new psych : review page

Elektrohash My Sleeping Karma (D,2005)***'

My Sleeping Karma is a new German band with its own attractive sound, with a good minimum variation, and a real fine and strong and effective range of balance between the sounds of their instruments (from dark bass to light and spacey keyboards), with an attractive alternation, which is built from relative simple elements but played with great effect. They create moody psychedelic evolutions, which develop rather slowly. They have elements of stoner rock guitars that come back here and there without exaggeration, while the high notes from the keyboards keep the sound on these occasions open and clear, and always structured.

The slow, improvised "Intention" is psychedelia but attractively moving-in-the-stereo-channels of echoing wah-wah-effect on the guitars reminds me also of some older wavepop, where they used similar effects. "23 Enigma" uses melancholic melodies mixed with a few stoner rock passages, with a few tiny spacey effects here and there, and a clear fresh world of keyboards notes. "Hymn 72" is a bit faster, simple rock with psych effects in the guitars, and just a slightly stoned feeling, again with high note spacey effects, breaks with organ, and simple bass repetitions. Also the last few tracks are moody with slow improvisations, with some repeated guitar notes, organ touches, and, like before, stoner bass/guitars mixed with high notes from keyboards, and also a bit of echo on the guitar tunes. The group convinced me with their sound.

Audio : "Hymn 72" ; More audio on http://www.myspace.com/sleepingkarma

& http://cdbaby.com/cd/mysleepingkarma

Homepage : http://www.mysleepingkarma.eu/

Label : http://www.elektrohasch.de/

Sublabel info : http://www.lrm.de/...

& http://www.lrm.de/lrm_websites/downloads/infos/My_Sleeping_Karma_Info.pdf

Other reviews : http://www.hellridemusic.com/...

next CD->

Zeta Reticuli Spaceseed with Harvey Bainbridge : The Empire of Night (US,2006)**°

Hawkwind’s related repertoire is so big, it seems they made a repertoire of spacerock with no frontiers. Spaceseed from their debut were connected with the, in that time, already long time running (since 1969!) spacerock pioneers Hawkwind. Spaceed was founded in 1988 in Atlanta Georgia by guitarist John Pack, but it was especially since 2003 when Hawkwind member Nik Turner joined them, also on their debut CD, that their success grew. After a while, in 2005, another Hawkwind member joined in, Harvey Bainbridge. They released a few albums on the Zeta Reticuli label. Their latest album still has keyboard player Harvey Bainbridge.

While I was a fan of Hawkwind in the late ‘80’s, especially for their early work, and until Ian Killmister aka Lemmy established Motörhead, (which I followed until the late 80's), and the few years after that (see gradings of both groups below).

While Hawkwind works especially from 1971 until 1975 showed much inspiration, conceptual visions and all that, since the mid ‘80s or later, I think Hawkwind seemed to have established much more directly a “style” which became its own source of inspiration, and which they tend to keep on following. This style had certain elements that made variations from softer more keyboard passages, showing an alienation taking distance from what is happening on earth, and more heavy rocking elements with certain psychedelic effects, the spacerock jams. It is exactly the style reference which new spacerock related groups tend to follow, not coincidentally but deliberately. Spaceseed almost seem to be expressing more a kind of live energy playing which this style example can bring, but it is also an imprisonment where they can hardly find different variations or more real, and more deeply rooted concepts. It is like an addiction, which fans tend to prefer to be repeated, where they can count on, as much as a steady radio broadcast, a newspaper with similar messages, a wife who is at home at steady hours, and bread with cheese and a cup of coffee, and their beer in the weekend. It lost its progression on earth…

The music on this album starts in a late night vision, calmly growing, with some spoken word, until it builds up the spacerock energy in some variations, stylistic and with no surprises, like a prisoner in time and space. It is especially on the last few tracks that the band show more successfully an extra energy with spacerock.

Spaceed is John Pack : Guitars, vocals, theremin, synths ; Brian Fowler : bass, theremin, vocals ; John Stanton : bass, vocals ; Mitch Cherry : Synths, percussions ; Emmye Cherry : Synths, percussions ; Crawford Lane : Drums ; Andy Gayle : drums ; Harvey Bainbridge : synths, vocals ; Ken : Synths ; Lora Bloom : vocals ; Rick Atkinson : guitar, synth, vocals. Additional personnel : Michael Thomas Roe, Cyndee Lee Rule and Danny Simmons.

Homepage : http://www.spaceseed.org/ & with audio on http://www.myspace.com/...

& ("Clouds over Titan") on http://www.purevolume.com/spaceseed

Harvey Bainbridge homesite : http://harvey.strange-trips.com/

Info & audio release : http://cdbaby.com/cd/spaceseed2

Info on release : http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=281157

Gradings and some short opinions on Hawkwind & Motörhead related albums I have :

One Way Rec. Hawkwind : Hawkwind (UK,1970)****°

first, more acoustic, very psychedelic album

EMI

Hawkwind : In Search of Space (UK,1971)*****

one of the first spacerock albums perhaps ? A great masterpiece.

One Way Rec. Hawkwind : Doremi fasol latido (UK,1972)****°

with Lemmy (Motörhead). The influence of Lemmy is noticeable.

EMI

Hawkwind : Hall of the Mountain Grill (UK,1974)****°

with Lemmy (Motörhead). Great musical concept.

One Way Rec. Hawkwind : Space Ritual, vol 2 (UK,1974)****

with Lemmy (Motörhead). There are two volumes. Vol 1 is most known but is a rather fucked up recording. Luckily vol 2 is recorded better, but is strangely enough negclected too often, or not even known. This was the most heavy work sounding closer to Motörhead, but with a spacerock effect and great sax/flute. I don't think it was ever reissued on CD.

Hawkdiscs

Hawkwind : Warrior on the Edge of Time (UK,1975)****°

With use of some bautiful high note contrasts in some tracks. Still highly apreciated.

Receiver Rec.

Hawkwind : Acid Daze, The history of Hawkwind (UK,1986)***°

compilation of outtakes

Cleopatra Rec

Nik Turner : Sphynx (+bonus track) (UK,1993)**'/****

dark concept. I especially like this album for the flute improvisation bonus track, played in the great Pyramid in the '70s. Even when it is rather long it sounds too short., and originally was much much longer. I hope they release the complete flute improvisation one day.

EMI

Motörhead : On Parole (UK,1976)*****

Bronze Rec.

Motörhead : Bomber (UK,1979)****°

Bronze Rec.

Motörhead : No Sleep 'till Hammersmith (UK,1980)****'

Bronze Rec.

Motörhead : Ace of Spades (UK,1980)****°

Bronze Rec.Motörhead : No Remorse (UK,1984)****°

Castle Com.

Motorhead : Overkill (UK,1986)*****

While the music of Motörhead is hard, very hard, and entirely masculine, but also integer and inteligent with its raw and direct rocking energy. There never was any other band like this, and never will be. My first two radioshows ever were dedicated to Hawkwind and Motörhead. The first album still is calmer in its energy.

Rise Above Rec. Litmus : Planetfall (UK,2007)**°'

Hearing Litmus, it is obvious knowing they were influenced by Hawkwind -area “Silver Machine”- with up tempo hard rock driven spacerock with lots of spacey effects like ufo’s, singing-together-as-brothers vocals, heavy bass, and high pitched mellotrons. At times, the electric guitars find their way to the jam and freak out, pretty much, which is great. Each new session (sometimes a few tracks long) seems to start with renewed and reloaded energy, like a bomb or a rocket that increases its tension but cannot go off. Obviously this appears like a live energy, which will make the listener stoned after a while, where he as a person cannot escape. Luckily just here and there the fuel runs out, and sometimes the motor only slowly warms up, giving a few peaceful moments. Most of the last tracks are more simple jams on songs, moody, including a last freakout. They really used up all the CD space. I am sure fans of the genre will love this.

Info : http://www.riseaboverecords.com/pressView.asp?pressId=13

Homepage : http://www.litmusmusic.co.uk/ & http://www.myspace.com/litmusspacerock

1.Sulatron-Rec. Electric Orange : Platte (D,2003,re.2007)**

I remember Electric Orange and how they based their sound on psychedelic music, possibly with a Krautrock influence, but also added a few new elements like some rhythmbox like rhythmic-effects which was typically theirs. This is a reissue of an LP from 2003. The keyboard is the strongest element for the group, more often in a somewhat post Floydian way (one of both guitarist plays harmonium as well), while the guitars hang on to it. Their music is basically a linear and slow psychedelic jam. On the first and last track, this rhythmbox-like sound is also present, like a returning, in slow pulses, steam kettle sound. Most attractive for me were the piano with organ improvisation on the last of two bonus tracks, but the “kettle” simplicity in it disturbs me, because for me, if a rhythmic sound is not adding anything it is better not there.

The album was mastered by Eroc, one of the minor key Krautrock/Deutschrock figures.

Audio : "Kwark","Columb"

Homepage : http://www.electric-orange.com/ & http://www.myspace.com/abgelaufen

Label : http://www.sulatron.com/

Other review : http://aural-innovations.com/2004/april/eorange3.html

Reviews of previous albums : http://www.planetmellotron.com/reve2.htm#electricorange

German review : http://www.babyblaue-seiten.de/album_3739.html

2.Sulatron-Rec. Electric Orange : Morbus (D,2007)****

This new album by Electric Orange is a big improvement to their previous album. Here they prove to be a worthy post-Krautrock jam band with an interesting sound which is beautifully whole. Also the percussion became more interesting, driven, and almost exotic at times. Also the keyboards, in combination with enriched rhythmical-melodic elements make use more often of beautiful progressive rich sounds, like that of a Hammond ? organ. Each moment of the jam sounds great and rich, and evolves like a journey with ever moving pictures. Within all seriousness of instant composing there are here and there some clear-minded humoristic notes, like in the titles (with original titles like “traumama”, “Errorman”, and perhaps “Krautschock”), and just once, in the inspiration. This mentioned element for me is the “Father Jacob” theme, sung with distorted voice, accompanied by jamming bass, electronica wizardy, freaky guitars and headspinning organ. A great new promise with future classic quality.

Homepage : http://www.electric-orange.com/ & http://www.myspace.com/abgelaufen

Label : http://www.sulatron.com/

next album->

Sulatron-Rec. Electric Orange : Krautrock From Hell (D,rec.2008-2009,pub.20107)**'

While for their previous release I seemed to have been more easily convinced of some post-Krautrock-association, for this release, the album title with the word “Krautrock” in it annoyed me. While Krautrock provided one of the most advanced and adventurous periods and foundations for improvisation, structurally interesting and expanding with lots of change, compared to Krautrock this is more like expanded boredom, without being lazy with that approach, so that in a way this more limited area becomes interesting again, like head swinging psychedelic improvisation.

We hear either step-to-step jams based upon bass and drums and organ with some endless repetitions to hypnotic effect and textures that make it sound effective (track 1 & 2) , some song improvisation (track 5), or a track based upon a mood psych organ drone texture to improvise further upon (track 6), or some creative area with space spanning and sequenced slow movements, which works out very fine.

As psych jam music this is a rather fine example, but before the band could be able to belong to the Krautrock association, they urgently needs to work more on their skills, structure, creative elements and some more content, otherwise they should simply describe themselves as being just a psychedelic jam band and nothing else, which is what they are on this recording. The additions of spoken word in German combines well with the music.

Homepage : http://www.electric-orange.com/ & http://www.myspace.com/abgelaufen

Label : http://www.sulatron.com/ ; German review on http://www.musikreviews.de/... & here

Other review on http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=258945

MP3-release (WWW) Sand Snowman : Moth Dream (UK,2006)***'

Sand basically is a solo project using lots of guitar improvisations, mostly acoustic, some beautiful Fender Rhodes improvisations, parts with percussion (drums), touches of organ, layers of slightly echoing sliding electric guitars, xylophones, some echoing voices, a part with a bit of sitar and a few other textures.

The result is an improvised sound, which is for an important part rather psychedelic, and with some ‘70s association of building the sounds up. Although this album is released as an MP3-only release, on a service with folk relations (-woven wheat whispers-), this really has not much fundamentally acoustic or folk association, except for some acoustic guitar passages, that clarify the sound slightly in that direction, the largest part I mentioned is more like a psychedelic trip. At some point, with desolate organ and distant echoing slides of guitars, and acoustic strums I am somewhat reminded of the ultimate dark acoustic trip record, by the German group Dom ; just add a bit of tabla, and some spoken word and you would have it there. It is the multiple acoustic guitar improvisation leads that add brighter areas, which are for a small portion meditative. Sand, the creator is also a painter (besides writer) who works patiently and in a detailed way on his work. The same kind of dedication is present her too, in cooperating layers for the different instruments. One time simple chords form a stretched kind of outro, while near the end the electric piano changes the moody passage that had reached a psychedelic touch, into a slightly jazzy flavoured mood, until the fundamental acoustic guitars conclude the whole score.

PS. I still find it a bit strange how suddenly some albums only find their way through as MP3 releases. Of course it will make things easier for some musicians who need less efforts and investigation to look for interest and less investment. I notice how the market pushes everything into the MP3 market already. They have taken out most of the CD players from the market, so you can hardly find one nowadays, as if a DVD player will make a CD sound the same. And also, all audio burners will go off the market. No one seems to care that MP3 has much less quality in sound. But lots of young people are already partially deaf by going to the wrong places, and using cheap systems of headphones with portables.

Review, audio and download : http://www.wovenwheatwhispers.co.uk/...

Other reviews : http://www.eveningoflight.nl/en/reviews/sandsnow_moth.htm

& http://www.terrascope.co.uk/Reviews/...

World In Sound Rec. Karmic Society : Journey (D,2007)**°'

Sometimes a bit more relaxed, in a rather modest way, the group jams into covers (Quicksilver Messenger Service, Grateful Dead, and Can) and into their own tracks, being able to increase and built up their intensity, where, as soon as the rhythm section takes off, the bass smoothly follows and the electric guitar and organ prove their skills. The keyboard player (Hammond, Rhodes, moog) Winnie Rimbach proves to have some nice melodic ideas especially on organ. Also Mario Schultz on the Stratocaster guitar knows how to convince well. When showing their improvisation skills, the band becomes more than a jam based band, and then shows a rather “progressive” edge to it, something which is rather spontaneously achieved. There is a convincing live energy also, which might work best in a smoky environment with lightshow, with preferably also some alcoholic humidity in the air. Because the group proved their technical skills, 3 members also support the US-group Dragonwyck at live shows.

Audio : http://www.myspace.com/karmicsociety

Homepage : http://www.karmicsociety.com/

Label (with 2 audio tracks) : http://www.worldinsound.com/

Other reviews : -

German review : http://www.ragazzi-music.de/karmicsociety.html

German info : http://www.mannheim.de/...

Elektrohash Saturnia : Muzak (PT,rec.2003-2005,pub.2006)***

It’s been a while since I heard from Saturnia. This Portuguese group started around late ’96. I heard their duo album from 2000 with moody progressive trance-psychedelia. In that time, Luis Simões helped me well to get some aquaintance with some important music from the Portuguese psych scene from the 70s, but then I quickly lost touch (see results of that work and a review of that early album on next page). In 2003 they had a new album called “Hydrophonic Gardening”, which I have not heard yet. “Muzak” is their latest CD, which is now mostly a solo project, with help from some musical friends.

The vocals still have moments of a dreamy Floydian touch : they sing like in a daydream, while dynamic, groovy, progressive spacerock rhythms push the energy gently and in a catchy way, almost like attractive psychedelic pop music this time. The percussion is already a world on its own, with bass and drums and slightly echoing trance-rhythms. The tracks have a widely ranged and mingled soundscope with layers of acoustic instruments (guitars, and some tampura, vibraphone..) mixed with keyboards (organ and analogue sounds, and some spacey effects), with never too far some additional vocals and somewhere, some spoken word.

Luis Simoes : vocals, electric & acoustic guitar (picked, bowed and e-bowed), lap steel guitar, guitar pedals, sitar, philicorda, Hammond organ, synthesizer, theremin, Bisel flute, vibraphone, dulcimer harp, gong, chimes, samples keyboards, sequencing, with Fransisco Rebelo : Rhodes electric piano, Nik Turner : flute licks, and Flapi Simoes : mid section flute solo on “Organza”, Daevid Allen : spoken word on “Syrian”, and Joao Alves : acoustic string guitar and 12string guitar on two different tracks : "Kite" & "Analepsis".

Homepage : http://www.saturniamusic.com/

& with audio : http://www.myspace.com/saturniamusic

Short review of second album on http://psychemusic.org/PORTUGALPROG.html