QUIPU

Brian Ellis is a gifted multi-instrumentalist as well as being a Producer and much more. He has a lot of hats. Brian is probably most known for leading ASTRA along with his buddy Conor Riley. They both closed that chapter and opened a new one with the band BIRTH which oddly enough is also the name of the first track here. It is an inspiring track so I get it. "Quipu" was actually ready to be released in 2008 when the record label he was on folded so it sat for three years until being released in 2011.

Brian relates in the liner notes that he had taken a new step musically with this one which would have been his third solo album at the time but the delay now makes it his fourth with him releasing "Yellow Light District" in 2009. He decided not to use any samples or sequencing, instead playing the instruments live in a more traditional multitracking situation. He mentions also in the liner notes that it was a very creative time for him and that this is some of his most unique work to date. Understatements abound here, this is a masterpiece. Ellis plays everything except the drums on the last three tracks which were done by David Hurley from ASTRA.

I'm trying to calm here but this is a huge discovery for me. Brian is a big music fan like all of us here are. He is into Jazz/Fusion, Psychedelic and more including Zeuhl. One person who wasn't calm in talking about this record is Julian Cope. He raves about this one and mentions that he thought of albums like "Devotion" by John McLaughlin, "Continental Circus" by GONG, "Agharta" by Miles Davis and he doesn't mention an album but he also mentions MAGMA.

Discogs has this listed under Jazz/Fusion and I agree that that is the predominant sound. Mostly from the gorgeous electric piano but horns too. And yes the sound of Miles is all over this and in particular the electric piano with the reverb and all the percussions bringing "Bitches Brew" to mind. We also get ethnic sounds and there's that psychedelic influence as well. And that final track will knock the socks off of Zeuhl fans it's called "Walomendem" and Brian does his best Blasquiz impression, okay not really but he's got that chanting down and he clearly has got the MAGMA thing going on. It's over 14 minutes long! On another solo album he covers "De Futura", just sayin'.

The 9 1/2 minute opener has ethnic sounds to opena dnend it. Sounds like sitar being played like a harp to start and then late it sounds like the cry of a zurna. Some Miles sounding stuff inbetween. "Canyon Star" is the shortest at 6 minutes and the organ gets the spotlight here it's also quite spacey earlier and so much going on. "Count To Ten" impresses late with the dissonant sax. "Funeral March" is one of the best and it feels like a march. The electric piano sounds so good.

"Gossamer" at over 8 minutes is the first to Have Hurley drumming along with the next two final tracks. You just have to hear this music. Check out "Gossamer" right from the start and that upfront bass, percussions, electric piano and more. Just too good. "Psaw" again bring Miles to mind like the last tune. All of the echo and reverb and it's like everyone is doing their own thing(okay Brian and David) but within the same atmosphere and eventually groove. Headphone music.

"Walomendem" ends it with Zeuhl and I like how Julian Cope ends his little review with a question to Christian Vander "What is Kobaian for extremely well done?" It opens with this distorted atmosphere that hovers before high pitched sounds arrive and suddenly I'm thinking during my first listen "Is this Zeuhl?" Then the wordless vocals arrive and my question is answered rather quickly and we're just getting started. Full blown at 2 1/2 minutes. Guitar is great here. This one is a ride folks and we're heading for Ork.

I can't wait to spend time with his 2011 release with a full band in play. As for this one, 5 stars is a given and the art work is pretty cool but better on the vinyl where the lower part isn't cut off like on the cd losing the full affect of it.