RALF NOWY-LUCIFER'S DREAM, LP, 1973, GERMANY

Swoon inducing orchestrated cosmic krautrock fusion with disco-ish underpinnings which I somewhat rashly used as a reference point for Joachim Kuhn's Cinemascope album that I posted recently (and whose similarity ends with the combination of fusionoid and orchestrated moves). One of the most elusive and forgotten of Krautrock masterpieces, This album by saxophonist Nowy is usually cited (when at all) for it's Amon Duul 2 connection, courtesy of guest appearances here from both Lothar Meid and sitarist Al Gromer. Usually left unmentioned is that Lucifer's Dream prominently features keyboard contributions from one Sylvester Levai (ne Levay) who, prior to this would record another krautrock masterpiece opposite Dzyan's Eddie Marron in Vita Nova and then, post Lucifer's Dream, score one of the biggest hits of the disco era with "Fly, Robin Fly" (and then continue on to score one trashy 80's Hollywood flick after another). The soaring stoned-immmaculate fusion netherworld that these folks inhabit doesn't exist sui generis. Lucifer's Dream glances off contemporaneous moves by their krautrock brethren, among them Brave New World, Amon Duul 2 circa "De Guadaloop" from Hijack and Wolfgang Dauner circa both The Oimels and his work on the eponymous first Et Cetera album, but the particular way that Nowy & co. negotiate the slippery dream logic of this lost continent of jazz rock genius is purely unprecedented. Godhead.

***************NEW LINK POSTED OCTOBER 2012***************

Get it here

***NOTE: THERE'S A MIRRORED MEDIAFIRE LINK IN THE COMMENT FIELD***

TONE FLOAT-MUSIK VON TONE FLOAT, CD, 1997, USA

As requested, here's the sole album by this VDO-related pseudo-supergroup, initiated back in '97 and conceived of at the time as a sort of umbrella project with a krautrock theme that would bring together some of the disparate folks in our orbit at that moment, Tone Float was VDO's follow-up session to our production work on the debut album by Doug Ferguson's band Ohm and would ultimately result in Doug (R.I.P.) joining VDO. Also involved were both Mazinga Phaser's Wanz Dover and (though unannounced at the time at his wishes) Daniel Huffman of spacerock also-rans Comet and, lately, Ghostcar. Wanz and Daniel would both end up abandoning this project midstream; each contributing to two cuts on the resulting album. Musik Von Tone Float would largely close the door on an era of our work that was explicitly geared toward the psych/prog collector geek circuit and it may well be the best of the lot, summarizing a host of kosmiche tendencies explored across our Saturation and Zyzzybaloubah albums.

Get part one Here


Get part two Here

MR. PARTRIDGE-TAKE AWAY/THE LURE OF SALVAGE, LP, 1980

XTC were effectively the Beatles of my youth and the Mr. Partridge LP was my first indication that there was much more up 'ol Andy's sleeve than "merely" being one of the greatest songsmiths of the 20th century. Across these two sides, Partridge's secret affection for experimental dementia and dub fuckery was laid bare. Subjecting prior XTC material to radical vivisection and constructing dizzying avant pop mosaics on top of it's shattered remains, Take Away/The Lure Of Salvage is a pitifully overlooked masterpiece that compares favorably to the top tier of Ralph Records' output circa this timeframe. Out of print for some 18 years (it last saw release in 1990 on the "Explode Together" CD coupled with the further dub experiments of Andy's found on XTC's Go+ E.P.), this is a cornerstone piece of warped music history and one of Andy's finest achievements.

***************NEW LINK POSTED OCTOBER 2012***************

Get it here 

GEHAKTES POTTWAL-1, TAPE, 1981, GERMANY

Seemingly completely unknown, the grittily brooding and unexpectedly labyrinthine quasi-Neue Deutsche Welle exploits of Gehaktes Pottwal land somewhere between the down-in-the-mouth S.Y.P.H. and Geisterfahrer camps and the sort of rough hewn and serrated post-jazz rock exploits that Uli Trepte's was creating with his post-Guru Guru Spacebox project and it's a marriage that makes this sound remarkably contemporary.

Get it Here

JOHN KING-ELECTRIC WORLD, CD, 1989, USA

This largely tremendous but occasionally cringe worthy Downtown NY funk pop/art rock mutation is alternately pinned down and shrapnel shredded by the powerhouse rhythm section of David Moss (here restraining his vocal improv psychobabble to a few brief tracks) and Florida bassist Jean Chaine, who's solo album and work with Dimthings I've posted previously. King, who would go on to record a set of similarly addled tunes opposite Otomo Yoshide, Kato Hideki and Hoppy Kamiyama for Kamiyama's God Mountain label some 3-4 years later is an adept string squaller with a vaguely blues-based undergirding to his avant attack thats sometimes reminiscent of Elliott Sharp. Alas, he's also a songwriter that occasionally displays a dismaying penchant for tempering his more adventurous instincts with dopey late-model Zappa juvenilia. If you can take that sorta thing in stride, there's much wild creativity at work here. If nothing else, Electric World proves what a shit hot drummer Moss can be in a non-improv setting, effortlessly spinning on a dime between blistering free Centazzo-like runs across his modified kit and trickily dense funk grooves.

Get it Here

VARIOUS ARTISTS - 0651 Syllogi [MC, Greece '85]

Hi.
This is my first upload, so it had to be something special. I hope you will enjoy it.

This, ultra rare cassette only compilation, came out on February of 1985, in the city of Ioannina, from a really obscure independent company, titled BARKA (means boat in greek) Tapes and was their 8th cassette release. It covers the independent music scene of the city of Ioannina from those days. The title "0651" reflects the area code used for selecting the city of Ioannina for communicating through the telephone lines.

The participating 5 groups and artists cover a wide range of musical tastes. Not only dark and experimental sounds, but also punk, garage and electronic pop styles may be found in here. Most of the lyrics are in Greek language.

Here is the tracklisting:
01. EPIPTOSEIS - To telos
02. EPIPTOSEIS - Prin to telos
03. KEFALAIO 24 - Sti siragga
04. KEFALAIO 24 - Mia maza
05. KEFALAIO 24 - H mystiriodis eksafanisi tou Ermi
06. FYSIOLATRIKOS SYLLOGOS - Perimenontas to Niko Foskolo
07. METALAKTIKOI EPIKINDYNOI - Zontani proboli
08. AST(R)IKI GLOSSA - Horis kammia thisia
09. AST(R)IKI GLOSSA - A Penny's love affair
10. FYSIOLATRIKOS SYLLOGOS - 10 lepta piano Pt. 1
11. FYSIOLATRIKOS SYLLOGOS - 10 lepta piano Pt. 2
12. FYSIOLATRIKOS SYLLOGOS - 10 lepta piano Pt. 3

This tape covers only a part of the independent musical scene of Ioannina of that era. The importance of this compilation is based on it's ability to move, breathe and operate in really contemporary and neweras of music, a target that was (and still is) not so easy achieved, whenever we have to talk for creation made in a small rural area, far away from the capital of Greece. Two of the groups, METALAKTIKOI EPIKINDYNOI and KEFALAIO 24 (Chapter 24 in english) have also publish other works in the future.

***************NEW LINK POSTED SEPTEMBER 2012***************

Get it here 

Hassisen Kone-Harsoinen teräs,LP,1982,Finnland

Inspired by Eppu Normaali's Maximum jee & jee, in late 1979 Ismo Alanko decided to set up a new band to make Finnish language punk rock. Returning home to Joensuu from Stockholm where he had been working, he contacted old band mates Reijo Heiskanen and Harri Kinnunen. With the addition of Harri's little brother Jussi Kinnunen on bass, Hassisen Kone's lineup was complete.
The boys landed a record deal on the small Hilse label on the strength of an early demo and caught a further break when they won the new wave category in a national competition for pop bands. Their first single, "Hassisen Kone/Kolumpia orkesteri", followed in April 1980 and their debut album Täältä tullaan Venäjä went gold by the end of the year.
In 1981 Hassisen Kone released their second album Rumat sävelet and took part in the famous Tuuliajolla tour with luminaries Eppu Normaali and Juice Leskinen. In the winter of 1981-1982 the band saw several lineup changes. First their ranks expanded when Safka Pekkonen, Antti Seppo, and Hannu Porkka join. Then Reijo Heiskanen resigned before a big tour and Jukka Orma filled in.
The making of Hassisen Kone's third and last album proved to be a difficult process after the changes in the band. Harsoinen teräs was released in the spring of 1982, but the end was nigh. The band played their last gig on August 1st, 1982 (till a brief reunion two decades later).
RYM biography
Great Finnish post punk,synth driven in the great tradition of UK bands of the same genre.Some dub influences here and there reminds me much ,Monochrome Set,a bit of Spherical Objects (minus the voice),Theatre of hate (especially when sax is used)and even Black Albul -era Damned.This is their final LP and possibly their best,and for sure one of the best in the 80s Finnish post punk scene.

Note: link removed as it was brought to our attention that this is still in print.

Drahomira Song Orchestra - The Return Of 120 Magicians ,CD,2006,Russia

This one is a real gem.Drahomira Song Orchestra is a project of Drahomira institut in Russia,that involves in art,cinema,music and other "criminal" activities(that's their own words). Started in early 80s they have a stock of about 30 albums,waiting to be released. This one was self released in the redicolously limited edition of 100 copies in 1986 and is as far as i know sold out. Dark ,sometimes too epic sounds from the Russian toundra ,electronic plinketyplonks ,ethnic elements,tapes,noises ,repetitive sounds,classical organs compositions,stretched vocals in French,Russian and English...Possibly the best thing i've heard in 2008 till now.Will appeal to fans of HNAS,LPD,Bourbonese Qualk,DDAA,etc.

visit their wonderfully designed website

get this masterpiece here and here

Blue for Two-st,LP,1986,Sweden

Blue For Two were a Swedish synth band from the 80s,consisting of Freddie Wadling(of Cortex fame) and Henryk Lipp. The word synth pop or minimal synth though is not the exact word to describe the music here.Electronics are compined great with rock,jazz,ethnic music,cabaret influences and all this combined with Wadling's deep dark voice a unique atmosfear is created. Sometimes it reminds Low -era Bowie ,especially in the vocal part.

get it here

Bruno K. Öijer & Brynn Settels-Skugga kommer,LP,1986 ,Sweden

Wonderful yet weird synth album by Swedish poet Bruno K Öijer ,backed by synth compositions of Brynn Settels. Released in 1986 through Mistlur label.Strange electronic compositions reminding much the weirdest NDW acts, full of anxious vocals and experimental parts, reminding Der Plan,Die Wirtschaftswunder, EMAK,Andi Arroganti,etc. No infos were found in English though ,so any help will be much appreciated.

get it here

Gli Astrali-Viaggio Allucinogeno,LP,1967,Italy

Wonderful out there psych /beat LP from these Italian acid heads,in the great tradition of Rokes,Templari,Fantom's,La Stelle Di Mario Schifano,etc.Reminding a mix of early Pink Floyd with "Banana" era Velvets. Great haunting hammond driven psych beat.Contains 3 covers of Byrds,Yardbirds and Standells respectively.

get it here

Art & Technique -Diabolus in mecanica,LP,1982,France

Very obscure French experimental/electronic act,that released 2LPs and a 12" e.p. plus a 7" in the early 80s. Haunting electronic sounds ,some ethnic elements reminds me much of 23 Skidoo's 7 songs or early Muslimgause and O Yuki Conjugate sound. This is their 2nd LP. Their first , Clima X ,from 1981 ,is more electronic progressive oriented.

get it here

Amoebic Ensemble-Limbic Rage,CD,1995,USA

Providence, Rhode Island's instrumental Amoebic Ensemble is a peculiar beast — a huge group (usually eight people) playing mostly acoustic instruments (except for electric violin and mandolin) and assorted metal detritus to create something of a bizarre old-time Weimar clinkety-clonk. Accordionist and main songwriter Alec K. Redfearn is one of the greatest song-titlers alive (Limbic Rage offers, among others, "Owls Are Actually Very Stupid," "Waxing Neuralgic" and "Gimme a Buck or I'll Touch You"), and his themes are pretty great, too: "Repetitive Motion Sickness" is a twisted Brecht-Weill-ish tango for people with an unusual number of feet. Instrumentally, on "Boilermaker," Redfearn's accordion parts knit neatly with Laura Gulley's violin lines.
After Limbic Rage, there was a three-year gap before the Amoebic Ensemble's next release; the brain-bending tales of desperation and substance abuse in an interview Redfearn did with the zine Wingnut help to explain why.
[Douglas Wolk] This piece was first published in Badaboom Gramophone #3
Excellent accordeon oriented avant-prog band ,blending naiveness behind complex structured compositions . Chamber rock music mixed with plink plonky circus sounds and an excellent accordeon on the background!One of the best things i've heard lately!

get it here

Anatrofobia-Le Cose Non Parlano ,CD,2001,Italy

Great new Italian band, playing a complex RIO styled improvisational rock reminding much of Univers Zero, Doctor Nerve and Curlew along with the much newer Zu. Excelent dark atmospheres ,chaotic use of electronics and saxes sometimes touching the edges of industrial. This is their second release and long deleted.
visit their website here.

get this absolute gem here

Commando M Pigg-st,LP,1981,Sweden

Commando M Pigg were a female fronted act that formed in 1980, dropped the "M Pigg" around '86 and eventually released a grand total of seven albums before finally calling it a day in 1990.
Musically,influences of early Siouxsie and the Banshees, Raincoats and Lilliput are obvious. Sometimes reminds me the first Björk attempts with Tappi Tíkarrass or Kukl,while jazzish elements are not absent (especially in the use of saxes).

get it here

Combo FH-Veci(Things),LP,1977, Czechoslovakia

Combo FH are a Czechoslovakian group playing decidedly RIO-influenced music. The album Veci consists of 14 short pieces of composed music, much of which sounds like updated Henry Cow, with a lot of winds backed up by a rock rhythm section. The complex ensemble work, as in Tipographica for example, occasionally opens up a vamp for a jam to let the group open up a bit, but, alas, this happens too infrequently. Mostly, this is highly structured work created by an extended ensemble, the lead melodies often led by combinations of sax, clarinets, bassoons etc. Many of these parts are heavily reminiscent of Legend-period Henry Cow or similarly avant-inclined chamber rock. But despite their penchant for complex and layered orchestration, Combo FH usually stay away from disonnance keeping the music to close to a distinctly melodic framework. The overall impression is an album of "shorts," compositions that are tight, structured and mostly interesting without any pyrotechnic displays or dynamic extremes. Mike McLatchey 20-April-2001 for Gnosis2000
Fascinating all-instrumental 6-piece (keyboards, reeds/violin, bassoon, guitars, bass, drums/percussion) from Hungary. None of the members of this group were full-time musicians, but they run through 14 brief (1':35" to 4':26"), but very intricate compositions (mostly by keyboardist Daniel Fikejz), as if they were conservatory-trained. Wonderful stuff which, although strongly influenced by Czech folk and classical (i.e., Bartok) musics, seems very Zappa-inspired (circa Burnt Weeny Sandwich). The basson is prominent, so the music is superficially reminiscent of Gryphon, at times. I highly recommend this to fans of Zappa, Canterbury sounds, RIO (esp. those of us who enjoy Nimal, Zamla, etc.), and people who like the sound of the bassoon. The music of Combo FH is weird, but not in a pernicious/atonal/chaotic way, so even those of you with more mainstream tastes may like this. --
Dave Wayne for New Gibraltar Enc.Of Progressive Rock

Great and unique Czech ensemble,playing a complex and very unique chaotic Jazzish Canterburian styled RIO music much influenced by Henry Cow,Zappa along with folk and baroque music.

get it here

Cardboard Village - Sea Change ,LP,

Originally released in 1973,this great Boston based acid folksy trio's album,blends all hippie psychedelic approach to psychedelic music. Great alternating male/female vocals ,much use of flute, reminds a mix of Pearls before Swine with Renaissance(with Ann Haslam). Overall, a great album.Re-issued by Void label in 2006 in limited edition already out of stock.

get it here

Bob Pegg-The Shipbuilder(with Nick Strutt),LP,1974+Ancient Maps,LP,1975,

Bob Pegg is known to many in the Highlands and Islands through his enegetic work in folk music and storytelling. In addition to having an early career in ground breaking folk rock band, Mr Fox, Bob has collected stories by travellers in the Highlands and Islands. He has assisted children in songwriting and helped them to understand the basics of music making. While with Mr Fox released 2 LPs ,before that he had released these 2 solo folk rock gems.Dark highlands folk music with one of the masters of the genre.

get them here

Area-Arbeit Macht Frei,LP,1973,Italy

Starting my new bunch of posts with a classic one. AREA was the neutron bomb that exploded in 1972 in the Italian rock scene. With musicians like the exceptional vocalist extaordinaire Demetrio Stratos (Stratos Dimitriou ,his real name, of Greek origin), Paolo Tofani and Patrizio Fariselli and a unique mix of Marxism determinism with Jazz /fusion rock with some folky edges (often described as arabesque but those who know can undestand that it's totally Greek and South Italy folk music influences), they have offered a bunch of masterpieces through Cramps label. Apart from that most of the members had released later unique masterpieces of contemporary music. The most peculiar fact though is the almost inhuman Stratos voice, with a very wide range reaching the limits of human possibilities and an unrivaled technique ,that has to be heard to believe it. His unique style of siging set him apart from all singers of his time.Unfortunately he left thi world very young at the age of 35. Anyway,this is a must have for eveyone in adventurous music .

Just discovered that reissue copies of this magnificent LP are still available along with many other AREA stuff.So link is deleted and you can go here to grab them!

Temposhark :The Invisible Line,CD,2008, UK---->a (p)review

Temposhark is an electropop band hailing from London,UK. After some e.p.s in their 4 year career they are now releasing their debut full CD on Paper+Glue label. Typical electropo with obvious New Order, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop boys,Dead or Alive influences. Well, not exactly what i 'm used to hear, BUT, this is considerably good POP album.Great orchestrations, furious vocalparts. No weirdness here,just pure pop. Sometimes reminds me Tears for Fears great debut ("the hurting") mixed with some Radiohead-ish intros, some others Dead or Alive's hi-energy synth pop mixed with REM emotionalism. I would preffer it to be a bit more rockier and darkish,but hey, i'm not the ordinary listener as yo know. We all need some popish sounds to make us feel good,to flirt,to dance. Besides, the great orchestrations,with violins ,horns,etc. is a great challenge to hear this . In March 2008, the NME praised Temposhark's debut album with a positive review, "What if Trent Reznor was raised on the Pet Shop Boys rather than Einsturzende Neubauten? Think these dudes... they could be your new favourite band. 7 out of 10". Fave songs :Little White Lie,Not That Big, Joy,Winter's coming,Invisible Ink (those last 2 are pretty weird)

For more infos visit their webpage or myspace page.

Mutant's back!

Hello friends
i need to apologise for my 2 weeks absence, but it was above my intentions. Some changes here though.As you may have seen a chat box is added.Also i want to welcome our new contributor Tax. I'm sure you will love him... He specialises in late 70s/early 80s punk/postpunk/DIY stuff and as i can confirm he owns some hell of rare stuff.
So back again and i decided my new posts to be focused in some wonderful new stuff, i recently have heard. Also there's an idea for somekind of a Mutant Sounds festival this summer.BUT as you know this blog is not commercial,is ads free and that's the way it will always be. So since there are no financial means, i propose, if there are and "mutant" bands and individuals out there that will be in Greece this summer( or possibly near Greece) and want to take part in this event to contact me personally. The event will be almost free(this means that if no sponsors are found for equipent and a place, there will be a very cheap ticket just to cover the expenses). I suppose this will be a 2-3 days event,possibly in somekind of camp. So if there are also any persons owing this kind of place and equipment and want to offer it please contact me. Also there are plans for a cd-r limited compilation of "mutant" bands.Anyone who wants to contribute is welcome too.
Cheers
Jim Mutantsounds

JOACHIM KUHN-CINEMASCOPE, LP, 1974, GERMANY

Rare as hen's teeth and riddled with atmosphere to burn, the hard charging and often jaw-dropping krautrock fusion heard on Cinemascope was produced by Conny Plank, flanked by an Orchestra (conducted by Kuhn's brother Rolf) and features a stellar international cast comprised of guitarist Toto Blanke (who I've posted a raft of material by previously), Kuhn on piano, electric piano and sax and the legendary fusion rhythm section of John Lee and Gerry Brown plus a guest turn from Polish violinist Zbigniew Seifert. All reason enough for a pulse quickening to be sure, but credentials aside, the way fusion fire, snakily phantasmal orchestration and producerly atmospheric flourishes elide here is really something special, it's only possible parallel for the way it situates the spectral with the fluidly feverish being Ralf Nowy's Amon Duul 2-related Lucifer's Dream LP, which I'll post next week.

Get it Here

***NOTE: THERE'S A MIRRORED MEDIAFIRE LINK IN THE COMMENT FIELD***

SUBVERSION-S/T, LP, 1976, FRANCE

Most noted (when heard about at all) as being the rarest album on Philippe Besombes' Pole Records, Subversion's schizophrenic sensibility is actually pretty far removed from what you might expect from a label principally known for issuing psychotropic electronic rock. No, the only thing Subversion are subverting on their one eponymous LP is a cohesive sonic identity, the variable symphonic rock postures they strike here ranging from dewy early Pulsar-like Floydianisms to genteel loungy jazz rock to Ame Son/Total Issue-style pop prog to clumsy gypsy jazz to abstract electronics with very little in the way of a through-line to tie it all together. 'Tis mostly rather lovely anyway, if not spectacularly original.


***************NEW LINK POSTED OCTOBER 2012***************

Get it here

AERODROM-TANGO BANGO, LP, 1981, YUGOSLAVIA

Though they began as an outright prog band (their superb debut LP "Kad Misli Mi Vrludaju" can be found Here ), Tango Bango, their second album and last one of any note, was evidently Aerodrom's idea of a new wave reinvention. Anyone that's investigated Yugoslavian new wave (think: Lacni Franz, Zabranjeno Pusenje, Marjanov Cudni Zajec...all also available on the site linked to above) can attest to how hilariously and sometimes brilliantly ass -backward some of this stuff is. As is frequently the case with all the 70's Yugo stuff that I adore most (where prog, disco, funk and fusion were all miscegenating willy nilly), the influx of de-contextualized second hand western musical influences minus their cultural baggage and genre boundary delineations meant that Yugoslavian "new wave" was sometimes new wave in name only. Aerodrom do in fact manage to successfully hit said new wave mark with some appeal on the first and last tracks here, though the back to back instrumentals "Mordorea" and "Aerodrom" continue to show a residual prog hangover to great effect. These four tracks are the sole reasons for my posting this album, as the remainder is pretty much schlock-ola. To get the full Aerodrom effect, beginning with "Kad Misli..." might not be a bad idea, though these four tracks have their own weird appeal independent of it.

Get it Here

LUCIANO BASSO-VOCI, LP/CD, 1976 (CD REISSUE: 1994), ITALY

Though the cover might suggest another installment of Italian cosmic electronic prog, Basso's musical universe is neither particularly electronically oriented or astrally bound. It's more laid out on a big downy featherbed of sumptuous mediterranean warmth and sonorous classical-inflected airs. It's a sensibility with some symphonic simpatico to the Zauber LP I posted last week, albeit cut with more rock energy (in a sorta ELP-ish way) than Zauber usually mustered, and entirely absent the moldy-oldies quality that some Italian classical prog can fall prey to.

It turns out that this album is now due to be back in print shortly, so I've yanked the link. Sorry.

V/A-ANGELICA 91, CD, 1992 + ANGELICA 92, CD, 1993, VARIOUS

Two CD's chock-o-block full of R.I.O. and improv shenanigans from these festival documents. Angelica 91 featured a particularly avant-vocalist intensive lineup and their contributions comprise most of the highlights of this CD; the kooky faux mournful gambits of a quartet comprised of Shelly Hirsch, Tom Cora, Lol Coxhill and David Weinstein, Carles Santos' deranged conflation of gooning and jabbering repetitive vocal cells and percussive cod-classical piano pounding and Phil Minton, David Weinstein and Veryan Weston's mad duck quacking, maudlin synths and wayward piano splatter all earning pride of place here. Angelica 92 might initially strike you as a bit more patchy, but thats just because they've shunted all the worthwhile bits to the end of the CD for some mysterious reason. Stick around for it and you'll find a great 20 minutes of stuff; Que D'La Gueule's beautifully disjunctive big band bricollage and around 10 minutes of gorgeous catagory-resistant hubbub from Fred Frith "Workshop".

Track listings:

ANGELICA 91:

1. Mary Iqaluk/Nellie Echaluk-Giochi Vocali Inuit
2. Mary Iqaluk/Nellie Echaluk-Giochi Vocali Inuit
3. Mary Iqaluk/Nellie Echaluk-Giochi Vocali Inuit
4. Joseph Racaille/Daniel Laloux-Des Dunes Et Hortense
5. Joseph Racaille/Daniel Laloux-Quand La Lune Se Marre
6. 4. Joseph Racaille/Daniel Laloux-Ah, Ori, Ah
7. Quartetto Vocale Giovanna Marini-Via Gleno
8. Quartetto Vocale Giovanna Marini-Beati Noi
9. Quartetto Vocale Giovanna Marini-E Lu Mnestre Colombe
10. Tom Cora-Embouteillage Bruise
11. Catherine Jauniaux-Pantheoneon
12. Shelly Hirsch/Tom Cora/Lol Coxhill/David Weinstein-Hi.Co.Co.We
13. Lol Coxhill-Hong Kong Blues
14. Lol Coxhill-Angelica
15. Carles Santos-Aquesta Es La Historia...
16. Phil Minton/David Weinstein/Veryan Weston-Mi.We.We
17. Ernst Reijseger-Kotzmann
18. Laboratorio Di Musica & Immagine-No Si
19. Laboratorio Di Musica & Immagine-A E
20. Phil Minton/Veryan Weston-One Way In
21. Phil Minton/Veryan Weston-The One Way
22. Phil Minton/Veryan Weston-Genesis/245
23. Fred Frith "Keep The Dog"-Huge Bored Uncle
24. Fred Frith "Keep The Dog"-Vie En Mimosa

ANGELICA 92:

1. P.A.P.A. Quartet-Lemno
2. Popoli Dalpane Ensemble-West Side
3. Popoli Dalpane Ensemble-Three Roads...Crossroads
4. Looping Home Orchestra-Doina
5. Looping Home Orchestra-Hoppas Att Det Gar
6. Looping Home Orchestra-Moloken
7. Lindsay Cooper e L'Orchestra Del Teatro Comunale Di Bologna diretta da Franco Sebastiani-Concerto Per Sax Sopranino E Archi
8. Stefano Scodanibbio-Yuunohui'Nahui
9. Stefano Scodanibbio-Studio No. 4 "Faraway"
10. Stefano Scodanibbio-Studio No. 6 "Farewell"
11. Stefano Scodanibbio-Yuunohui'Nahui
12. Gianni Gebbia-Zabare
13. Gianni Gebbia-L.Ame Des Chiens
14. Gruppo Ocarinistica Budriese-Il Canto Degli Uccelli
15. Fred Frith-Chitarra Ocarinistica Bad Reise
16. Gruppo Ocarinistica Budriese-Miraggio
17. Lars Hollmer-Hostvisa
18. Lindsay Cooper/Fred Frith/Gianni Gebbia/Lars Hollmer-Elegy For An Angel
19. Que D'La Gueule-Indicator
20. Que D'La Gueule-Galere De Rien
21. Que D'La Gueule-For You
22. Fred Frith "Workshop"-Seven Replies To Unasked Question
23. Fred Frith "Workshop"-Brass Bolognese
24. Riflessivo (intermission)
25. Fred Frith "Workshop"/Audience-Tradizionale


Get Angelika 91 part one Here


Get Angelika 91 part two Here


Get Angelika 92 part one Here


Get Angelika 92 part two Here

C.E.D.S.-XANDOSIS, TAPE, 1981, USA

Quintessential arcane mystery mulch from the deepest recesses of 80's underground tape culture, courtesy of blog friend Brad Laner, whom all queries regarding this one should be addressed to, as anyone trying to glean info on the cryptic characters responsible for these two extended bouts of narcotized bloop and scrabble (beyond their L.A. origins evidenced by their contact address on the insert) would be left wanting. Not a whiff of their one-time existence is to be found anywhere. The flat tire cyclical flop of The Freshly Wrapped Candies and This Heat testcard patches of morse coded malevolence could both be said to vaguely signpost the coordinates of the quizzical sonic purgatory that is Xandosis. C.E.D.S. might fall short of the two mighty aforementioned outfits (few wouldn't), but their burbling pit of brain addling ennui is one I'd be glad to be stuck in indefinitely.

Note: Despite umpteen attempts, Massmirror mysteriously refused to work for this particular upload, so I've used Xirror instead in this one instance.

UPDATE: IT SEEMS THAT I SOMEHOW AMAZINGLY OVERLOOKED THE NAMES CLEARLY VISIBLE ON THE PHOTOS, AS IT TOOK BRAD TO POINT OUT TO THICK 'OL ME THAT THIS WAS A PROJECT FEATURING SOME HEAVY DUTY L.A. SCENE LEGENDS, NOST NOTABLY EX-GERM DON BOLLES, WHO IS HERE FEATURED ALONGSIDE DINAH CANCER AND FUTURE DREAM SYNDICATE MEMBER PAUL CUTLER, WHO WERE HIS BANDMATES IN 45 GRAVE AT THE TIME THAT C.E.D.S. WAS RECORDED, WHICH THIS DATES FROM THE EARLIEST ERA OF. DESPITE THE L.A. CONTACT ADDRESS, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT SAYS "RECORDED IN PAUL'S UTILITY SHED, PHOENIX, ARIZONA", EVIDENTLY C.E.D.S. BEING THE BYPRODUCT OF SOME DRUG ADDLED DOWNTIME FROM 45 GRAVE'S WOODSHEDDING PERIOD IN ARIZONA BEFORE THEIR EMERGENCE ON THE L.A. SCENE.

Get it Here

ARNAUD RODRIGUES-SOM DO PAULINHO, LP, 1976, BRAZIL

Gobsmackingly wonderful late-model Tropicalia cum electrified/acid fried bossa/samba confections from the architect of the nutzoid Baiano & Os Novos Caetanos tropicalia spoof project and undisputed champion of questionable wardrobe choices (here apparently taking his sartorial cues from Hee-Haw's Minnie Pearl). The DNA reconfigurations of these forms by folks like Rodrigues, Marcos Valle and Azimuth/Azymuth (just to cite a few) in the early to mid 70's represent a fascinating and far less heralded dimension of adventurous Brazilian music of the era. Any of you sucked in by the wonders of Tropicalia and knocked sideways by the Lula Cortes/Marconi Notaro/Satwa camp thats recently come to larger attention via a spate of concurrent reissues will find this Rodrigues album to be a window into yet another throat-lump-inducing dimension of Brazilian brilliance.


Get it Here

P.S.-Rodrigues' demented Baiano & Os Novos Caetanos album can be found Here

ZAUBER-IL SOGNO, LP, 1978, ITALY

Dewily dulcet and perfectly poised Italian classical prog loveliness that takes on a distinctly Saint Just edge with the emergence of Liliana Bodini's plaintive vocals some 8 minutes in. Little here will give woodies to those looking for typical italo-prog thunder, Zauber instead locating their form of aural gravitas in the low key and bombast free, the poignance of these elegantly appointed constructs sometimes sharing a similar plangent chamber prog charge to France's Wapassou.

GUESS WHAT? IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS HAS JUST BEEN REISSUED, SO THE LINK'S BEEN YANKED. SORRY...

TON STEINE SCHERBEN-KEINE MACHT FUR NIEMAND, LP, 1972, GERMANY, NWW LIST

Following Jim's posts of these anarchic krautrock political agitators' collaborations with Kollektiv Rote Rube and Bruhwarm, here's their second proper missive, their first one to follow shortly. Sinewy, surly and raspy (not to speak of rather patchy), Kein Macht Fur Niemand may hew toward more a basic rockist formulae than the stuff you'll usually find me flying a flag for, but listen closer (read: overlook the duff half of this) and you'll find a certain flinty rawboned charm to their teutonic truculence, one that glances off of their contemporaries in both Floh De Cologne and Eulenspygel, albeit minus the humor of the former and the progginess of the latter. These folks were flying the flag of revolution with fierce conviction (consorting with the R.A.F., no less) and the hot and bothered passions of this mob are palpably coursing through these tunes.

Get part one Here

Get part two Here

STEVE THOMSEN-RETROSPECTIVE II, CDR, 2002 + RETROSPECTIVE III, CDR, 2002, USA

Following my post of his initial Retrospective CD on Transparency, here are the subsequent volumes 2 and 3 by this L.A. Free Music Society mage and former member of both Monitor and Solid Eye (both posted elsewhere on MS) that were self-released on CDR on his own imprint. The through-line of Thomsen's sonic universe (at least on his solo ventures) has always been a syrupy viscousness, through which his faded cycles of cheerfully cod-spooky and askew melodics pulse. Imagine a cough syrup-addled Danny Elfman orchestrating a Krofft Superstars inversion of Asmus Tietchens' frosty cyclical wooze works under his Mechthild Von Leusch alias and pressing the results on aged wax cylinder discs. The glazed is paramount in Thomsen's fishbowl universe and it's protoplasmic essence ensnares my consciousness like a venus fly trap every time I come within it's soporific forcefield.

Get Retrospective II Here

Get Retrospective III Here