GILA [AKA: FREE ELECTRIC SOUND]

The German rock music of the early 70s lives by the name of Krautrock but due to the diversity between the artists it doesn't mean much on a stylistic level. There's simply too many tastes, ranging from avant to space rock, jazz rock, symphonic, freewheeling jam trips, heavy rock, electronic music and bands that combine elements from each of these.

Gila Gila fits perfectly into the "freewheeling jam" category, an instrumental type of Kraut with the classic rock line-up of drums, bass, guitar and organ. It isn't always my preferred category as I miss some of the deeper adventure, passion and attitude of my Kraut favs, but Gila's debut is simply a stand-out in the field, with well-played, nicely flowing, spacey and perfectly moody trip-rock.

Gila resembles Agitation Free a lot on this album, be it slightly more Floydian maybe, with bass grooves following eastern-scales just like Set The Controls for The Heart of The Sun or Careful with that Axe, Eugene. In fact, this is a Krautrock album you might choose to play this album as background music. I would even dare to call it accessible.

Not the most adventurous or eclectic Krautrock album but a very good one, with classic material and - who knows - one that may turn out to be an introduction to all that amazing music from the German 70s scene.