PSYCHEDELIC/SPACE ROCK

Music to chill to you could say and this is one of those albums that just sounds really good. The warmth, the echo, spacey atmosphere, shimmering guitars, laid back drums for the most part all provide an uplifting sound. Other than the opener "Aether" really which is a slow moving piece that can be dark at times, the rest has the same vibe.

The closer is actually the song with the most light interestingly enough and maybe my favourite. It's called An T-Eilean Dubh" at 7 minutes in length. Clean picked guitar too which is unusual for this album. Active drums as well. Repetitive yes. Uplifting as well. Some of the songs become more passionate late but this is slow to mid-paced mostly with plenty of echo and space. "Now Here Nowhere" along with the closer are the two that standout for me but no weak tunes and uniform in sound. there's very little information in the liner notes(what notes?) but I do like the art work. It's great background music by the way.

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For the tracks, we're dealing with space rock at the start, then typically Ry Coodérien slide guitar, all bathed in a country atmosphere while still retaining a jazz sound. The next piece sets the tone with a typically South American acoustic guitar, it's fruity, calm, then the flute comes in to bring us to a very catchy tune. The 3rd "Kopernik" starts slowly despite its short duration, juggling between a ballad, a Saturday night folk ball tune then the guitar coming into play brings a rapid but effective crescendo to an energetic swirling riff. Already the 2nd part of the album with a soft flute intro, followed by a rhythm guitar then the flute again and a calm, almost ethereal piano arpeggio then again this nervous guitar, drawing from the rock of CAMEL its inspirations; here, the composition revolves around the death of one of the most courageous men there was for having stood up to the CHURCH at a time when this was still impossible. The penultimate track "A Rua Contra Os Reis" starts directly with the flute as if there had been no break between the tracks with a sound of sirens and a nonchalant guitar à la "Bonnie and Clyde" comes hold the melody for the shortest duration of the album (2'50''); we are between the sixties and the Original Film Soundtrack. Already the last track with "Dharma em Chamas" may be the most prog track with a melting pot of sounds initially coming from hard rock with a Hawkindian guitar and it calms down with an Inca tempo on the flute. We think it's going to end this way until the last two minutes where SF, spatial sound effects like those we could find on 80's metal groups (the intro, not the titles afterwards!) remind us that there is a lot of prog blood in this EP, as short as it is!

Five stars seems high for a live recording but the sound quality is perfect and there is no weaknesses here as far as my tastes go. The guitar sounds amazing, the reverb, echo, effects. The drummer I just found out today is from ELECTRIC MOON and plays on "Stardust Realities" my favourite from them. Then the bass man just kills also adding effects. In the liner notes it says "This album was recorded at a private event called "Spaceparty". It took place in a garden that actually was more like a park. A really spaced out place. Extraordinary plants, art and lighting everywhere. The design of the stage was trippy. What a fantastic place to perform!"

The band certainly were inspired that evening as this album could not possibly be more consistent and great. The interesting thing for me is not knowing these songs previously as the few albums I own by this band are before "Water Planets" and all good but not that consistent like this one. I like that you can hear the crowd, usually after and before a song and briefly but it puts me in that mood. This is Krautrock man in the guise of Spacerock. Okay not really but I just feel this is a band who can be proud of what they have created over the years building a discography that sits nicely with some of the great German psychedelic bands of the past.

The album opens and closes with tracks from "Spaceflowers" and the three in between are from "Water Planets". So consistent! The drummer adds soundscapes to all the "Water Planet" tunes while the other two add effects throughout. Sounds like a lot of synths on here and at one point I swear I hear sitar which isn't credited. That would be early on track three. I really felt like this band deserved at least one album in my "best of" psychedelic list but until I heard this one I didn't think that was going to happen. This is a light show at times folks but also trippy and spacey with sounds that echo, some excellent contrasts. An incredible show!

"Storm in a Teacup" takes us directly to their space, on the border between jam and experimentation, with layered synths, a vibrant tune reminding me of RUSH just fleetingly; ah Ed's tortured guitar on the flights of TANGERINE DREAM, VAI, it goes on, the dynamite bass and the funky drums; a sound that is dated but still fresh and catchy; I compare it to the more recent QUANTUM FANTAY for this psychedelic enthusiasm; the stereo and fluid finale in which we have the impression of seeing the notes flowing. "Deep Blue Shade" more dub, bass, for a hypnotic journey variegated with blue, well that's in the title; a universe to listen to alone, at night, on headphones or loudly on Hi-Fi to blast your speakers, funky-jazzy at one point; Ed and Silas engage in a friendly musical battle. "Lotus Unfolding" shifts time and space; Saskia's flute offers a musical yoga eyeing the sounds of KITAJIMA, purity of the moment and of the sound; birds come to land before the monolithic synth sets the rhythm on a serene hypnotic waterfall variation looking over the Japanese world.

"Crumplepenny" arrives, much more complex, tinkered and chaotic with dark vibes; it vibrates out of tune, it moves like a doe in spring ready to eat berries to get drunk; the finale with Vangelisian synth choirs restores a little madness while an Andalusian and Yessian acoustic solo sows discord; the modern title which does not only provoke trance, here it is reflection. "Green Incantation" bass à la 'Subway', flamenco guitar-sitar à AL DI MEOLA, astral radiation to go even further; the synth gives the different instruments the opportunity to give their all, without being obliged to provide a deluge of sound; the colorful, dancing air, here it goes again on a programmed jig which flows like an effusion of land, astonishing; the piece to consume with a substance without a doubt, I who thought that we no longer needed it. "Burundi Spaceport" ends this journey, a hilarious title for a trance-meditative air if that can exist; calm, lively, organs, hypnotic, bouncy drums, a more complicated title which passes like a letter in the post, finally from the time when the post office ensured its traffic; I'm getting lost but this title risks... losing you by offering a unique tune that makes you think and meditate even more.

OZRIC TENTACLES returns in force with this creative, meditative, hypnotic album; mantra tunes, psychedelic to go far away, that's the goal; captivating sounds which gave the idea to ORESOUND SPACE COLLECTIVE, QUANTUM FANTAY, ASTRAL MAGIC to also explore this very particular musical mode; so it's progressive above all, danceable, jazzy but oh so entertaining to make your whole body vibrate; colorful multi-layered music which does not revolutionize the genre but extends the movement as if time could also go back; repetitive yes, shimmering and imaginative yes, what better way to wander in this musical maelstrom.

These guys are players, the guitarist especially but that drummer reminds me of Hedvig's guy Ivar while the bass player adds a lot of spacey synths, noises and even harmonium but man his bass is fuzzed out. The opener "Black Time Fuzz" is well named, I mean the distortion is incredible both with the bass and guitar. Spacey synths too and they do mix it up. "Amazon" is a top three and Hedvig helps with that. Again fuzzed out and heavy music that here is catchy and mid- paced. This song flows so beautifully.

Another top three is the title track "Downpour". It's just not as heavy and is uplifting at times and also we get a light show from that guitar. Repeated themes too. Check out what seems like a climax before 6 minutes only to be followed by this onslaught. "Orbit" doesn't make my top three but it's right there. A nice heavy groove fuzzed out of course. But that early sound that is trippy and bass driven actually brought SOFT MACHINE to mind. Guitar is ripping it up after 5 minutes. "Solaris Pt.1" is my final top three. Gorgeous guitar leads in a spacey atmosphere. They do amp it up around 5 1/2 minutes but I just love the sound of this one before the heaviness and distortion hits. More of that heaviness on the closer "Solaris Pt.2".

I'm so into this record and I feel like if they ease off on the heaviness and distortion they will only get better. But that certainly appeals to the stoner rock fans out there.

Typical of the styles from the 1969-1970 odometer change, ARCADIUM's sole effort featured a sound that found that late 60s psychedelic rock sound slowly morphing into 70s progressive rock. This proto-prog album featured an ominous display of bombastic organ heft accompanied by heavy acid guitar, sharp vocal harmonies and moments of heavy psych freneticism sounding like a mix of The Doors, Vanilla Fudge, The Beatles and a host of other period acts but more anguished and nihilistic prognosticating the downer 70s hangover following the sunshine pop giddiness of the late 60s. The album is equally divided into lush acoustic guitar driven psychedelia, keyboard-drenched heavy psych and guitar-saturated hard rock complete with Yardbirds level soloing.

Bookmarked by the lengthiest compositions, BREATHE AWHILE begins with the near 12-minute "I'm On My Way" and closes with the 10-minute plus "Birth, Life and Death" which showcase the band's propensity to climb the progressive rock ladder and had they stuck around for a sophomore album surely would've become one of the more progressive bands of the early 70s. While the tracks in between the two biggies are shorter in length, they exude the same sense of doom and gloom and feature some of the heaviest guitar work on the album with more traditional sounding song structures. Despite being called a nightmarish concoction of late 60s atmosphere, BREATHE AWHILE is actually quite melodic and uplifting more in line with the psychedelic pop / rock bands of that came before as ARCADIUM was clearly more rooted in the past at this point than the future.

The main complaints i have encountered regarding this album revolve around the horrendous production job that graced the original vinyl that remained completely obscure until the modern era however i personally have never heard that one so i can only judge by my 2003 Akarma Records remastered CD which sounds perfectly acceptable without totally extinguishing that DIY garage rock effect. By far the weakest aspect of this album would certainly have to be the nonchalant laid back singing style of Miguel Sergides particularly in the high energy sections which did indeed require a bit more oomf in the vocal performances. Despite this though this album has come to grow on me after numerous encounters and ultimately has won me over with its strong songwriting and catchy ear worm hooks. The first two tracks are the strongest and initially much of the middle left me feeling unsatisfied but ultimately the album has worked its way in enough to understand why this album has become more regarded as a lost classic. The closer is another strong point that sort of recallibrates the strongest aspects. Not bad!

Man that opener "Aquilo" sounds so good once they get cooking. Still the way it starts with those spacey and drifting synths is perfect for headphone fans. A slow build but when we get that steady beat with bass as the guitars play over top I'm smiling. The organ late adds to the power but then an almost symphonic vibe 11 minutes in, a feel good section to end it.The guitar lights it up here.

"Euros" has this repetitive beat with guitar and bass helping with that, quite catchy head-bobbing music. Guitar starts to solo over top at 3 1/2 minutes then the baritone guitar takes it's turn as contrasts continue. It starts to wind slowly down after 7 minutes to the end which is after 10 minutes.

"Auster" opens sounding like TANGERINE DREAM with the moog leading the way. Some distant guitar before a minute that gets louder then the organ starts to pulse as drums arrive. This is good. The guitar starts to solo. Some interesting guitar sounds. Clavinet? What! Maybe this is part of the programming. Great sound before 5 minutes, so much going on as it gets more intense. Organ is back before 7 minutes adding some power.

"Favonius" is spacey to start as synths lead the way then light beats join in and more. More depth around 3 minutes thankfully as it builds. By 6 1/2 minutes it's pretty heavy followed by a calm with spacey guitars and keys. Drums and that earlier lighter sound before 7 1/2 minutes as it sort of drifts along to the end. I liked this record right from the first spin and MONOMYTH are right near the top as far as favourite bands from The Netherlands go.

That's my favourite studio album by this band and we get two tracks from it on here including the closer and four from "Laisse Ca Etre" the album they were touring for. Eight tracks from different venues and times, in fact the music covers an almost 2 year period. I like that they put this little insert in the packaging that is blank on one side and on the other we see the band performing on stage somewhere. I count eight musicians there and there's nine total with five blowing horns or flute.

The one track for me that seems out of place is "My Funny Valentine" originally a piano/vocal jazz ballad and of course changed a lot here but I'm just not into it at all. The rest is very good. It would be hard to limit this to a top three but the opener "Virange Sud" is outstanding and recognizable by that bass line that opens it. Some good contrasts and quite avant late. Love that relentless rhythm section. "C'est Pas Tout Mais" has to be a top three just for how unique sounding it is. Spoken words, humour, some singing and very french sounding.

"Travelling" I mentioned and it's my final top three. At nine minutes it is pretty much cut in half with two completely different sounding sections. The opening section is a repetitive rhythm section with different sounds coming and going over top making it interesting while the last half is an experimental soundscape with no structure really. Quite dark after 6 minute and I wonder what the crowd thought here. If you like avant check out the short 2 1/2 minute "Tintin On Est Bien Mon Loulou(Extrait)", mainly that final minute. The closer "Je Viens" is from my favourite album by them and is a worthy way to end this record.

Easily a four star record and very cool to see it make the top 20 for 2018 by the collaborators here, considering it's live and how strong that year was.