PUNGENT EFFULGENT

After releasing a handful of cassettes the band produced and made themselves, it was about time their music got wider distribution, rather than just obtaining their cassettes in the back of their tour van during live gigs, or UK underground mail order catalogs. There was a label called Demi-Monde. This label was owned by Dave Anderson, who was no stranger to the progressive space rock scene for he was a member of AMON DÜÜL II for two albums ( "Phallus Dei", "Yeti"), and HAWKWIND for one albums ("In Search of Space"). He signed the OZRICS to the label, and this album, "Pungent Effulgent" was the results. The big drawback: it was only released on vinyl (which probably irritated some people who probaby gave up their vinyl at that time for cassettes and compact discs). But now the band was really able to get to business. They were able to get a more professional production, and Blim, their cover artist was finally able to do those colorful psychedelic artwork that (he? she? I thought I heard somewhere Blim was a she) wanted to do.

The album opens with "Dissolution", one of the rare times vocals appear on an OZRIC album. The one thing that struck me of this piece is the use of delayed guitar, similar to what's heard on PINK FLOYD's "The Wall" or Steve HILLAGE's "Green" (OZRICS did that sort of thing on "Erpsongs" and "Tantric Obstacles" but laid off it until this album). There's a remake of "O-1" off "There is Nothing" with real drums, rather than '80s sounding drum machines. "Phalarn Dawn" is a mellow ambient number, something I'd probably ignore had they not placed a didgeridoo in the middle part. "Kick Muck" makes its appearence again (they simply snatched it from their "Sliding Gliding Worlds" cassette and used it again here), but they removed the ambient experiment.

Apparently the band had a falling out with Dave Anderson and Demi-Monde at some point (likely before 1989 ended), likely because the fact "Pungent Effulgent" was not available on cassette and CD as well, and the band would obviously get better sales had it been available on cassette and CD (since it was 1989, and most people gave up on vinyl at that point). In 1990, they launched Dovetail Records, released "Erpland", and reissued "Pungent Effulgent". This reissue was available on all three formats like the band wanted, plus there was some added-on material as well, like the addition of "Wreltch" from "The Bits Between the Bits".

So, contrary to popular belief, "Pungent Effulgent" is not their debut album (since they had six privately issued cassettes prior), it is their first proper-label album. Great stuff, but I thought their following, "Erpland" was even better (as many would agree).