LIGHTSHINE

One of the late to the Krautrock party bands from Emmerich am Rhein, Germany, the obscure LIGHTSHINE formed in 1974 and only managed to create one album titled FEELING which landed on the tiny Trefiton label in 1976 with a whopping total of 1000 copies thus making original copies one of those collectors' top picks for everything obscure 1970s of the prog world. Consisting of a lineup that eschewed surnames, the quintet of Olli (synthesizer), Joe (vocals, lead guitar), Wolfgang (bass, vocals), Ulli (guitar, flute, vocals and Egon (drums) may have crashed the Kraut-party a bit late but still resonated with all those wild experimental antics of the then recent past.

Despite the obscure nature of the band for decades, FEELING has rightfully been rediscovered many times with an easily attainable CD edition on the Garden of Delights label. This is one of those hard to define bands outside of the umbrella term Krautrock since LIGHTSHINE showcased moments of heavy prog, jazz-rock, funk, psychedelic folk and even avant-garde adventurism but for the most part the album is dedicated to strong catchy grooves that offer upfront melodies and instant catchiness that are further accented by the more progressive space rock touches that take it far out of the more popular hard rock, jazz-rock and Deutschrock styles that were much more popular by the time this was released.

"Sword In The Sky" features the mashup of hard rock, prog and exciting flute runs and ends in a fluttering climax. The second track "Lori" features the main riff borrowed from "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" by the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg which mixes the classical motifs with thundering guitar, bass and drums along with the rock star vocal styles of Joe. What makes this album a true stand out is that each track is radically different from the next and for the third track "Nightmare" the mood takes a turn for the psychedelic with trippy oscillating synthesizer runs, a slow building guitar arpeggiated motif and a dueling vocal build up. The slower space rock slowly builds in intensity as the second longest track of the album at 10 1/2 minutes slinks back and forth between spoken word vocals and Pink Floydian guitar licks. The track alternates with a fiery build up of suppressed rock angst with killer keyboard antics.

The lengthiest track "King And Queen" at nearly 14 minutes begins with trippy keyboard freakery that once resolved transmogrifies into another space rock motif with a sharply pronounced melodic bass groove and more Floydian guitar runs that remind me of some of the more modern guitar sweeps in neo-prog. This is the track where the vocals don't work out so well as Joe seems to have a clunky presentation but despite the lack of a strong vox box, the backing vocals provide a nice supplemental harmonic display. Very emotive and instantly addictive which is why some of the tracks on this album were played on local radio stations. This is probably also the folkiest track of the album but it ends in a blues rock meets flamenco frenzy with wild Exuma freak folk styled vocals.

The ending title track ventures into dreamy territory with off-kilter guitar arpeggios and strange contrapuntal elements. This one is clearly focused on atmospheric freakiness over all and is the most kosmische psychedelic of the tracks on board most similar to Amon Duul II's "Yeti" era with tribal drums and free floating trippiness however this is much mellower with no buzzing guitars. The guitar tones are clean while the myriad keyboard sounds swarm around. The two vocalists offer a bit of prog folk style of singing which brings English folk to mind more than anything German but the lyrics sounds more like something Eloy would conjure up than any German band. This is a fairly unique album to come out of the Krautrock scene and a really great one too minus a vocal awkwardness or two but mostly this is a solid album that was authentically early 70s despite its late appearance in 1976 on the Kraut timeline.

This was a German group by students, formed sometime in 1974 in the town of Emmerich in the lower Rhein area.Their surnames were never revealed, the guys were Joe (vocals, lead guitar), Wolfgang (bass, vocals), Ulli (guitar, flute, vocals) and Egon (drums), while later they were joined by Olli on synthesizer.After playing a number of gigs they recorded some tracks and knocked the doors of Sky Records and Phonogram for a contract without success.They decided to press the album by themselves and in 1976 ''Feeling'' was stored in a number of 500 copies.

It doesn't get much more Kraut-styled Rock than this one, music that is very psychedelic, powerful and jamming, featuring mood changes and energetic soloing as well as some very haunting vocals.Tons of fuzz guitar playing, lots of flute in the vein of RUFUS ZUPHALL and marching bass and drumming.The short opening pieces are typical of the style with great guitar tricks in a Heavy/Psych style and some light Folk influences, while the longer ones showcase a wider palette of influences.Despite the sinister title of ''Nightmare'', this 10-min. cut comes in an ethereal package of rockin' and psychedelic sounds, introducing the synthesizers into the style of the band, adding romantic choirs and storytelling vocals in the process and reducing the guitar pounds in some slow-motion, almost PINK FLOYD-ian solos, which still have this standard Teutonic touch.The 13-min. ''King and queen'' is the absolute definition of Kraut Rock, not flawless by any means, but surely an interesting piece of art, kickin' off with slow gears on guitar, which sound a bit bluesy, the singing lines are very melancholic and the atmosphere is pretty dramatic and epic, while the closing minutes offer tireless electric soloing and reckless drumming.Same structure for the 7-min. title-track, dreamy and psychedelic opening minutes with soft guitars, discreet synths and lyrics before the upcoming explosion, which gets the band back on the Kraut van, some great electric solos over psychedelic sound effects and vocal distortions.

The album was repressed in another 500 copies later and Lightshine played about 200 more gigs, sometimes next to big names such as Hoelderlin, Jane, Scorprions and Colosseum II.The big break never came and in 1977 they split up due to internal disagreements.

Interesting Kraut Rock from the mid-70's.Psychedelic, lyrical and intense, having often a cosmic aura.Recommended, original issue is only for big wallets, several LP and CD issues out.

Kraut obscurity from 1976 with some interesting guitar parts and a theatrical vocal style still heavily rooted in the 60s.

First thing you come to notice is that everything sounds a bit more polished and warmer then earlier but comparable works like 'Melesh' from Agitation Free or Gila's debut. The guitars are recorded through the amplifiers output channel which gives them that typical warm fuzzy sound here, which is nice as the guitars are certainly the main attraction on this album. The songwriting is generally disappointing, average 60s heavy rock stuff like 'Lory' is not what I care to hear from 1976. They handle the pastoral vibe a bit better, which makes 'Nightmare' quite enjoyable, though I don't care much for the vocals. And the vocals also bring down potentially nice pastoral pieces like 'King and Queen' and 'Feeling', they are simply too contrived. Which leaves us with just the guitars to enjoy, as on the opening track and the closing section of 'Feeling'.

Despite some good guitar bits I wouldn't recommend this to anyone but avid fans of melodious Krautrock. Somewhere inbetween Gila and Novalis I'd say. But sure not as good.

LIGHTSHINE had been a wellknown act in the german Lower Rhine region for some years. And 'Feeling' seems to be their only effort released in a limited edition of only 500 copies in vinyl. The album contains five melodious songs with krautrock leanings and references to US bands as for my impression. Good vocals (except some typical 'th'-problems) and a striking guitar work. We have a silken begin with Sword In The Sky and then the whole band cries immediately - shocking. But this is the only thing to remember because it's one of the mediocre songs.

Lory is partially reminding of the Allman Brothers Band whereas the vocals on Nightmare are near to the band America. But the whole song has a more psychedelic touch with some floydy guitar solos. The dry King And Queen is a dreamy blues for getting closer on a party and the best song is hold for closing 'Feeling'. Nice synth contributions and guitars in the vein of the US westcoast psych fading into a funfair sample at the end.

This album is interesting for fans who also like Eloy and Grobschnitt. Not very innovative but listenable though and available on CD from the Garden Of Delights label.

Germany one piece miracle Lightshine released this pearl of kroutrock music in 1973 (or 1976 according to many other sites, I really can't tell because I got some shabby old cover). From the very start listener get to know what he can get from this one, much of heavy riff - psychedelic rock and krautrock in best colors. Voices of singers, not just one but all tree of them (Ulli, Wolfgang, Joe) are pretty insane and can't tell which one is screaming, which one is singing and which just talking. First song called "Sword in the Sky" began with some good drum and synth space sounds and then somebody began to scream on you and when you think what is this. you are hit with a worm sound of synth and flute , pretty cool. Second one "Lory" is song with catchy guitar and piano melodies. "Nightmare" is obscure dreamy kind a song with some good lyrics (more narrative than sung ), and bunch of noises that coming to your ear and than slowly going back to silence ( just to came back later again). "King and Queen" is long peace with crazy lyrics ("O lord please save the queen, the king is here came to kill the queen.lord ,o lord you make me cry. I was so lucky.( than screaming and raging voice submits insanity)) . Last one is "Feeling" , this is one relaxing song with worm vocals and spacey sounds in the beginning , but don't relax to much because in the end you going to be attacked (again ) with some screaming sounds of dying women. All songs on this album contain sudden change of mood , and that is what is making him so great .

Do not consume with drugs !!!!

This was LIGHTSHINE's only album released in 1976. This German band offers up some beautiful, melodic and spacey passages here. Vocals are in English and are pretty good. He does get crazy with them at times, very theatrical.

"Sword In The Sky" has this guitar melody for 3 minutes that sounds great, I like the tone of it..The vocals come in followed by piano and flute as the mood changes.The flute then takes the lead. "Lory" has some tasteful guitar and the bass is prominant. The vocals get a little theatrical on this one. "Nightmare" is my favourite song off of this record. The vocals are almost speaking as a vocal melody is sung at the same time. Some beautiful, spacey guitar and light drums take over as the vocals have stopped. This contrast continues. Some cool sounding synths as well.

"King And Queen" opens with experimental, spacey noises for 90 seconds then guitar and drums come in. We get those theatrical vocals again that crash the mellow soundscape. He's playing the part of the crazy king when he sings ? Like a lunatic. "Feeling" is another great track that opens with percussion and gentle guitar.Vocals 3 minutes in followed by drums and bass as things pick up. There is some excellent guitar towards the end.

This is an album that is easy to drift away with but it also has some emotional moments that I enjoy. Worth checking out if your into Krautrock or Psychedelic music.

An unknown little gem of Krautrock ! Feeling is the only album by LIGHTSHINE and features five epic floating pieces of music, mostly dominated by electric guitar.

The disc opens with Sword of the Sky, a very trippy beatiful song which makes immediately the listener fly in space. The sound of the guitar ressembles to the LED ZEPPELIN's No Quarter. Then the song becomes more energic to let appear a surprising but very good flute solo in the vein of Jethro Tull. Lory is a reprise of Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" with spacey guitar and rock vocals ! After comes Nightmare, a feeric symphonic prog song features pure german Krautrock sounds, with many changements and sometimes reminiscent of ELOY. King and Queen is the second long piece of the album. This tune is sad, enchanting, and transports you to the middle-age. The disc ends with Feeling, a very relaxing song with smooth vocals. The finish is psychedelic

Feeling by Lightshine is definitely an album to discover. The band manages to bring something new to the Krautrock movement by adding a symphonic medieval touch to space rock ! All guitar solos are great.

Highly recommended to fans of Krautrock, Space/Psychedelic Rock and Symphonic Progressive, especially PINK FLOYD, ELOY, LED ZEPPELIN, AMON DÜÜL II and GENESIS lovers !

LIGHTSHINE were one of the many shortlived underground Krautrock bands that left behind this great debut album for all to discover. This album features the solid musicianship of 5 proggers who have crafted 2 sides of some pretty dark yet melodic music. LIGHTSHINE drip ASH-RA like guitar solos, space keyboards and flute over a dark full bodied bass and drum foundation. Their music is aggressive yet very much contained. According to the liner notes these guys played along with the likes of Jane, HOELDERLIN and the SCORPIONS (suspect not the "Rock You Like A Hurricane" era !). "Feeling" contains 2 epic tacks which really give the band some room to experiment and wind out their solos onto. Overall a great album to play and enjoy again and again and a great find in the lot of 70's Krautrock.