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eugene View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote eugene Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2006 at 05:03
Originally posted by Jimbo Jimbo wrote:

I have discovered so many bands with your help Assaf, that it's pointless trying to name one or even two. I really appreciate your efforts! Clap Keep it up!

I still read this thread, BTW, although I haven't posted anything in a while.
 
Me too!!! Many thanks indeed, Assaf !!!
 
I think it works this way - people getting to know new bands in this thread, discover them for themselves, falling in love with their works and then post albums they like in the "listening to now" threads, rather than returning here. Or at least this is what I do anyway. Thus I think you are getting a lot of feedback and response to this thread in other ones. Clap
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chamberry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2006 at 09:37
Originally posted by avestin avestin wrote:

^^^
I am thinking about buying some of their albums to replace the mp3's, on Aquarius which seem to be in close relations with the band, or at least with Jussi.
 
What albums do you have?
There is this Ebay auction going on for Miljard, which I am still thinking whether or not to increase the bid or not... It ends tomorrow, so I better make up my mind.
 
Thanks for still bearing with me and my posts.
 
Have a good weekend
 


I have Prospekt, Guillotine and Forest. I recommend you get Guillotine as well and you'll get more from your money.

What album do you plan on buying?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote markosherrera Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2006 at 09:39
i recommend a brazilian group aquaria
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote avestin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2006 at 09:54
Originally posted by chamberry chamberry wrote:


I have Prospekt, Guillotine and Forest. I recommend you get Guillotine as well and you'll get more from your money.

What album do you plan on buying?
 
Miljard. It is a 2 cd release. There is a description in Aquarius here:
 
"
CIRCLE Miljard (Ektro) 2cd 17.98 < = alt="add to cart" ="http://www.aquariusrecords.org/s/addtocart.gif" name=circmiljcd>
Delicate? Calm? Circle? Yes. Listen up. You'd think that for a band with, no less than, what, twenty albums to their name AND who always write songs with an invariable central musical concept (circularity, natch, the repetitive pulse that all their songs share no matter what else is different betwixt 'em) we'd by this point feel like we'd heard it all from them already -- even if their all is ALL really great. But no. This new album surprised even us. And it too is great. Really great. If you're expecting the NWOFHM (New Wave Of Finnish Heavy Metal) stylings of Tulikoria or Sunrise, or the motorik krautrockiness of Alotus or Guillotine, or the heavy prog of Prospekt, or the spacey jazzy dubbiness of Pori, or all of the above (as these descriptors actually apply to pretty much all their albums to varying degrees), well that's NOT exactly what you get with Miljard. There's really no comparisons this time to Neu!, Can, Tortoise, or Hawkwind, let alone Judas Priest! Instead we'll mention Thuja, The Necks, Morton Feldman, Bohren und Der Club Of Gore, Philip Jeck, 3/4hadbeeneliminated... But it's still definitely Circle. It's just that, as Ektro's website puts it, "rocking has been traded for some quiet reading on the couch at home". And boy is this hauntingly atmospheric, instrumental music PERFECT for such activity.
Miljard NEEDS two discs, because this music is so spacious and expansive, a slow-moving stream, or the ripples in a pond. The pond, perhaps, frozen in the Finnish winter, in a twilight landscape softened with snow... The first track on the first disc, "Parmalee", is a twenty minute piece that sets the relaxed and gorgeous tone of this record. Meandering, pretty piano, reminding us of Rob Reger's playing in Thuja, quietly joined by abstract electronics and guitar...and Circle's usual repetition and pulses are still there, at about 11 minutes the pulse becomes more noticable, by that time you're absolutely entranced... already we're convinced, this is a fantastic record, and there's still 1 and 2/3rds discs to go!! The next track, "B.F.F." is slightly more uptempo, but still has the classical vibe from the piano. And then another twenty-minute cut "Duunila" comes on, a whispery dark drone, hushed, with some sparse clatter, and gentle bass notes. Oooh, sheer beauty. And on it goes, all the way through to the gauzey, vaguely gamelan-like 20-minute "Viitane" which closes out disc two, nearly two hours of amazing music, the soundtrack to a limpid dream from which we'd never hope to wake.
Out of the whole Circle discography, the atypically riff-less stuff here comes closest to the material on side one of Mountain, a very brooding and unusually ambient live set which not everybody got to hear 'cause it was a limited, LP-only release. This at least is not so limited.
Geeze, what *can't* they do? With Miljard we're pretty sure Circle have cemented their status as just about the best band ever, as far as we're concerned. Ok, the AQ universe of best bands ever is pretty big, but Circle might just be the best of the best... Recommended, people!!!
MPEG Stream: "Duunila"
MPEG Stream: "Salenius"
MPEG Stream: "Muhle"
MPEG Stream: "Viitane"
"
 
 
There is also Andexelt there:
"
Finally one of our all time favorite Circle records back in print! We first listed this way back in 1999, and it was for many people their first exposure to this amazing and mysterious, dreamy and hypnotic, modern spaced out krautrock band from Finland. By now, Circle is practically a household name, at least for those of you living in a seriously cool music household, having released about 15 or 16 records since Andexelt. But way back in 1999, Circle were a a brand new discovery for most American weird rock fans, and Andexelt knocked everyone on their asses.
A delirious dose of droning, hypnotic neo-kraut rock that effortlessly managed to out-post most post rock bands and out-space most spacerock bands. Circle were (and are) the northernmost heirs to the Krautrock tradition. On Andexelt, the band were taking basic riffs, stretching and reshaping them, twisting them into brand new shapes, creating bleak, ever shifting underwater grooves and dizzyingly repetitive rhythms, sounding like an otherworldly This Heat or a more damaged Can. A mesmerising wall of sound delivered with the sheer force of Loop or Godflesh, but with dark precision and melodic restraint. Mellow, delicate jazzy passages intersected with crushing Bonham-esque beats. Fans of Circle's other great records, past and present, can already guess that this is completely amazing and absolutely essential!!! While fans of Salvatore and Tortoise and Mogwai and TransAm and all other practitioners of epic bombastic hypno-rock, mesmeric math rock and even the current crop of sludgy metallic post rock, would do well to pick this up if they missed it the first time around. Andexelt is the perfect mix of their current more metallic drone rock pummel and their older more mesmerizing krautrock groove bliss. So absolutely brilliant and completely and utterly essential.
Exactly the same as the original tUMULt pressing, including the 10 minute bonus track and kick ass secret song not included on the import version, originally released on Finnish weird-prog label Metamorphos. SO AWESOME!!!!!
MPEG Stream: "Andexelt"
MPEG Stream: "Odultept"
MPEG Stream: "Humusaar"
MPEG Stream: "Lisaapui"
"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chamberry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2006 at 12:27
Wow. This will definetly be on my christmas list. Clap

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Wizard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2006 at 12:33
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote avestin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 14 2006 at 20:01
Kombinat M - Hybrid Beat (Cuneiform Records, Rune 48, 1991).
 
 
 
 
Since I wrote a review for this one, let it be the recommendation, even though it is a bit long...
 
 

Deconstructionalism – the art of building, dismantling and rebuilding again

Or

Post-Rock characteristics in RIO?!

 

 

Introduction:

 

I was scrolling around the Cuneiform releases one day and stumbled across this band called Kombinat M. Not a very attractive name for a band. But I got intrigued as I do everytime I learn of a new RIO band. There were samples to listen to and I was impressed by what I heard because it was in the same spirit of other bands I liked (read on). I was lucky to find it and even for a ridiculous price on Wayside music (which belongs to Cuneiform) and I could enjoy the entire album. And I do mean enjoy!

 

 

Background:

 

This Austrian band, although unknown, are very much as capable as other more famous groups in this ball park. They produce disturbing sounds, full of pain and anger, and then they can all of a sudden shift to a softer, relaxed beat that makes you wonder if that is the same band. Their music, like others in this genre at that time, is not dense, but they do create a rich sound, although the drum computer sound in some tracks is a bit disappointing. They swing back and forth between the more rock oriented tracks (Fryday) and the more avant-garde ones (Bored to be wild, Trottel Lustig, Seeking Scapegoat). The overall result is a very cool and interesting mélange of different approaches to tracks – from a more direct rock approach to a more unorganized, chaotic and experimental approach. The musical range is too as wide as the experimentalism is. Read further on to understand what I mean.

 

There are sometimes similarities to 5UU’s, a faster and rockier Univers Zero, John Zorn, Forever Einstein, Massacre and Miriodor. But in the same time the album is different, deviates from their sound and has its own special musical path. Another aspect in their music is the apparent post-rock feel. And yet, this is from 1990-1991. If you go on with the review you can read what I mean by this, however this is no post-rock album, just that there are post rock trademarks here that would later appear in post rock bands albums (and I find it hard to believe they were influenced by this, so I am not implying this is a pioneering album). This band was not afraid to experiment as is evident form this album. Each track has its way of going about in a “strange” path and its method of trying new sounds and forms of compositions. Even for Rock In Opposition, this is not a regular album, because it does not follow a “straight” path; it is not a one dimensional sounding album, and goes in multiple directions and explores various branches of musical possibilities. And in my opinion, does so quite good.  

 

 

Music:

 

I will not go over all the tracks, only give details about those that I believe will give a clearer view of what this album is about.

 

Ah, blissful madness… yes, this is what you get as soon as you put this album in the CD player. The saxophone is “running” all over the place. You get a full dose of avant-garde jazz sax improvisations, which are sort of similar to what John Zorn does with his saxophone when he goes “insane”. They then go on to create the “usual” dissonant Rock In Opposition sound and enhance it with a clarinet and violin whose sound is purposely slightly out of tune to augment the dissonant sound. Now comes in the violin which shows that it can be as insane but in his way. The track keeps evolving throughout its duration, changing constantly. There are enough musical directions here to compose several tracks.

 

The second track, Fryday, is going on for about 2:30 minutes with a repetitive guitar pattern along with the rhythm section and it is slightly developed then with the reinforcement in the shape of the sax and violin. It brings to mind a faster version of what certain post-rock bands are doing in their music. It doesn’t develop much more, but it is a good track nonetheless.

 

The third track, Trottel Lustig, returns to the more nutty approach lead by the violin and a tortured guitar. It goes on about 50 seconds and then calms down leaving the scene for the sax and violin to play a nice, but slightly dissonant sounding tune with weird percussions. And then it returns to the initial insanity of the debut, and at the end, as impossible as this sounds, they manage to mingle those two different paths together. This track wants to explore more than to exhibit.

 

Track 4, Dunakorall, starts with a blast of drums and the obvious heroes of this album – the violin and sax. After several seconds you are a bit in disbelief as you hear what seems to be, low and behold, regular sounding music… but not for long. It has a twist, of course, as one of the instruments can’t just let one of the tracks be perceived as a normal, ordinary one, so each time you have the volunteer instrument that spices things up. I find this track to be one of the highlights of the album. The successful mixture of normal and abnormal is so natural for this guys and comes out effortlessly and sounds very good. This is a personal favourite of mine in this album.

 

Schone Tiere starts with the guitar trying to break out of a closed space with the drums trying to help them. When they realize it won’t do, they both calm down and remain silent and let the sax play relaxed amorphic, abstract sounds until about 2:00 when they reemerge with what again can be a reminder of the future sound of post-rock, only a bit faster. You hear a semi acoustic guitar playing fast several accords and the drums giving a low tone background. It develops slowly and you ends abruptly about 3-4 minutes later, giving way to the sax and violin, our heores, the front stage. Only they use it to play what first appears as an unclear tune, when then, all of a sudden the same “post-rock” theme returns and you realize that what our heroes play and the post rock theme mingle in perfectly. A great showmanship this demonstration was. This is a track that is so great to hear for the first time; the time you realized what they were doing. This is why this album needs to receive your full attention; otherwise you miss so much of the small and even bigger nuances.

 

The next track too, Geobruckneo, seems to have preceded some of the post-rock bands by several years. Again, there is the same pattern of rhythm that is fast and develops a bit with some instruments wandering around it, and maintaining it.

 

Einsame Ameisen shows how they take what could have been a nice tune and distort it while preserving slices of the original sound so you can imagine what it sounded like originally. It is a nice track without a rhythm section and is provbably the less noticeable in the album.  

 

Virus, the 10th track, has a wide range of styles portrayed – jazz and free-jazz, “classic” dissonant disjointed RIO, chamber rock, noise rock, spacey guitar improvisations and finally you get to hear some vocals as well. This one too, is a favourite of mine in the album. It seems it comes so easily for them to create such complex and multi-layered compositions.

 

 

Summary:

 

Rather original and very enjoyable and I think it is worth the bother of getting it. They manage to fuse various styles of music successfully and make it sound very good. What I also admire about this album, is that when they created the tracks, they seemed to have a clear and very perceptive view of what they wanted to achieve. Moreover, in the process of composing they seem to have deconstructed the tracks back to their basic building blocks and rebuilt them in a combinatorial way so to be able to achieve different sounds. A good example of this was described for Schone Tiere (track 5). They experiment with their compositions and with their use of their instrument. I think it does not come at the expense of the quality of the record; on the contrary. It adds to it, making it sound more special. This band seems to be full of new ideas all the time and it is a real shame they did not manage to get more output besides this one. This album is the sole album Kombinat M, and it is a pity, as this release is a great promise and debut.

 

 

Bottom line:

 

I can recommend this album to those people who like any of the bands mentioned above and any people into the more complex, experimental, original and chaotic side of Rock In Opposition. However, this is not an essential album. A 3 star PA rating will do for this one, but I add a virtual ¾ star since I find that this album, while not brilliant and essential, has some great musical achievements hiding inside. All you need to do is sit back, listen and uncover them.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote avestin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2006 at 20:06

Not a recommendation this time, but just some "spilling out thought and emotions".

I have never felt at thome anywhere. If you go through my brief collab page in the Collab link in the main page, you'll see I am trying several places, but I never seem to fit in. So, what do I want from you, you might ask? Well, nothing, you can simply click away from this thread. I simply wish to say, that no matter where I am (or where I have been), the only thing that made me feel at home were two things:

My loved one (meaning my "siginificant other") and the music I listen to.

I will not elaborate on the first part, since it is not interesting, and also non of your business...

But as for the other; well this is why we are all here.

I am here first and foremost to learn about music I still don’t know and haven’t ha the chance to listen to yet. To receive recommendations for new and old stuff and especially that which is obscure, unknown and not recognized by the masses (even in the prog community) as being worthwhile. Anyway, to be short – discover new good music.

So I arrived here. And I am glad I did. Since I came here I have had a more than 10 fold increase in the number of bands I know. I have received valuble information and insights into subgenres of prog I could not have gotten otherwise. I have here many mentors for the different genres (I will not list them so as not to forget and offend anyone, but I appreciate each and every one of them). I am learning here a new thing, literally each day. This site can be a precious tool if you know how to make good use of it and know how to approach it appropriately.

It is therefore saddening to see every once in a while some ugly things going on, such as people bashing each other for their musical inclinations an likings. I will not go on, but certain members know what I am talking about. It truly pains me and also infuriates me to see this sort of behavior and attitude. But this is not what I wish to focus upon. I want to highlight all that is good about this site. You can learn about bands you don’t know.

You can learn about albums of a band you like, which you have not had the chance to hear before. You can exchange opinions with others about bands and albums. You can have nice chats unrelated to music at all. You can get to know people from other places far away (something which I do almost everyday in real life, but not everyone gets to do so). You can promote your music and or get to listen to some new band/musician who wants to get recognize. You can read interviews, read about new shows and new albums coming out. And there is more…

 

So I guess this is my BIG THANK YOU for PA, for letting me be a part of it and being allowed to contribute my part in it.

 

I will keep on with more recommendations later on...  

Sorry for this guts spilling, just hadd to...

 



Edited by avestin - November 16 2006 at 20:08
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Eetu Pellonpaa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 17 2006 at 02:01
It's nice to see that Finnish CIRCLE have reached audiences world wide. They'll be listed in the PA soo I think, but there's already their sideproject PHARAOH OVERLORD in the archives: http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAND.asp?band_id=2628
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote avestin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2006 at 16:39
Today two French bands:
 
Travelling - Voici La Nuit Tombée
 
Labeled in PA under Canterbury, but I think this tag belongs only to bands from there, and others sounding like them should be called Canterbury-influenced/related or whatever. Anyway, the Canterburian sound is definitely there as is a strong jazz basis. Here is the bio in PA:
Two members of TRAVELLING had played previously in INTROVERSION, before joining forces in this trio that made one sole album released on the now legendary (and ultra collectible) Futura record label. One can easily detect the Canterbury influence of this KB-led trio reminding you of distant French cousins MOVING GELATINE PLATES, and some allusions to SOFT MACHINE, most notably to the singer's voice that will remind you of Robert Wyatt and his fuzzed-out Ratledge-like organs.
Keyboardist Yves Hasselman will later work with ANGE's Daniel Haas and other collaborations.
Only one album - Voici La Nuit Tombée from 1973.
 
Links:
 
 
 
Triode - On N'a Pas Fini D'avoir Tout Vu
 
Their bio in PA:
Very little is known about this band that had a short lifetime but managed to record one sole album on a very collectable Futura Red label. This album is instrumental rock sounding very familiar because it is loaded with flute. The music is very lively and holds your attention throughout and one gets rewarded by the cover of Come Together of Fab Four fame also instrumental. Michel Edelin is the piper that evidently studied Ian ANDERSON of JETHRO TULL and plays almost as well as the master. Apparently, a few of these musicians will record in Chérèze in the late 70's but little else seems to be known for all those years in between.

: : : Hugues Chantraine : : :
 
Only album - On N'a Pas Fini D'avoir Tout Vu from 1971
 
 
 
Two short reviews here:
 
 
To discover!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For more info, you are welcome to PM me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote alan_pfeifer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 19 2006 at 14:45
 
 
Math Rock trio out of Washintong, Draws alot from Belew-Era KC, only a bit livler with  less of a "cold" vibe about them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mandrakeroot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2006 at 12:53
[QUOTE=MANDRAKEROOT]I recommended:
 
FORMULA 3:
"Sognando E Risognando"
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Apsalar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2006 at 17:07
Originally posted by avestin avestin wrote:

In my recent purchase I bought an album by a new band called Deluge Grander which is a Baltimore based band that rose from the ashes of Cerebus Effect - a band I recommended here before.
They have a fusion basis topped which is shared with CE but as opposed to them they do not posses the more metallic sound that gave CE the tag of Canterbury Metal. Instead they are more laid back, incoporating a rather symphonic rock sound to their music with what sounds like mellotrons (not written in the booklet). They are original and demonstrate excellent musicianship. The album has lenghty tracks (one track is almost 27 minutes) and never boring, changing tempo's and atmosphere and bringing about new musical ideas to the tracks. This album was released in September and you can find it on Big Balloon for 10.80$ or on SynPhonic for 12$.
The art work is beautiful, with some more artistic, classic painting style and some more colourful, fantasy styled pictures.
 
This is an album that should be mentioned when talking about the highlights of 2006.
 
Clap
 
 


Wow this looks really beautiful. The artwork reminds me a little of some of Summoning, Candlemass and Drudkh, though some very different music. Do you know if this comes on vinyl, I would be tempted to purchase it just for the artwork.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote avestin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2006 at 17:11
I have no idea if this is on vynil as well.
But you should buy it noentheless, I find this to be a very good album! And the art-work is indeed beautiful. The booklet itself has more drawing and some of them are like those of a child or very naive type of drawings.
I hope the decision where to include them gets settled soon, as I really want to add them to PA already.

There is a "fight" between symphonic and art-rock...


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Apsalar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2006 at 17:22
This is a band I have been meaning to recommend pretty much since I have been hear. Coming out in 2003, in the psych scene this was seen as one of the biggest albums in years. I don't know if they on the site, but if you are not they definitely should be.

Polytoxicomane Philharmonie - "Plays Psycho Erectus"
(Nasoni Records 2004, 037, LP)

From Aural Innovations #30 (February 2005)

How does Hans Georg find such cool music to release??? I have never heard of this project before but apparently the band has existed since the late 80's with members coming and going and doing a lot of other projects, but enough people have stuck to it that they were able to lay down a really cool record. This is one that really grows on you a lot. The Philmarmonie features 6 musicians with male and female vocals. "Poisonous Moth" starts the record and features fantastic early 70's krautrock meets Pink Floyd music. Fantastic sounds bubble up and in and out as the drums and bass line drives the composition (which is very improvised as are all the tracks). The vocals are more like spoken words. Fuddle Pie and Muddle Fie features a long guitar excursion, which is pretty spacey and has some cool effects. "Sulphur" is a more dark track to start with trading male and female vocals. The track develops with some excellent guitar and drums and horns and becomes a bit funky. Side B opens with the long (10 min) "Chanson Verte". This track starts to be built on the cool bass line with the exchanging male and female voices. The track slowly develops into a jazzy thing with sax and some strange soundscapes deep in the back of the sound that float up and back. "Too Sad, Lady Mushroom" is next and is one of the most laid back tracks on the record, and it features rain in the background for the first half of the track and the guitar line plays a beautiful melody which melts with the keyboards. An abrupt change happens in the middle (like a new jam was spliced in) and the song gets quite happy and spacey at the end. "Lokus Pokus" closes this great LP and features a guest guitar player and horns and is pretty jazzy with a bit of an eastern sound through it!

The record features an amazing gatefold with a beautiful painting of animals watching gnomes play music under a mushroom. Cool stuff. Great artwork inside and out. Buy it now…

For more information you can visit the Nasoni Records web site at: http://www.nasoni-records.com.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Apsalar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2006 at 17:27
Originally posted by avestin avestin wrote:

Eider Stellaire

You know them? Well, if you are into Zeuhl and love Magma, you must have heard their name at least.
Zeuhl is definitely the style here, although not as "heavy" as mother Magma, but still the inevitable leading bass is there, drums and percusssions that go in all directions, the fusion style keyboards and the chanting female vocals. Maybe not as energetic as Eskaton, but still adventurous and experimental and above all, a delight to your ears.
 
They released 3 albums, the first 2 go by the same s/t name (1981 and 1986) and the third called Eider 3 (1988).
 
Sadly never reissued on CD.
 
Lineup on first album:
Patrick Singery – Bass
Jean Clude Delachat – Guitar

Pierre Gerard-Hirne – Piano, Organ

Michel LeBards – Drums

Veronique Perrault – Vocals

Marie-Anne Boda – Flute, Vocals

Michel Moindre - Sax (1)
 
 
They will be added to PA (hopefully in the near future)
 
 
Read about French prog (including Zeuhl and RIO) here:
 
 
Eider Stellaire
 
    Side 1
  1. Onde (P. Gerard-Hirne)
  2. Arctis 6e יphיmיride (M. LeBars)
    Side 2
  1. Lיgende (M. LeBars)
  2. Tיtra (P. Gerard-Hirne)
  3. Nihil (M. LeBars)

One of their songs (Millenaires) appears on the compilation  Enneade from 1989.
 
Enneade
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Oops I hit the reply button Embarrassed

But this band is really a must for anyone into music, so I thought I would remind people of them once again. Their first album has been in constant rotation for the last month. Though their albums are only short they make the listening experience as sweet as possible. Also be shore to try and get you hands on some of their unreleased material their epics are something not to be missed.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jimbo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2006 at 17:30
One of my recent discoveries, I think this definitely deserves more attention (some of you already know of this one, I guess)

Dom - Edge of Time



DOM — Edge Of Time

Review by philippe (Philippe Blache)
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Content Development &Krautrock Team

5 stars Edge of Time is a mesmerising psych acoustic « trip », blowing away Pink Floyd at their most « spacey » moments. This is really in German style, original kraut experimentations with organ…A very interesting release whose concept is based upon acid « test ». Their sound perfectly illustrates a psychedelic, meditative landscape. The approach is rather folk, poetic and dreamy, similar to Mythos self title album and others krautrock obscurities. The opening track starts with a peaceful acoustic guitar / flute dialogue, then comes the acoustic percussions, accelerating the rhythm. The track is punctuated by mysterious, deeply celestial organ parts, bells echoes and « weird » noises. « Silence » explores the labyrinth of our subconscious with soaring organ sounds, repetitive acoustic guitar parts and strange, atmospheric voices. After a short break of electric « chaotic » noises, mixed with flute, the climax gradually descending into silence with a heavy bass "drone". The title track begins with a bunch of hallucinatory, cacophonic noises suggesting the coming of a floating, tranquil atmosphere played on acoustic guitar and organs. The track ends with English recitative, explaining the concept of the album. « Dream » which closes the album features a fascinating, tranquil, melancholic mix for acoustic guitar and organ + a strange, psychedelic atmosphere created by manipulated sounds and xylophone. A very attractive, « primitive » acid folk album. A masterpiece that culminates the genre


^^ Philippe already said it better than I ever could...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chamberry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2006 at 17:44
^^^ I agree with this one as well. It isn't as hard to listen as most might think. The bonus track is a bit off the whole vibe of the album, but it's still good on its own right.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mandrakeroot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2006 at 11:06
I recommended:
 
LE ORME:
"In Concerto"
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote avestin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2006 at 12:55
Thanks to my good friends Black Velvet, Yukorin and Listennow801 I have the ability to discover the more obscure side of French music mainly from the 70's and mainly from the experimental and avantgarde side of things.

One such recent discovery is Flamen Dialis and tjeir album Symptome – Dei.

Here are some words about them and their album collected from various sites:

http://progressive.homestead.com/france.html:
Mio Rec. Flamen Dialis : Symptone-Dei (F,rec.1978,1979)***°°

Flamen Dialis is a group lead by Didier Le Gallic, and this release in fact spans their whole body of work. Like the liner notes say, similarities with Franco Battiato’s “Fetus” & “Pollution” easily comes to mind. This is because also here descriptive electronic music is combined with a whole number of acoustic instruments, and a collage of sounds (mostly voices,..), in a very contemporary way, as if everything becomes a kind of futuristic music theatre. There’s lots of use of mellotron, with electronic keyboards, some vibraphone combining well in sound with the keyboards,..(example of soundfragment) While the earlier tracks are more theatrically descriptive, some of the later tracks are rhythmically more minimal, a bit comical, nursery rhyme like (“Rennaissance”). Melodically multilayered in a strange and interesting way is the first track of the bonus single, “Decouverte” bringing Pierrot Lunaire’s “Gudrun” to mind. A fantastic release. Highly recommended.

Other fragment : "Dernier Croisade"
German review : http://www.babyblaue-seiten.de/index.php?albumId=3975&content=reviewy


http://www.paristransatlantic.com/magazine/monthly2004/12dec_text.html:

I rather thought that would be the end of it, to be honest (well, admettons, the Flamen Dialis piece isn't exactly complimentary), but to my surprise I got a message from Mio head honcho Meidad Zaharia and his indefatigable publicist Mark Jung saying they'd be in Paris in the autumn and would like to meet up.. to give me more discs. The thought of my seriously-challenged living room shelves collapsing altogether under the weight of more Celtic crud like Symptome-Dei wasn't exactly appealing, but when Mark called on a cell phone and asked to be guided step by step to the door of my building I didn't really have much choice in the matter. I tried to head them off by meeting them in the street, but they dragged me back into my apartment and helped finish off a bottle of Burgundy before the inevitable ceremonial handover of CDs: two more Besombes, Mosaic's Ultimatum, Flutes Libres and Captain Tarthopom by Jean Cohen-Solal, the eponymous outing by Begnagrad and Birgé / Gorgé / Shiroc's Defense De / La Nuit du Phoque / June Sessions. (These were later joined by Danny Ben Israel's Bullsh*t 3 1/4 and The Platina's The Girl With The Flaxen Hair.) And you know what? They're f**kin' awesome.

Mio Records:
Flamen Dialis - "Symptome - Dei"
"For their 1979 LP Symptome Dei, Flamen Dialis added a number of players, vocalists, and instruments, and the band's sound became much richer and dense. The music developed an otherworldly atmosphere. The combination of child-like melodies composed around sequences of unearthly themes and solemn chanting, whispers, and injections of flute, bombarde (an ancient twin-reed instrument, precursor of the oboe) and vibraphone weave a sound that is both disquieting and dreamy. Yet with the next breath, the atmosphere can turn both heavy and strangely familiar. Layers of Mellotron and airy keyboard sonorities further underscore the music's dramatic tensions. Elements of this recording call to mind Franco Battiato's Fetus and Pollution and the vocal exercises share similarities with the French group Magma, although Flamen Dialis are certainly unique for their impressionist cosmic music and a powerful dramatic intensity. The group's first 45 is included as the bonus tracks on our CD reissue. These two releases represent the group's entire body of work." - Mio Records


Planetmellotron.com:

Flamen Dialis  (France)

Flamen Dialis, 'Decouverte' 7"  (1978)  ****/TTTT

Decouverte
Autre Chose
Flamen Dialis, 'Symptome-Dei'

Symptome-Dei  (1979,  38.59/47.20)  ****½/TTTT½

Dernière Croisade
Le Sanctuaire d'Argile
Dédale Vert du Retour
Illusion

Méandrea Envoutés
Eclosion
Labyrinth Pourpre de la Connaissance

Arc en Lumière
Renaissance
Le Village du Diamanche Matin

Eclats
[CD adds:
Decouverte
Autre Chose
]

Current availability:

Flamen Dialis (a type of ancient Roman priest, apparently) grew out of the Yecta Plus Band, releasing a single, Decouverte, in 1978 and their sole album, Symptome-Dei, a year later. This really isn't like anything else you'll have heard, unless you're a devotee of Univers Zero et al.; weird, dissonant, experimental, with strange wordless voices and a 'chamber' feel about much of it, but quite exceptionally good with it. I personally found it far more listenable than the other bands with which they get compared, so as long as you're into that 'prog' thing to start with, don't let this description put you off. Difficult to pick out the better tracks on a first listen; suffice to say, if you're feeling adventurous, hopefully you won't be too freaked out.

I don't know whether band leader/keyboardist/drummer Didier le Gallic or his (presumed) brother, Y.H.le Gallic (Yves-Henri? who knows?) plays the 'Tron, but they certainly do it in style; most tracks are smothered in the thing, with strings, flutes and cellos all over the place. At several points you can hear the bottom few 'cello' (i.e. double bass) notes, which are rarely audible on most albums, and all of the 'Tron work is upfront and dry, leaving you in absolutely no doubt as to what you're hearing. Le Village Du Diamanche Matin is basically a Mellotron solo, with all three sounds on their tape frame playing a twisted little melody, complete with some messing about with tape speeds, although that's only one highlight of this Mellotron-lover's delight.

Sad to say, Symptome-Dei and the single were Flamen Dialis' total output; there don't even appear to be any outtakes or live tracks knocking around. I'm quite surprised that this hasn't been picked up by Musea, particularly given its French origins, but Israel's MIO have done the job instead. Anyway; some of you aren't going to like this, but if you don't mind stepping outside the prog 'mainstream', the album has an awful lot to offer. BUY!



Indie-cds.com:

After releasing a 45 in England in 1971 as the Yecta Plus Band (a trio, with guitars, vocals, and keyboards) Didier Le Gallic (keyboards, drums) formed Flamen Dialis (a designation, from ancient Roman times, of the highest priest of Jupiter) in 1976. Flamen Dialis recorded a 7" that was released in 1978 (in their first formation, Flamen Dialis were T. Tanguy: pianos & vocals; D. Le Gallic: guitars and percussion; L. Le Clech: vocals, and B.B. L'Helgouach, chants). The basic components for their following masterpiece are evident on this short release.

For their 1979 LP Symptome Dei, Flamen Dialis added a number of players, vocalists, and instruments, and the band's sound became much richer and dense. The music developed an otherworldly atmosphere. The combination of child-like melodies composed around sequences of unearthly themes and solemn chanting, whispers, and injections of flute, bombarde (an ancient twin-reed instrument, precursor of the oboe) and vibraphone weave a sound that is both disquieting and dreamy. Yet with the next breath, the atmosphere can turn both heavy and strangely familiar. Layers of Mellotron and airy keyboard sonorities further underscore the music's dramatic tensions. Elements of this recording call to mind Franco Battiato's Fetus and Pollution and the vocal exercises share similarities with the French group Magma, although Flamen Dialis are certainly unique for their impressionist cosmic music and a powerful dramatic intensity.

The group's first 45 is included as the bonus tracks on this MIO CD reissue. These two releases represent the group's entire body of work.

MP3 samples:

Listen to other sample Listen to other sample Listen to other sample Listen to other sample



More to come this weekend from my journey into Obscure French....






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