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| ELECTRIC ORANGE - 'Krautrock From Hell' (GER) |
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Yeah, they did it once more. While the forerunner album 'Morbus' was presented with a provocative album cover ...
this time it's the title ... 'Krautrock From Hell'. If this stuff is really coming from the hell floor, why should we ever
reach for something like a paradise, for the promised place in heaven, eh?
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| FIRST BAND FROM OUTER SPACE - 'The Guitar Is Mightier Than the Gun' (SWE) |
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Another great effort with the prognosis for a psych/space masterpiece - let us allow enough time and we'll see. Here we have four well
thought out songs provided with spaced out jam periods here and there. They let the music flow based on their longstanding experience
and make sure that something like boredom won't come up
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| IOEARTH - 'IOEarth' (UK) |
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This music has much of a cinematic vibe, like composed as a soundtrack for a movie. Well - the overall length with more than 90 minutes nearly matches.
The album shows a relaxed flow basically - but is provided with several twists and turns including heavy excursions nevertheless.
Here we have a melting pot of influences derived from the progressive rock realm - including some popular moments too
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| BIG BIG TRAIN - 'The Underfall Yard' (UK) |
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Full-value instrumentation, not overproduced though - playful songs with Greg Spawton's hijacking guitar work and a rich vintage keyboard substance -
you will often find supportive backing mellotron layers when it comes to a melancholic turn.
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| GAZPACHO - 'Tick Tock' (Norway) |
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GAZPACHO's new concept album worked out with profound songwriting skills once more and focussed on Jan-Henrik Ohme's sensitive vocals as usual.
The band remains on the common melancholic, heart-wrenching attitude reminding me of the band 'Talk Talk' here and there.
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| DAVE BROCK - 'Strange Trips & Pipe Dreams' (UK) |
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'Strange Trips & Pipe Dreams' is made up by relatively short songs but full of repetitive textures though.
HAWKWIND core member Dave Brock plays all the instruments by himself. Synthesizer and guitars are caring
for the dominant spacey vibe. Brock can convince even when he acts separated from his HAWKWIND origin.
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| ABIGAIL'S GHOST - 'D_Letion' (USA) |
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When trying to work out a unique style ABIGAIL'S GHOST have made a step forward. With intent or not - the predecessor
album 'Selling Insincerity' sounds like provided with obvious Porcupine Tree references (well done though).
This time you will be aware of a heavier tendency as immediately documented with the title track for example.
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| CARY GRACE - 'Perpetual Motion' (UK) |
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Cary Grace is releasing albums since 2004, experienced in composing and guitar playing. Her new production
now appears as a double CD album - a really refreshing discovery as for my impression ... 'Perpetual Motion' is delivering structure and
improvisation quasi emancipated, a well-balanced progressive rock production
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| EARTHLING SOCIETY 'tried to fly higher than pilots have flown' (UK) |
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EARTHLING SOCIETY are hard to predict by all means - therefore it's worth it to wait for every new album.
They have reached high altitudes once again in 2009. Offering atmospheric spacey songs provided with a peculiar
charm 'Sci-Fi Hi-Fi' is another entertaining piece of work which I can recommend without thought
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| MELTING EUPHORIA - Music Inspired By Pink Floyd & Hawkwind (USA) |
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This compilation can be treated as the band's best-of collection - 18 songs - mostly coming from the albums 'Beyond The Maybe Machine' (1996)
and 'Inside The Gardens Of The Mind' (1997). It's scarely nothing known about MELTING EUPHORIA although they are often mentioned as an
influential genre band. No doubt - this album is proving their reputation as excellent space rockers with gentle grooving songs, cosmic floating
and suspense-packed in the majority.
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| SARASWATHI-LOUNGE - ... No One Flies Around The Sun (Germany) |
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SARASWATHI-LOUNGE offer a quite personal interior view when reflecting their passion. The songs are adapted for listeners
who are open-minded enough to leave the common Pink Floyd track and like to explore new versions of their favourite songs.
This is courageous - at least for the commercial aspect. However - '... No One Flies Around The Sun' is made up very professional,
musically skilled. It takes time to explore this cornucopia of impressions ...
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| BEIRUTH - Horizonte De Sucesos (Spain) |
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It's obvious they are familiar with and inspired by diverse space and krautrock productions too - otherwise it might be rather impossible to produce such a fascinating album.
Besides the standard instrumentation every member of the line-up is responsible for a bunch of synthesizer goodies. BEIRUTH is on the way like an old hand band with well
thought out long tracks crossing the space and krautrock border.
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| ASTRA - The Weirding (USA) |
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ASTRA is a new promising San Diego/California situated band deriving from a psych/space basis - although they are not exclusively reduced on this and implement heavy rocking
and symphonic impressions. The songs evolve in a quite varied and interesting manner and you will detect some nice references to bands which must have influenced
the ASTRA crew. My preference is the lush mellotron and organ appearance ...
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| GAM - Eiszeit (Germany) |
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A masterpiece of krautrock - an adventure for your ears - highly recommended. With a good bit of luck this gem has survived. The three musicians are excellently harmonizing.
Well-conveived - not aimless noodling, unique, performed with tons of impressing echo-guitar, but also melodic, sounding fresh and contemporary not only because of the good sound mix.
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| TRIP LAVA - Oddball In The Corner Pocket (USA) |
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Attention! 'Oddball In the Corner Pocket' picks you up to experience a rollercoaster trip through a very private psychedelic and krautrock realm.
This album can be considered as one epic if you feel like - the 13 instrumental songs are blending into each other more or less. Just a compilation of improvisations -
a collection of diversified impressions, grooving, acid, jazzy, eclectic, spacey.
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| SIDDHARTHA - Trip To Innerself (Turkey) |
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It's surely correct to say that SIDDHARTHA has a dominant spacey and psychedelic fundament. The long tracks are the album's highlights in any case -
floating with some jam character. You will detect a lot of synthesizer patterns, echoing guitars and some Pink Floyd leanings. Crossing the ten minute mark the title
track is an excellent example here provided with a cosmic vibe plus a gripping progress.
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| HEADSHEAR - Headshear (USA) |
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I've learned that HEADSHEAR is not only reduced to 'Urban Conversation'. The whole album got my full attention in the meanwhile and after some time
unfolded its real beauty. Great effort with a quite complex song structure. This is an interesting find for King Crimson (and related bands) fans.
You shouldn't miss that - wonderful, compelling guitar work in the whole.
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| ARGOS - Argos (Germany) |
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A really interesting new discovery where the first section 'Nursed by Giants' is my personal favourite. In spite of many references to their paragons this album
is not a simple rehash at all. If you like to listen to a well performed cross section of music styles you should climb aboard.
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| BACKSTREET ROMEOS - Flight To Metaluna (Germany) |
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Even though I'm very interested in digging out new psych/space stuff especially from Germany I wasn't aware of BACKSTREET ROMEOS for along time.
In the meantime I've got into contact with the former band guitarist Werner Osterrieder and could reach for a rare copy of this self-released album.
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| MADEMOISELLE MARQUEE - High Tea (UK/Scotland) |
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'High Tea' flows off the beaten path. Was sure I already made my ultimate hallucinogenic experience many years back - but in terms of that I
obvisiously was wrong about that. After listening to this incredible album I'm wondering if the story of psychedelic and space rock must
be enhanced by a new chapter. This are sounds not exactly like but reflecting the spirit of the 'Kosmische Musik' - this time nearly
reduced on one instrument (if you don't count the voices).
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| THE VOCOKESH - ... All This And Hieronymus Bosch (USA) |
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They don't abandon their tradition to act instrumental - and experimental, sometimes even sounding slightly dissonant to my ears.
'... All This And Hieronymus Bosch' is expressing an excellent musicianship. THE VOCOKESH has worked out a convincing diversified album.
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| SERPENTINA SATELITE - Nothing To Say(?) (Peru) |
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Three shorter, rough and violent songs are framed by two spacey jams - that's for the first orientation.
'Nothing To Say' is nothing really surprising new from a stylistical point of view but presented with a great intensity -
first of all because of the striking guitar work of Renato Gómez and Dolmo.
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| SUBARACHNOID SPACE - These Things Take Time ... (USA) |
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This is really worked out with heart and mind. The band starts the set with a cool dreamy groove. The guitars are escalating by and by
like starting the engines for a lift off into the sky. Space rock at its best! A stunning performance by this band which is recommended
to fans who don't fear some crashing droning guitars appearing here and there. This courage will be rewarded.
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| MAN - Be good to yourself ... (UK) |
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The MAN band had reached the peak in 1972/1973 and this album belongs to the best of what they ever worked out.
It obsesses me for more than 30 years. Recommended by all means if you want to explore MAN's highly developed
psychedelic and spacey period.
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| MR. QUIMBY'S BEARD (UK) |
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A typical space rockband hailing from Sunderland (UK) which has worked out an unique style but seems to be abandoned actually.
The songs are floating pieces with bubbling synths in the background, meandering bass contributions and a heartbreaking guitar performance,
sometimes provided with a dub groove and more sprechgesang than a classic vocal appearance.
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| SECRET SAUCER (USA) |
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A space rock project in the pole position - made up of musicians from several US psych/space bands like QUARKSPACE. Some members have already toured with HAWKWIND members
Nik Turner and Daevid Allen. The songs are sounding like well arranged recordings but it's all the result of totally improvised jam sessions ...
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| THE NEIL CAMPBELL COLLECTIVE (UK) |
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This is a new experience for me and if an album ever deserves to be attributed as progressive - 'Particle Theory' is involved.
A sophisticated approach and realization is to state - made for music gourmets. As for Neil Campbell's composing skills he succeeds to join a wealth of varying styles and moods.
It's not rather necessary to underline that he's also a master of classical guitar - you just can hear it.
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| VESPERO (Russia) |
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All in all this songs are played more in the vein of their first studio album with mainly psychedelic portions and are differing to the ethnic meditative flavoured 'Foam' a little bit.
And they succeed in surprising the listener again and again - this time with a more jazzy/funky orientation during the second part of the recordings
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| SIGNS OF ONE (Canada) |
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A valuable album by this canadian band with a cornucopia of ideas telling the story about a mysterious book which changes the protagonist's
mode of thinking. Concertante - something like a rock musical with a seventy minute permanent suite divided in several parts. Bombast with
Queen leanings here and Kansas attributes there. Beguiling flute and violin, piano interludes and symphonic keyboards, hard riffing guitars, nice
melodies and polyphonic vocals.
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| COLORSTAR (Hungary) |
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Interesting colourful music - quasi contrary styles are formed as a unit which is really impressing. Not typical psych/space sounds
as you might expect - first of all because of this special rhythm work. This album will rather change the atmosphere on your party and
fill the dance floor at a late hour.
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| ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE (Multinational) |
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OSC's creative peak up to now must have been on two inspiring days in 2006 - the 10/11th of March exactly. Scott Heller and his mates went into the Black Tornado Studios
in Copenhagen (Denmark) and began to jam without having preconceived ideas as the band claims. Oresund Space Collective is a trademark for instrumental extended
improvised grooving Psych/Space music in Europe.
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| CROW (UK) |
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The songs of this production are obviously provided with HAWKWIND and OZRIC TENTACLES leanings. Remarkable are the delay and wah-wah drenched guitar,
a hypnotic tribal drumming and what is typical for many psych bands - vocals are very rare, only given with some mantras.
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| POLYTOXICOMANE PHILHARMONIE (Germany) |
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With Drosophila Road they are following the crazy concept once initiated with the masterpiece debut 'Psycho Erectus' in 2003.
Of course some references to other acts are coming into my mind listening to the album but the band members are able to conglomerate
an amazing mix of styles and influences once more, unique and really hard to describe. also appealing to Zappa fans as well as krautrock lovers.
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| U-NI (Japan) |
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On 'Samadhi' Tatsuhiro Honmura appears with excellent guitar skills - a guitar dominated album made in the vein of veterans like
Ash Ra Tempel, Achim Reichel and the early Tangerine Dream - not very diversified, more hypnotic minimalistic with looping riffs and
echoes - interesting for fans who are deep in love with repetitive spacey improvisations.
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| Ya Ho Wha 13 (USA) |
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This album offers superb psychedelic jams - remembering at the old days only in parts and apparently modernized -
not really comparable to the mind-blowing 70s mood where Father Yod dominated the songs with his voice and coolness.
The band's special craziness has decreased a little bit in the meanwhile. Never mind - probably even an improvement -
'The Feather Of Wisdom' is a recommended live document
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| EVERY OTHER FATE (USA) |
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Fine collection of catchy art rock songs on their new album Phantoms Fill The Skies - improved compared to the forerunner
album by all means. Don't hesitate because of the cover art. Excellent vocals, a powerful rhythm section and twin guitar work which is crashing here and psychedelic there.
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| Akt (Italy) |
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frAKTal.one looks like a tribute EP to King Crimson but is also fitted out with an unique AKT flavour and decorated with an
excellent new song. This proves that the band is continuing to develop its own thing making art rock with electronic samples
and defining something very fresh and new.
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| ZONE SIX (Germany) |
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On the occasion of the band's 10th anniversary the ZONE SIX members checked the archives to collect some rare and unpresented recordings.
This release lights up the recent ten years playing spacey psychedelic jam rock in their unique way. The band is known for extended
and unpolished live improvisations - some of them can be found here on '10 Years Of Aural Psychedelic Journeys' in a chronological order
and it's really turned out well.
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| DAYS BETWEEN STATIONS (USA) |
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It's not unrealistic to imagine you're riding a train - for example I think of Siberia/Russia - watching the endless nature,
speculating about mankind's future and - for the perfect background - listening to this album which has a very nice melancholic flow.
Above all the two long tracks are taking enough time to evolve and - after some rounds - really unfold their beauty.
This is dreamy mellow in the whole what the band delivers with many psychedelic and ambient elements.
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| ALPHA ZENTRADI (USA) |
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The ALPHA ZENTRADI members remain faithful to their style compared to the debut 'Five Man Army' from the year before.
This time more sophisticated but basically a mix of psychedelic and hyperactive progressive hard rock characterizes the music once again -
worked out with a lot of care. The songs are longer, more melodic, less prog metal influenced and first of all epic, divided in different moods
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| ALITHEIA (USA) |
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Melodic prog metal from Miami/Florida with significant interfaces to Fates Warning and Tool. ALITHEIA's uniqueness is reasoned with
Alfredo Vicente's vocals and first of all with an excellent varied guitar work by Raul Valentine alternating between heavy rocking, psychedelic
and metal riffing of course. A recommended addition for melodic prog metal and even art rock fans who are feeling comfortable on the heavier side.
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| DEMIANS (France) |
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Steven Wilson himself is full of praise for this debut said to be one of the most diversified efforts he could listen to recently.
Who should really doubt about this considering his comments? Provided with eight songs - respectively nine for the limited edition -
'Building An Empire' appears midway between prog metal and new art rock with some ambient additions similiar to Porcupine Tree, Fates Warning or Tool.
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| LAVA (Sweden) |
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LAVA started in 2003 though and jammed all around Sweden for some years before they decided to produce an album -
six tracks which they never had played before - free form jams and mostly twin guitar driven.
Besides some similarities to known swedish jam bands like ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE (OSC) or BLAND BLADEN they
have worked out quite a unique style spiked with krautrock and jazzy elements
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| VESPERO (Russia) |
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VESPERO attracts and wraps up the listener in a special way with the songs which is really fascinating.
Alexander Kuzovlev's guitar is striking - the most psychedelic element of the band - alternating between
an usual and a native style with an eastern touch. The band now sets the priority on an intensively ethnic
meditative trance mood supported by two percussion players.
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| KRAFTWERK (Germany) |
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I recommend to open up for KRAFTWERK's avantgarde approach and to take enough time for some rounds.
It differs to the later times when they decided to take the 'Autobahn'. Fans who like their newer electronic style reflecting a
pop appeal might be confused and disappointed listening to this. On the other hand it's a must have for prog fans who
want to discover and collect early german experimental output.
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| THE URSULA MINOR (France) |
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Musically and technically skillfull with some pointers to THE MARS VOLTA not only because of Sami Aloulou's voice and style.
The basis is psychedelic/space though and Ali Aloulou is responsible for that first with his excellent guitar work.
The band offers some common genre stuff with jam character but more eclectic elements sometimes with an avantgarde attitude
as well as jazzy rocking or canterbury infected sections.
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| HONDURAS LIBREGRUPO (Argentina) |
Here we have a completely spaced out album by the Argentinian HONDURAS LIBREGRUPO with reminiscences to 70s psych and krautrock artists.
Excellent stuff - free for download - this album is worth it if you like way out spacy and ambient sounds.
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| TEMPANO (Venezuela) |
New 2008 album called Selective Memory with eclectic songs full of breaks, varity and suspense similar to bands like IZZ and SALEM HILL - recommended!
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| ONZA (Spain) |
Excellent band from Andalusia which has released a new album called Paradigma at the end of 2007.
Native vocals, beautiful melodies, symphonic keyboards and rocking guitars are making this new release interesting first of all for fans of the neo prog genre
and especially of bands like JADIS or RPWL
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| BURNT NOODLE (USA) |
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After some years Paul Lamb's project, now consisting of four musicians, is convincing with a new matured album - provided with a sense of humour.
Basically it's a relaxed one - a fusion of spacey improvisations and westcoast psych folk with synth, organ and mellotron additions
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| POLYTOXICOMANE PHILHARMONIE (Germany) |
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Masterpiece! The band with an eccentric aura delivers a fantastic debut in 2003 - a completely rounded one which should be enjoyed from the first to the last minute without any break!
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| ELECTRIC ORANGE (Germany) |
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The songs are constantly driven by hypnotic grooves, embraced with space/psychedelic organ and synth layers.
Samples and diverse other elements like german recitatives are integrated and there are many 'inventions for guitar'.
ELECTRIC ORANGE's music is somewhat retro, inspired by Krautrock bands of the 60/70s with their typical Trance and Psych. But you can also feel a 'modern' TripHop/TripRock touch.
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| ØERESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE (Multinational) |
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The space crew, consisting of 9 astronauts and headed by captain Scott Heller, takes off into space again in 2007 with exciting grooving jams
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| DRAHK VON TRIP (Sweden) |
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Great debut of this collective which celebrates 'spontaneous real-time composing' for what also several other swedish bands are known.
So the songs are often the result of endless jams, just the essence of them, 10 songs which are stylistically hard to categorize.
The psychedelic element is dominant, the band acts with much variety and links to the 70s (prog) rock.
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| SIEGES EVEN (Germany) |
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When Art Rock and Metal collide - once more improved album from 2007 compared to the forerunner - technically perfect with a few song pearls as the result -
enjoyable from the first to the last minute
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| GALAHAD (UK) |
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Explosive! - Emotionell Neo Prog combined with Ambient at its best - released in 2007. GALAHAD's masterpiece!
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| SULA BASSANA And The Nasoni Pop Art Experimental Band (Germany) |
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A pleasant collection of hypnotic beats, trance and spacey soundscapes. If you like 60/70's Psych and Krautrock this album is a top catch
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