PORTABLE MADNESS

Very trippy, spacey and trancey and pretty electronic. I'd call the music at different times (or often simultaneously) Psychedelic Space Rock, Progressive Electronic, Psychedelic Krautrock, Psych Ambient, and Kraut Symphonic Prog, as well as rock, jazz, electronic, blues, soul, folk and funk. I hear (across this album (1974), 'Fragments of Light' (1974) and 'Finest Finger' (1976)--the three i've heard) similarities to Ashra, Pink Floyd, Ash Ra Tempel, A.R. & Machines, Genesis, Hawkwind, Nektar, Eloy, Black Sabbath, Fripp/Eno, Agitation Free, Brainticket, Kalacakra, Popol Vuh, and some Japanese psych perhaps, as well as a number of bands I can't yet put my finger on. Their sound manages to be fresh and distinct from each of these bands, with a very creative and original musical sensibility. Some of the electronic parts show this band to be an early pioneer of both psychedelic/progressive electronic and psychedelic space rock a la Ashra (whom they preceeded by 2 years!), Pink Floyd (whose album 'Wish You Were Here'-1975 they preceded with their first 3 albums-all 1974 by 1 year!), Eloy (whose masterpiece 'Ocean' came 3 years later-in 1977), and Tangerine Dream (who released Pheadra the same year) More "song"-oriented than its successor. Sounds in line with the German electronic, krautrock and symphonic genres, though an abundance of other styles are invoked here and there, with touches of French and English psych and electronic (they were an Italian band). Of interest is their use of simultaneous synth/keyboard and acoustic guitar. Very good.

4.5