IMPRESSIONS ON READING ALDOUS HUXLEY

Although Germany's early Krautrock scene took on many forms from spoken word polito-rock and heavy guitar based progressive rock to jazz-fusion and a slightly more progressive version of what would become known simply as Deutschrock, the best and most authentic form of the Kraut scene came from the bands that pushed the boundaries of the world of unrestrained psychedelia. Bands like Amon Duul II, Can, Cluster and countless others who focused more on transcendental dreamy atmospheres and mind-bending lysergic tones and timbres offered true escapism into hitherto unthinkable soundscapes that altered the very nature of the music industry itself and in the process crafted musical journeys that were more like a multi-dimensional awakening rather than a mere musical escapade.

While many of the aforementioned bands are widely known, there were also many that existed for very short time, recorded a mere single album and then dissipated into the history books and swept aside from the tide of musical changes that have ensued over the following decades. Coming from Hamburg, the kosmische BRAVE NEW WORLD released its one and only contribution to the greater Kraut scene but what a unique album it was. IMPRESSIONS ON READING ALDOUS HUXLEY was released in 1972 and as the title clearly states inspired by the English writer and philosopher who wrote nearly 50 books and illustrated the commonalities between Western and Eastern mysticism with "The Doors Of Perception" most famously having been the inspiration behind the moniker and subject matter of the US band The Doors. This band too took its name from another Huxley novel that appeared in 1932.

BRAVE NEW WORLD was created by Reinhart Firchow (recorders, flutes, ocarina, Stylophone, percussion, vocals), John O'Brien-Docker (guitars, organ, percussion, vocals, wind chimes) and Herb Geller (flutes, cor anglais, saxophones, organ) and along for the ride was Dicky Tarrach (drums, percussion), Lucas Lindholm (bass, bass fiddle, organ, piano) and Esther Daniels (voice). Irishman John O'Brien-Docker had previously played on Die City Preachers and Marcel, and also recorded as Inga & John, the Inga Rumpf of Frumpy fame. IMPRESSIONS ON READING ALDOUS HUXLEY emerged as one of the most eclectic Kraut offerings of the era. Through its seven psych-electronic fueled tracks, the band engaged in a freeform consciousness stream in the vein of Annexus Quam, the cyclical psychedelic grooves of Amon Duul II, jazz-tinged flavors from the Embryo book as well as rock oriented guitar soloing and heavy doses of lysergic organ runs.

Add some ethnic flavors in the vein of Agitation Free, a dash of whimsical vocal incantations from time to time in tandem with occasional pop hooks, dreamy folk inspired flute flavors and no clear linear delivery and it doesn't take long at all to discover you've entered some truly unique territory on this under the radar Kraut gem. Although some classic Krautrock albums can conjure up some strange and freaky emotional responses, IMPRESSIONS ON READING ALDOUS HUXLEY offers one of those pleasant hallucinogenic trips with a colorful palette of perfectly orchestrated transitions from various forms of musical motifs to another that don't dance too deep in the darkness but rather keep things just above the surface to allow the light to shine in. The whole affair evokes a triumphant return to the sacred balance beyond the corrupted control systems of our planetary prison complex.

This is a bizarre little album that is really like going on a 40-minute journey since the album starts off in a happy flute dominated Medieval folk setting and then slowly transmogrifies into one new musical motif after another becoming more comfortable in its idiosyncratic delivery system. Towards the end of the album there are moments that remind you of what the chamber rock bands such as Univers Zero and Present would adopt and create entire careers behind with slow brooding cadences that spiral out in cyclical loops and allow improvisational contrapuntal elements to congregate into bizarre mood altering concoctions. Despite the transcendental disconnect that the album paints in certain plentitude, the return back to jazzy and rock oriented motifs recallibrates the mood setting as do the pastoral flute segments, sometimes both styles having a call and response conversational effect.

Any way you slice it, BRAVE NEW WORLD delivered a beautiful specimen of Krautrock like no other and this stand alone album still sounds utterly unique nearly 50 years after its release. By craftily taking many of the concurrent strategies of the contemporary Krautrock scene and weaving them into one single tapestry of an album's length, IMPRESSIONS ON READING ALDOUS HUXLEY seems like it prognosticated its one-shot nature by cramming an entire career of ideas into a single musical offering. One of those rare examples of a freaky progressive psychedelic experience that takes you through myriad soundscapes but exudes an uplifting vibe. Think of this band as a mix of other Krautsters such as Between, Amon Duul II, Embryo, Agitation Free, Achim Reichel, Annexus Quam and Tomorrow's Gift and you're on the right path. Definitely one of the more adventurous and experimental of Germany's diverse musical movement that was a response to England's psychedelic rock 60s. Responses to Kraut bands obviously vary because the impact is more on an emotional level rather than a technical one but for my tastes BRAVE NEW WORLD delivered the perfect example of the eclectic and psychedelic German stylistic approach.