, this albums sounds amazingly powerful and strong. Compositions from the eponymous debut ("Lyzzard Square", "Mushroom", "Voyage Into Blue") are perhaps even better on this live document than on the proper studio album of 1979 which suffered bad production. But the real gem is the opener title track "Soft Explosion", previously unissued, which is an example of interesting and highly developed concept of "space rock", played with conventional rock instruments, without excessive use of synthesizers. Apart from lighting/visual effects designer Cvetic, the line-up of ISP included Vojkan Rakic-guitars, Predrag Vukovic-percussions, Drasko Nikodijevic-bass and vocals, Zoran Lakic-keyboards and vocals and Dragan Soc-drums.

If you like psychedelia/space rock performed in the vein of 1968-69 PINK FLOYD, mid-1970s HAWKWIND or psych Krautrock a la CAN/AMON DUUL II, then this album is your choice. An excellent record that should be enjoyed by many prog fans.