Reefer Tree - An Army of Some (Permanent Nostalgia ‎– no. 20)

hazy jams floating above the indica flowers and empty cases of High Life.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

It was only a matter of time until Reefer Tree set up shop in my head.  Upon receiving the latest batch of Permanent Nostalgia, I was intrigued by the lovely designs and inserts.  The Fallen Axe nug - Frank from Hobo Cubes - is a family favorite at the house.  To date, it's Frank's best offering under this moniker - even better than the wonderful Jozik split with Mt. Tjhris.  Also, this batch boasts an excellent tape from R. Franklin under the moniker, Sootskin Pearls.  If you have enjoyed the Cabin Floor Esoterica/House of Sun/Rotifer vibrations, then this tasty nug is ripe for your head.  The green imbued tape from Reefer Tree titled, An Army of Some, had the THC receptors in my head vibrating with alacrity.  There was nearly no background to light a path.  The only information being that this is a duo of Royallen and T.S. Rockafeller.  When in doubt, light a pathway.  And, that's exactly what happened.  The flowers went up in flames and the dank aroma of Reefer Tree made everything right as lofi nugs of warped guitar, synth and samples oozed forth from the speakers, coasting easily atop the layers of tasty smoke that permeated the room.  Their Myspace page proved more informative -  a wild set up of guitar, synth, mics and tapes situated among scenes of High Life homage and stems that populate empty cans of the Beast. What exactly happens when you grind up Reefer Tree bud and throw it in the bong?

Reefer Vision makes the type of music that gives one the impetus to do bong rips lined with kief until sunrise, all the while being buttressed by worn memories and propitious hopes.  These lofi instrumentals form one of the wildest analog experiences of 2013.  At the end, if it has yet to be instilled that smoking in bed is the number one cause of preventable home deaths by fire, then you need to pack it more tightly on the next listen - just not in bed. Heavy amp noise and synth are coupled with samples of a raucous faith-based exhortation as the tape commences.  Assertive elements of dialogue drift hazily in a sea of frayed synth and decomposing drones.  Aggressive bursts of noise are juxtaposed to something which sounds like a xylophone - quite beautiful!  Everything seems to blur together, making it difficult to discern the disparate elements. The nearly inert wall of noise glows around the echoing contour of the tones from the xylophone.  Discordant, periodic noisy transmissions are interspersed with chirping birds.  A frenetic radio dial vacillates among the frequencies, which lead into loops.  A sample from the fire safety message echos and we are lifted to the next level by swirling tones and churning noise.  The flip presents a different experience.  The samples from A  are not present.  Fragmented, fuzzed-out guitar parts populate the early part of side B.  Rolling, mutant noise is the foundation for a section effects-laden notes.  Towards the end, overdriven oscillations introduce a reverb-saturated section of disintegrating guitar loops.

This is exactly the type of vibe you need to prepare your head for Friday night.  Another thing to note: at the cross-section of this lovely trio of tapes is one of my favorite labels, Rotifer.  Expect me to smoke you out with some tasty, hairy, dank Rotifer nugs in the near future.  Returning from that tangent, this is the first in a series of reviews for the recent batch of Permanent Nostalgia - next up is Fallen Axe.  Released in editions of 36 tapes with gorgeous paper-based cases and inserts, the entire batch may be purchased directly from Permanent Nostalgia for $17 postage paid.

peace and love, friends :)  

Günter Schlienz - The Catalanian Tapes (SR - 02)

Visca Günter!  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

The Catalanian Tapes, by Günter Schlienz on Seconds Records, reflects on the ubiquitous beauty of Barcelona.  Recorded in August 2010 while in Barcelona, there is a symbiosis between Günter and this beautiful province of Catalunya. Günter opens his arms to the wonderful people and aesthetic of Barcelona, and, in turn, he enriches the denizens and the climate with three tracks of tranquil, ambient sound. Minimal, gentle currents - recorded on Günter's DIY modular synthesizer - pervade all three tracks.  There is a calmness or lightness instilled in each track, which reflects the natural beauty of the area - omnipresent, but especially on 'Inside The Park Güell'.

'Camp Nou', the first track on side A, refers to the majestic futbol stadium, which is home to FC Barcelona. Across a section of seats in the stadium reads the message, 'Més que un club' - more than a club.  The message corresponds perfectly to Günter's ambient paeans.  Ever since hearing the Goldtimers tape, I've thought of Günter's music as more than a pleasing succession of sounds and ideas.  Rather, the aural serenity emitted from his DIY machines becomes part of the listener and illuminates the soul.  Gentle, fluctuating tones  combine with echoing transmissions and soft, infinitesimal multi-textured rhythms in the beginning.  The calm, fluid soundscape reflects the tiki-taka (quick passing and movement) style of FC Barcelona.  As the elements  coalesce, the track comes into being.  Serene echoing tones spiral upward.  Periodic, gentle rhythms infuse the track with vitality.  Nearly imperceptible bass-like tones combine with soft, voluminous trails of notes that glide along the pitch like a Xavi-Messi give-and-go -  a track that magnifies the splendor of the stadium.  The last track on side A, 'Les Rambles', refers to a street - comprised of shorter streets - in central Barcelona.   Fluid, natural sounds pervade the tree-lined street. Peaceful tones spread over Plaça de Catalunya like the incipient sun, which warms the torso as a succession of looped tranquil tones radiates from the confluence of soft low-ends and blissful transmissions from the mod synth - an outstanding track!  However, don't think we are finished yet.  Side B contains one track, 'Inside The Park Güell', which presents a nice contrast to side A - one of Günter's finest tracks.  Regarding aesthetic, it's minimal beauty will please admirers of Josh Mason.  Designed by Antoni Gaudí, the tranquility of Park Güell informs Günter's art.  At the main terrace, the slow climb to the cosmos commences with the coming together of reverberating and ascending tones.  Field recordings and flute are interspersed throughout. The elongated tones from Günter's mod synth stretch the length of the tiled serpentine bench, which surrounds the main terrace.  A masterful track!

  Everything about this tape is excellent and it is perched on the highest of high shelves, where the trichomes glisten.  The diligence and love put into this tape by Mika Perez (Sylvia Monnier), of Seconds Records, is apparent through the sublime artwork, design, and hand-painted/hand-numbered cassettes.  Home-dubbed in an edition of 32, it is sold out at the source. However, a few copies may be floating around.  Anybody interested can send an inquiry here.

peace and love, friends :)

Aerosol Constellations - Within the Beyond (PF053)

stoney jams for the sunset!!  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Out here in the land of trichomes, Friday - especially during the spring and summer - is a sacrosanct day.  On this special day, the crystals glisten, the kief is plentiful, the nugs are dense and the jams adopt a heavy character!  Thus, the perfect setting for two side-long slow burners of psych drone from Aerosol Constellations - the duo of J.V. Dub and Bill Batt - on Prairie Fire.  Within the Beyond travels through the labyrinth in your mind at sunset, subsequently negotiating the myriad of doors that line the corridor, and then ascending to the crest.  The tones are singed, as bronze-coated flakes flutter through the recesses of the mind.   These tracks - comprised of guitars and percussion - travel a deliberate path.  The elements coalesce at a nice pace - track one is an exemplar.  An excellent facet of this tape is the manner in which the percussion is integrated.  Sitting in the mix at the perfect volume, the percussion allows the reverb-covered riffs and sections of heavy shredding to sit in the fore of your mind.  Admirers of Not Not Fun-era Barn Owl, Charalambides and Heather Leigh will enjoy this trip.

Crystal-covered tones vacillate and are singed by the departing sun.  The pace of these resonating tones gradually increases, which endows it with vibrations not dissimilar to tracks from New York City Ghosts and Flowers.  Reverb-covered drones resonate through the chasm as the smoldering jam slowly ascends the spiral staircase of your head.  The juxtaposition of these elements is beautiful.  Barely audible, the percussion is a portent, as a psychedelic maelstrom soon sweeps all before it.  Hash oil heavy shredding begets formidable energy as the track reaches for the zenith.  The flip commences in a different manner than its companion.  Where side A was somewhat linear, the flip gives no quarter as a vortex of noise consumes everything with such ferocity that it burns the layer of kief from the bowl.  As the traveler warily walks through the smoke, the journey turns inward and the listener is buttressed by reverb-covered riffs and percussion.

A sure sign of anything top shelf in my collection is the appearance of crystal-covered fingerprints on the cassette shell - deeply symbolic of usage.  Within the Beyond is smeared with crystals and a tape that I highly recommend.  2012 was a stellar year for sibling labels, Prairie Fire and Dub Dutch Picnic.  The latter released two standout burners in that year: Exalted King from The Cosmic Dead; and Technical Death Metal Parking Lot from 3 Leafs.  From the jams to the artwork to the cassette shells, everything related to Dub Dutch Picnic / Prairie Fire reflects the diligence and love of the curator.  The sun is high in the sky; thus, the perfect time to purchase Within the Beyond directly from the DDP shop.

peace and love, friends :)
  

Drab Pony - Bulbul (LTFR 030)

L'animaux luv!  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

The preponderant physical characteristics of the glistening Olive Oyl are analogous to the fecund ideas, depth, and adroit composition that make this c45 such an entrancing experience.  Bulbul, the debut tape from Drab Pony on L'animaux Tryst (Field) Recordings is a deep listener's kind of tape.  Drab Pony articulates its vision with loops and samples.  The soundscapes are infused with shimmering guitar parts and elements of musique concrete.  The variegated bud, bursting with purple, orange, green among other hues correspond to the varying atmospheres of the tape.  Without any type of aural perforation, the quiescent, serene drones and tones of side D elevate the listener into the ether, where waves of resonant guitar are interwoven with feedback.  Just like Olive Oyl, there is tremendous amount of ideas and depth to this tape.  First, side D and P are both dynamic, meticulously-crafted compositions that reward the attentive listener.    The subtle introduction, departure, and reappearance of sonic elements throughout the tape - especially the first part of side D - make the tracks sound anything but inert. Additionally, the composition throughout is excellent.  Both sides form slowly through the introduction of various layers and ideas.  On side D, a serene, pulsating drone seizes the listener's head - perfect music for conscious breathing.  Gradually, incipient transmissions become audible from the periphery.  Fluctuating, voluminous tones interspersed with soft rhythms move into attention before departing and reappearing - lovely!  Side P is just as delightful as buzzing low-ends combine intriguingly with elements of musique concrete and reverberating tones.  Reverb-soaked guitar rings into the air, accentuating the mysterious vibrations.  Dark, voluminous tones are a harbinger to a section of  feedback.  Just as the writhing feedback reaches its apex, it fades out and is concurrently followed by a part suffused with luminous, tranquil energy - quite beautiful and an apt ending to this magnificent tape.

L'animaux Tryst is one of my favorite labels, possessing a deep discography that is well-informed by the wonderful taste of it's curator.  They release some fine cassettes, as is evidenced by the Pete Fosco tape and  Concord Ballet Orchestra Players 2xCS.  Bulbul is home-dubbed with a grey-foil cassette shell.  Presented in a polybox with a full color pro-printed vellum insert, the outer sleeve is made of black cotton art paper and faux gold foil.  Released in a limited, hand-numbered edition of 75, Bulbul may be purchased directly from L'animaux Tryst.

peace and love, friends :)
     

Kief with Eric Hardiman (Tape Drift; Rambutan; Century Plants; Burnt Hills and more)

Kief is the game and Eric Hardiman is the name.  With bowls blazing, I'm privileged to present the latest Kief interview with Eric Hardiman of Tape Drift and Rambutan, among many other fine projects.  Back in 2008-09 - when I started collecting tapes after Foxy D provided the impetus - I would wait impatiently by the mailbox for the latest batch of Stunned Records.  It was through Stunned that I was introduced to Rambutan, along with other upstate New Yorkers, Parashi and Chapels.  On a personal level, this interview is extremely meaningful.  Eric was among the first few people - along with Mike Griffin (Skell Records; Parashi; Burnt Hills) and Adam Richards (House of Alchemy; Chapels) - to exhibit belief in me and the things I was trying to accomplish with the blog.  I will always be grateful!  

The bowl is packed tightly and covered with a generous amount of kief.  It presents the ideal condition to congregate as friends, revel in the Rambutan, and feast on the trichomes.  It's high time to fire it up, friends!

Tape Drifter for life.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

1) You have participated in many different musical projects, you are a contributing writer for Foxy Digitalis, and operate the venerable Tape Drift among other things. How long have you been making music, and do you have a favorite project?

Eric:  I’ve been making music in different forms since I was in high school, although I stopped for a long time out of frustration.  In 2006 I met Ray Hare and then shortly afterwards the Burnt Hills folks, which changed everything for me.  It was a total revelation to be able to make music with such amazing people and now I can’t imagine life without it.  It’s only been since 2007 that I’ve been releasing my music.  I honestly don’t have a favorite project – I love all of them and they each are important to me in different ways.  It’s about the other people I’m playing with and the inspiration I draw from them.

2) Rambutan is one of your most renowned projects. What led you to record as Rambutan, and can you talk about its evolution?

Eric:  Well, there has never been a plan of any sort with Rambutan.  It was more a case of late night home recording experiments and a ridiculous backlog of archival material.  For the past six or seven years, I’ve been fairly obsessed with recording as much as possible.  It’s partly about ritual/habit and partly about getting ideas onto tape so they don’t disappear.  It took at least a year or two before I felt confident enough to let anyone else hear the recordings.  I floated an initial cdr to a handful of friends, mostly other Burnt Hills members.  The feedback was positive, and then after my first live solo set I started releasing tapes and cdrs.  There’s still no big plan to it at all – Rambutan is simply the vehicle for me to explore my own musical ideas.  I feel very fortunate that other labels have been interested enough to release my music too, and I’m genuinely honored whenever someone takes the time to purchase or listen to one of my releases.  Musically, it’s been all over the map – probably too much so.  But on the other hand, that’s part of the process for me.  I never want to feel inhibited to try new things because people might expect my music to sound a certain way.  I just try to follow my interests wherever they lead me.  Hopefully there will always be enough of a running thread in the various styles to make it emerge on the other end as Rambutan music.  I’m incredibly excited to have an LP coming out on Fabrica Records because I have such respect for the label and how it’s run.  I’ve got some other exciting stuff in the works following that too.  And I’m hoping to finally do some collaborative recording this year with Jefferson Pitcher who has been a huge inspiration for me.

3) Your recent split with Fossils From the Sun - Ray Hare of Century Plants and Burnt Hills - on House of Alchemy was a harbinger of sorts to the single-sided and untitled Century Plants LP. Compared with the Locrian split, how was that record different?

Eric:  Well, the House of Alchemy split is something we’re both very proud of.  It comprises live solo recordings from two or three years ago.  Similarly, the split with Locrian feels like ages ago – I think we recorded that material in 2009.  The new Century Plants record is a unique item in our catalog – it’s a one-sided live LP.  I haven’t always loved one-sided LPs in the past, but with this one it made perfect sense.  On the surface, it’s just the recording of a live set with our good friend Phil Donnelly sitting in on drums.  But it’s also more than that – it’s a tribute to bands like Discharge, the hardcore music of 1981/82 that inspired us.  Ray was part of that scene, as the lead singer of Deadline in Washington, DC, and I was an avid follower of the scene having grown up just outside of DC.  Ray’s been my most consistent musical partner through almost all of my projects, and he’s an amazing musician who I feel lucky to play with. 

4) Lesser Halogens, the Sicsic tape of your duo with Mike Griffin, is one of the best tapes of the year. There seems to exist a kinship, a special bond between you and Mike, which is conspicuously audible. What are your feelings on this tape? What is it like to record for Daniel of Sicsic? And, are there plans to record in the near future?

Eric:  That tape is definitely a personal favorite in my back catalog.  Mike and I have become good friends and band mates in several different projects now (Burnt Hills, Mensheviks, Location Ensemble, etc).  He’s an incredibly versatile and engaging musician, and we both just really enjoy creating sound together.  Daniel had originally invited each of us to do solo tapes, and then we pitched the idea of a collaborative tape instead, and he was all for it.  So Mike and I set up for a late night recording session deep in Heron Room North, and what you hear on the tape is almost our entire session, all improvised first take stuff.  Daniel has been nothing but supportive, and did a great job with the packaging and the tape itself.  I’d love to work with him again in the future.  We definitely have plans to record a follow-up this summer.

5) As Rambutan, you were able to cross paths with Phil and Myste of Stunned Records. My introduction to Rambutan occurred through Stunned. They were prolific and released some of the best tapes for many years. What was it like to record for them? And, how do you view their impact on experimental music labels?

Eric:  For me, Stunned was the pinnacle of the tape scene for a long time.  And I don’t think that moment can be recaptured in the same way.  Everything they put out was just incredibly conceptualized, recorded, and packaged.  It all held together as part of a larger body of work, which happens so rarely with labels.  When I look back on Stunned now, I don’t really think of individual tapes, but on all of them as a singular statement.  The art was part of that, but also the sound of the music.  I always got the feel that when somebody recorded for Stunned, they reserved their absolute best work for the label, and that showed.  And for those musicians, Phil and Myste were beyond generous with their praise and support.  My releases on Stunned were huge confidence builders for me simply because of the support and encouragement they showed.  I got the sense that if folks like them dug what I was doing, it was worth me pursuing.  And they always gently pushed me further into doing better work.  Their impact was huge in terms of showing other labels how to run a label the right way – with artistic and personal integrity.

6) Burnt Hills - the psych/noise maelstrom - is quite different in sound compared to your other projects. There is a certain mystique about it. For our readers that are unfamiliar, could you provide some background on this project, the intense live shows, and the Helderberg House? Also, do you have a favorite Burnt Hills recording?

Eric:  Well first of all, for me at least, the band is as much about ritual and friendship as it is about music.  It’s all the vision of Jackson of Flipped Out Records.  Essentially we all get together every Monday night to hang out and jam for a solid hour.  The concept is that simple, but it’s taken on a pretty magical importance for all of us.  The music is intense – we start playing and ride the wave to wherever it takes us, with no plan or discussion about it.  We’ve all developed a style of musical communication that I love.  It’s been running for more years than I even know, but I’ve been involved since late 2006.  At various points, the membership was a bit more fluid, but we’ve really solidified into a stable lineup/band for several years now, with Mike Griffin (Parashi) being the newest member.  It’s an incredibly important part of my week, and very inspiring to create music with such good friends every Monday.  Occasionally Jackson will open things up and invite touring bands to come through the basement and we have a big party.  And every once in a while we’ll put out records, but they’re never the goal – just byproducts of our experience together.  My favorite Burnt Hills recording is always the most recent – we record everything we do, so I have a massive archive of old recordings.  There’s always a new one every week, which is always a blast.  As for the released LPs, “Live at the Elevens” is one I love because it documents a fun and rare out of town appearance for us.  The “Tonite We Ride” CD is also a favorite, even though it’s older, because it gives the whole experience in one extended blast.  They’re all different in their own way, and a lot of our best stuff has never been heard outside of the band members, but that’s alright – it’s never been about product.  We just love playing together, and if nobody else ever listened, that’d be cool too.

7) It has been a successful year for Tape Drift. Your recent batch is outstanding, and the Mason/McLaughlin tape is one of the finest of the year. What are your views on this tape? What can we expect from Tape Drift in the future?

 

Eric:  It’s definitely a favorite amongst the tapes I’ve released, although truthfully I love each and every TD release.  But that tape grabbed a hold of me like very few others have.  It was an unsolicited demo too.  I rarely take those, but I knew within minutes of hearing it that I had to release it.  Something about their attention to detail and the mystery of the sounds drew me in.  I dub all the tapes myself in real time, so I typically get to hear each one many many times.  This one got better with each successive listen, and eventually I absorbed its contents deep into my brain.  Have no idea about future Tape Drift batches – the label’s been on a temporary hiatus while I’m in Scotland.  I’m definitely planning to release Twilight of the Century two-tape set – our first release.  That’s exciting – we’ve been playing sporadically for almost 5 years, and have recorded a ton of material, but just never put anything out.  So I’m very excited about that.  There’s also a Century Plants CD in the works, with some archival live sets that are too long for vinyl.  That’s about it for plans though.

8) Since 2007, Tape Drift has been running strong. In the intervening years, and from the perspective of a label proprietor, how have things changed within the experimental music community? What advice would you provide to people that are interested in starting a label?

Eric:  It’s tough to step back and say what’s changed within the community.  There are certainly more labels and artists these days, some would say too many.  I’m all for it though – as the means to make music gets easier to access, folks will just have to work harder to stand out among the crowd.  I still find the community just as inspiring, creative, and supportive as ever.  I do worry that with the economic situation and the increased costs of international shipping, people will buy less and less music.  I think it’s really important to support DIY artists, and I try to buy music whenever I can.  But I also get the reality of the situation where it’s just not always possible to shell out for things you want.  I do worry that the smaller distributors will get pushed out and we’ll end up with just one or two bigger distributors calling all the shots.  That won’t be a good thing for anyone, so I’m hoping the smaller places can hold on and keep at it until things improve.  As for advice with starting a label, I’d say just go for it – release music you’re passionate about, put some love and energy into it, and people will respond.

9) Thus far, what are your favorite releases this year?

Eric:  Truthfully I haven’t listened to as much new music as I would have liked so far this year.  But I really dig the new Ensemble Economique record and the Nite Lite LP on Desire Path Recordings is amazing.  The new Wolf Eyes is fantastic too.  I can’t wait to hear the Josh Mason record and Matt Krefting’s LP when I get home in the summer.

10) A while back, you and members of Burnt Hills contributed to Listed on Dusted Magazine. On that occasion, you mentioned Space Ritual from Hawkwind. Along with that, what are some of your favorite recordings?

Eric:  Space Ritual is a magical record.  Besides being one of the best live records ever, it’s also got the most amazing packaging.  Hawkwind has long been a massive influence for me.  Other favorite recordings?  Probably nothing out of the ordinary.  Tough question and I don’t usually think in terms of favorites but if forced I’d have to include Plux Quba by Nuno Canavarro, a bunch of Alastair Galbraith records, some Loren Mazzacane Connors, The Shadow Ring (particularly Lighthouse), Les Rallizes Denudes, Supreme Dicks, Throbbing Gristle, Souled American, Dead C, Sun Ra, etc…  Birchville Cat Motel and Vibracathedral Orchestra records were both very influential in inspiring me to make my own music too.  The list goes on, but those are in my head at the moment.

peace and love, friends :)

The trichomes on my nug begin to glisten at the mention of Flipped Out Records!!  Buy anything Eric Hardiman-related from my brother, Jackson, at Flipped Out!

Lyd - S/T (Sunwest 4635361)

trichome heavy - grip it and rip it style!  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Wowee Zowee!  After a hiatus, Nug Luv has returned to smoke you out with hairiest, stickiest nuggets.  The bag has been replenished with copious indicas, sativas and hybrids.  Thus, I was not surprised when my fingers were stuck together after pulling the Lyd S/T nug from my bag.  Originally released as a one-side acetate in Hollywood in the late 60's, Lyd is a blazing hash rocket of US acid psych.  This reissue, from Sunwest Studios, is one-sided - just like the original - and includes a reproduction of the original label.  While it is only 20 minutes, it will work your head like the finest hash oil.  Within that interval, the listener has a psych experience unlike any other.  I feel stoned just looking at the sleeve!  Lyd packs a tight, dank bowl that burns brightly as the atmosphere absorbs the preponderance of crystal-covered freakouts comprised of fuzz, wah and super stony vocals.

  The Sunwest reissue sells quickly.  Fusetron and Forced Exposure seem to sell their stock within a day or two - vigilance is important.  I recommend making an inquiry to the excellent Fusetron.  Fusetron is one of my favorite mail distros, as the people are very nice and the tunes always arrive in great condition.  Otherwise, discogs has a variety of listings at affordable prices.  However, enough talk. It's high time (pardon the pun) to grip, rip and trip!                    

peace and love, friends :)

thanks to jeffo0771 and Sami Marliden, respectively, for providing the good vibe.

Pandelindio - Fuego Y Soma (FCR19)

purple power - let it flower in your mind.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

The field recordings coincide with the initial appearance of light.  Vibrations from the water slowly bring the lethargic body into focus.  As the sun crosses the horizon, the drone peaks in the mind.  Its radiant energy pervades the stained glass portal and refracts in a myriad of directions.  Pandelindio create ritualistic zoners that produce endless symmetrical ripples in the tranquil pond birthed by awareness.  As the tape commences, box tambura, violin, percussion, incantations and other sounds coalesce to breathe life into the still, somnolent body.  A self-described solo and collective project from Argentina - Fuego Y Soma on Feathered Coyote by Pandelindio is comprised of founder Federico Fossati and Pablo Picco, from Ø+yn.  A unique, engaging release, Federico and Pablo utilize a wonderful array of instruments and sounds - with strong Indian and Middle-Eastern influences - including box tambura, didgeridoo, violin, shehnai, bansuri, harmonium, chanting and field recordings.  As the first track animates your soul, the second track - full of mystical beauty - begets intoxicating, intricate patterns that elevate the body from malaise.  Combined with the wind instruments and bansuri, it provides a wonderful contrast to the first track.  The flipside presents an excellent jam comprised of harmonium drone, chanting, bansuri, didgeridoo, and other sounds.

  Lately, I cannot fathom waking to the day without these otherworldly transmissions.  More so, the stellar drones on Fuego Y Soma complete the cycle at dusk - the lucid, flowering breath spiraling to the zenith.  Feathered Coyote is an exemplar.  The latest batch is awesome, and it also boasts an excellent tape by Eric Arn.  For me, this tape along with the Jake Blanchard release are two of the year's best.  Released in a limited edition, Pandelindio is also responsible for the beautiful photography and design .  This release is highly recommended and it may be purchased directly from Feathered Coyote.

peace and love, friends :)