IN DEN GÄRTEN PHARAOS

This is a mightily early piece of ethnic new age music - although calling popol vuh new-age doesnt' do true justice to one of the finest German bands of the seventies. Their second LP is closer in style to the first one than it's follow-up Hosianna MAntra which welcomed in the "classic" Popol Vuh sound of spiritual ethno-folk and anglo-saxon trad. forms mixed with a rock instrumentation.

No - "Im den Garten Pahros" is more attuned to classic exotica, and this band pioneered that ethnic / eastern musical experimentation heard on this LP - although in the 80s this movement would become a laughing stock - and a couple of isolated Popol Vuh LP's with it. At this point in time though (1971) Florian Fricke and gang where leading the way as far as musical, post-psychedelic exotica was concerned. Soon to become a sampler's staple diet this (and the first) Popol Vuh LP offer up indian percussion, curious moogs that (as Julian Cope states) "course down endless subterranean channels", and delightfully cool Fender Rhodes - a true Garden of Eden musical experience on Side One title track. Side Two's "Vuh" is a hypno-trance out lasting the whole side - a huge mediaeval organ vamping away on one chord while Tibetan drums beat down the multitude. Another Cope quote: "One of thee great Meditational Holy works" - awe-inspiring stuff!!! A musical mantra of the finest order and a great blissed-out LP. All togeter now: "OOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!"