Los Natas – El Hombre Monta​ñ​a

I don’t even know what stoner rock is these days. I mean, it’s a long time since I was a stoner now, so I’m not the right person to ask anyway, but when I was it tended to be more brooding stuff like Electric Moon. Or maybe that was just my own preference. The only thing that opinions prove is the limitations of the beholder.

For what it’s worth, and in my opinion, this isn’t really stoner rock, it’s just really good rock music from Argentina. It’s quite frenetic most of the way through, a bit like, say, Nudity, but in Spanish, and then for the final track they start it off all bang-bang like, like they’re going to go out in a blaze of sonic ferocity and then about two thirds of the way through, it mellows and finishes acoustically. Works really well. I think they had a bit of an angle, these boys.

I think I rarely post frenetic rock music these days. I think it’s quite fitting that I start 2023 off this way, especially after the shit-show that was 2022. Here’s to a much better year for us all.

Sula Bassana .​.​.​And The Nasoni Pop Art Experimental Band​-​Vol​.​1

This here dates from 2006 and is a remastered version, though I would be lying if I said I knew about the original.

This can be filed under ‘psych-rock’ for those of you who like to file things under headings. It’s not much like Electric Moon or most of his solo stuff; indeed, this seems to be a kind of super-group of the era, although you can label any musical collective where the members all have different histories a super-group if you want to. Do you want to? I’m not going to. That way madness lies. Also, this is how words/phrases lose their meaning.

The title, of course, implies at least another volume.

Sula Bassana – Loop Station Drones

Sula Bassana is part of Electric Moon and therefore needs no introduction, and yet what you have just read is an introduction, albeit quite a lazy one.

Sula, or possibly also known as Dave, put the first track of this out a bit back with commentary on the page that this would just keep getting added to until finished, and now it is finished. Well, it was that one track that did it for me, but the fact that it’s now an album, and a nice long one, well, what’s not to love?

So when he do solo he do motorik, electronic, kosmische-y stuff with loops and drones an’ ting, and when he do solo, I do like to listen. It’s very possible that I’ve missed posting some of his stuff from the last few years; not purposely but because I just keep forgetting I have this blog thing. The point is, though, that all the things are worth listening to.

Sula Bassana – Brainwash

The funny thing about working from home is that when you have a ‘holiday’ and then return to work, it feels… weird. Still, it was some kind of normal in a way – I had 473 emails awaiting. Most were on librarian lists debating various librarian things, which I’ll have you know is not at all uninteresting. I dare you to disbelieve me.

Well, maybe they’re a bit uninteresting.

Still, there were a significant amount require that I actually do stuff, usually involving spreadsheets. Thank the lord or whoever it is you usually thank for the always reliable Sula Bassana, he of Electric Moon, and his almost neverending plethora of mighty music adding to his/their bandcamp.

I’m sure its just as good without editing spreadsheets. (I hope he uses that as a quote…)

 

Sargent-Major Waffle

Or: here are some things that are not albums, or maybe they are.

So, we likes Hey Colossus, we do. And earlier this year they did something right out of the 90s, they released a single backed with 2 ‘remixes’ (strictly speaking, ‘versions.’) And what versions they are – the version of In Black and Gold is like a deconstructed drum’n’bass / free improv mashup, whilst the 11 minute re-take of Wired Brainless is pure repetition bliss, with added electronic noises (I can’t tell whether some of the added noises are vocals that have been very harshly treated).

Oh, and the actual single track isn’t half bad either. Go here and listen.

Rise of the Echo Drone seem to be largely doing Ep’s. Since I last mentioned them, another couple have hit the wires and they are definitely worth checking out. They seem to have camped in a field which touches on psych, shoegaze, dreampop, electronica, tribal rhythms, that 90s techno that included people like The Orb, and sensual vocals. Needless to say, I’m a bit hesitant of trying to reduce them to one sonic label. I also want to draw your attention to this track off one of the ep’s for two reasons – Milo used a shorter excerpt of the same Lennon speech on the second Patterns of Faith album (which I can’t currently link to because it’s no longer available anywhere), and secondly because seriously, listen to what he is saying. It is really very simple, a bit scary, and very liberating.

Valerio Cosi seems to have dug out many collaborations and older works for his Bandcamp. You won’t like everything unless you happen to like every single instance of recorded sound, anywhere, ever, or maybe I’m just narrow minded. My favourite is the split single he did with Fabio Orsi (their collaborative album is also worth your time). Sadly he has yet to put up Heavy Electronic Pacific Rock – maybe he is not at liberty to. One of the greatest albums ever made, that is, to this mind, but if you like that kind of mind-bending psychedelic-jazz  featuring saxophones with tribal rhythms – and who doesn’t? – then you’ll also want to check out Pulga Loves You.

Also, Rakta.  When I first typed this paragraph, I typed ‘They have also not yet done another album but have put out some songs.’ So I go to do the links, and the page for III – which was roughly two songs long when I bought it –  now describes what is either an album or a long EP. Ditto, Intencao had one track and now has two, and there’s Rakta em Transe as well. Odd marketing. However, the Rakta energy is still very much present, and they still tag their cavernous sounding tribal post-punk as ‘World Music.’ Love it.

 

Electric Moon – two and a half hours of live psychedelic jams. Technically it’s an album, yes. You are no doubt different to me, but I am unlikely to listen to it all in one go, because two and a half hours, and that’s why I’m not treating it as an album. Anyway, I didn’t write this post to be argued with. Just go and listen to it. Whilst I’m on the subject of Electric Moon, bass player and graphic designer Komet Lulu put out this song, and this also comes with a hearty Soundbergs recommendation.

Also, when I did the Menimals post, I mentioned that there may be another album with the same title and opening track and yet be a different beast altogether? That there is. It is also very, very good, and I invite those of you who enjoyed the first of their self titled albums to go and listen to the second.

Little tidbit – I did my first ‘general chat‘ type of post on July 28th 2015, the second one not long after. This here third instalment is brought to you by July 29th 2016. This was not consciously intentional. I wonder if it’s a time of year thing?

Sula Bassana – Shipwrecked

Sula Bassana is the guitarist in Electric Moon, who are probably my favourite practitioners of the ‘jam-band’ aesthetic. He’s a busy boy, as not only does he run Sulatron records, he actually has quite the back catalogue of solo releases, of which the above mentioned and pictured is the latest. He also plays in Krautzone and Zone Six.

He’s dropped his guitar for this one as this one is almost entirely electronic using mostly vintage (therefore analogue, presumably) instruments. The tunes have that propulsive rhythm associated with that area of the world that we’ve come to know and love, but also a really deep, meditative and trance like feel. I’m not talking Ibiza here.

Now for a bit of a rant – until the end of last year, I was happily using the word ‘krautrock.’ But now I actually think about it, I’m not going to use it. Given that the term ‘kraut’ was a derogatory term for Germans used by their enemies in the world wars, I should think it would be obvious why. I’ll stick to ‘kosmiche’ instead, for now, even though that’s in danger of getting nearly as overused as ‘psychedelic.’ Genre labels, eh? Can’t live with ’em.

Now, I wonder how the Germans actually feel about the word? I mean, one of Sula’s projects is called Krautzone. Perhaps they’ve decided not to be offended, simply decided to use/reclaim the word and let things be. Maybe the word was never offensive to start with and we weren’t imaginative enough to come up with a more offensive insult. Any Germans out there like to offer me their thoughts? There is always the distinct possibility that I’m being an over-sensitive, privileged middle class wanker here by trying to impose a ‘thou-shalt-not’ that isn’t actually necessary. But there’s always the possibility that I’m not.

Rant over.

Lamagaia

After I last hat-tipped Backseat Mafia, I wandered around their psych section again and came up with this little beauty. Totally a band after my own heart.

As far as I can tell, we’re talking about some friends in Sweden who get together and jam out some music. I think they do it quite regularly, and they make alot of it available on their website to simply download. They’ve made a few available on youtube too. Finally, you also are able to actually buy one of their songs on vinyl, which would probably be dead good for those of you who can play vinyl.

They’re not afraid of the long form jam, hence why I love ’em so much! The grooves are compelling. They remind me somewhat of Inutuli although not as abrasive, and what I especially like about them is the fact that almost all of their tunes seem to have vocals, which can be quite a rarity within the ‘jam-band’ genre (the wonderful Electric Moon are another example).
I’ve only explored about a third of the downloads available so far, and am totally looking forward to the rest. There are some ace pics, though. A band I would love to be jamming in, and no mistake (actually, when I was in Sons of Itto and we had our own rehearsal room, we very often created similar vibes to some of the pics with minimal lighting, lavalamps and stuff. good times).

Major Chat (and Lieutenant Gripe)

Actually, I’m going to start with the gripe.

I really want to buy this album. I mean, you’ve just listened to the excerpts right? So now you do too, obviously. The only options I have are vinyl (not possible; don’t have record player or supporting infrastructure) or Itunes only digital download (not possible; don’t have Itunes and don’t fucking want it). I did send a message to the person at Eremite records but he no replied in the two months or so since I did it. There’s loads of other digital shops, why not make it available to them too? Or even make a CD version, I’ll buy those at a pinch.

Grrrrr.

So any suggestions are welcome!

I discovered a new release from the awesome Electric Moon; it’s every bit as good as everything else they’ve done although this time it’s entirely instrumental.

I went to see the mighty GNOD at The Cookie in Leicester. Talk about an awesome immersion of sound! I didn’t recognise anything whatsoever, although there were familiar bits. I don’t know if they’ve reworked material for the ‘stripped down’ 4 piece rock band that they presented us with that night or whether this was entirely new material, and I don’t care. All I know is it was marvellous. So it got me playing them lots again – I’ve rediscovered Full Moon Ritual, and they also released a live CD just after Infinity Machines called Gestalt, which is well worth your listening experience. Also, bass player Marlene releases music as Negra Branca and the first track on this is just brilliant.

I can’t do an update without mentioning Hey Colossus, who have new stuff via split releases. There’s this split with the Hotel City Wrecking Traders and they’ve also done one with White Manna which I’ve not yet bought. And whilst searching for these links I found this, which soon I shall check. Also, they’re playing Leicester at the end of this month and I really want to go.

Updating on previous things I’d discovered and linked before deciding whether I liked, Valerio Cosi made a release that I thoroughly love. There’s a particular track that makes me think he’s got what Swans have been trying to get since their comeback, certainly in intensity. Not for the faint hearted.

And finally, I’ve listened to and loved Follakzoid‘s previous release. It’s just as good as III. I think I really need to check their first two releases now.

Blown Out

Not that I’m likely to start being a cheerleader, or even a user, of social media, but sometimes a random stranger can show you an alley worth exploring. On the other hand, they used to do that in the pub too.

Someone started following me on Bandcamp and so I checked out their collection and wishlist and discovered the wonderful Blown Out. If you likes you your teleological jamming then you may well likes these.

It probably just comes down to personal preference and the pushing of my right buttons, but it’s weird how out of roughly 16000 of these bands that form on a weekly basis and that technically speaking do pretty much the same thing, so few of them do it in a way that means anything. In my most recent rambles I drew a distinction between music as communication and sound based products (not using those labels). This sort of jam band music could arguably be a third type of approach, an exploratory thing without destination which is nonetheless not aimless – at least when it’s done well. And Blown Out do it well.

Of course, if your music taste is like that of my brother (i.e. songs over 3 minutes need not apply) then you might as well ignore this one.

Verma

Or: more reasons to love the awesome Whitney Johnson.

Most of you familiar with the psych-rock/space-rock/stoner-rock/jam-rock/whatever-the-fuck-rock scene should be familiar with Verma. But then, I thought that about Electric Moon…

There’s probably a whole philosophical system to be wrought out of the realisation that what seems to be obvious and self-evident to one person (i.e. me) is in fact obscure and recondite to the population at large. Having said that, I like the world I live in better than the one inhabited by the population at large, what with all that fear and facebook (what a combination!) and nothing being quite what it seems…

Verma have, amongst many other acts, exploded into my awareness this year due to the astonishingly consistent high levels of quality across their output.

From here you can see their entire discography. Unfortunately, the most recent album is only shown – there is no method of playing it, and the record label link is dead. I hate when that happens! So the video at the top is from this marvellous album. I recommend probably the entire discography – the first album is a bit patchy and not very well recorded, but from Coltan onwards it’s gold all the way, and some of the albums are free downloads to boot. Why are you still here?