Flamingo Creatures - Nacht Fressen (CW15)

A tasty nug from one of my faves: Cosmic Winnetou! peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Whenever one enters the realm of Cosmic Winnetou, the vibrations induce levitation. Seekers and explorers reside in this sphere. Nacht Fressen, from Flamingo Creatures on Cosmic Winnetou, utilizes copious electronic and acoustic instruments to create compositions of great detail. Varying hues of ambient sound beget tender, yet portentous moments; In any one moment the listener could be at the cross section of new age and dark ambient music. Nacht Fressen is a truly unique addition to Cosmic Winnetou discography. The unexpected, and sonically appealing, twists and turns are performed adroitly; such moments occur in the second half of the first track on side A, "Schrätteli". In the beginning, the drone consumes the listener, aided by affecting piano and blurred rays of synth. Blotches of noise and increasingly active rhythms leave their mark on the listener. Suddenly, a dubious wind blows through the environment. I wonder: what will happen next? The heart beats more quickly as disquiet begins to accrue. Vacillating strings and shrieks of unknown origin reinforce the palpable disquiet. That's when I remark, "how interesting to be here after the first 8 to 10 minutes. i didn't even expect this bend in the road." In a short period of time, Flamingo Creatures have transported the listener from a resonant new age milieu to a more dark environment - maybe aligned with some of the dark ambient music on Type and Miasmah.  "Schrätteli" characterizes the breathing, morphing and evolving worlds of sound that Flamingo Creatures inhabit. After such a wild journey, the ceremonial "Sattes Anthrazit" is a track in which one takes refuge - the beginning presents one of my favorite parts of the tape. The breath flows evenly upon hearing visceral reverberations of meditative bells and solemn, wistful currents. These elements are buttressed by a dense wall of noise. Dark and dank, the minimal beauty of "Wider Die Schwerkraft" commences the flip in heady style. Softly shrieking violin manifests in an atmosphere of psychedelic percussion and electronics - ominous for sure. Suddenly, it does not seem that my feet are on the ground. Were they ever? A prodigious beat is the force which lifts us to an area in which lovely chants combine with languorous notes and field recordings. The reverberations have a dreamy quality. The last track,"Silberfisch", is notable for the proficient juxtaposition of serene, ambient and strident sources. The beginning left an indelible mark: embryonic waves comprised of benevolent light glisten in the front of the mind. 

   

With Cosmic Winnetou, one always knows the score. The recent batch is one of Günter's best. Pulse Emitter just continues to spin heads, while Raising Holy Sparks provides one of my favorite tapes of 2013. In the next few weeks, this site will juxtapose the recent Raising Holy Sparks releases on Feathered Coyote Records and Cosmic Winnetou. Nacht Fressen has all the hallmarks of Cosmic Winnetou release: Chrome tapes home-dubbed in real-time. The artwork is attributed to Jens Fleischer. Sold out at the source, last copies are available from Tomentosa and Meudiademorte.

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peace and love, friends :)

Djin Aquarian, Plastic Crimewave & The Everafter - Live at the Hemlock 10/08/11 (KSE #254)

Friday vibrations and Jane Doe. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

At Honest Bag, Friday is dedicated to all the beautiful heads out there! Kendra Steiner Editions, the label of Bill Shute, provides the fuel for this rocket trip to cosmos. For approximately 40 minutes guitar masters Djin Aquarian, Plastic Crimewave, and their band, engage in some crystal-covered psychedelic/space rock. One can only imagine the energy circulating at the Hemlock on that early October evening in 2011. For all the heady guitar pyrotechnics that permeate the track -"The Holy Breath of Fire" - the dynamics are just as noteworthy. The track moves through several stages. Some are cathartic, led by fervent guitars, bass and percussion. Other's dither in the haze of dawn, emitting palpable, resonant energy. Sometimes the proceedings meander in a valley until precipitously ascending to the zenith with the fleetness and vigor of a cheetah. For all the plaudits due to the illustrious guitars, the bass and drums provide a solid foundation on which the track flourishes. The lovely Janina Angel Bath's radiant voice can be heard intermittently throughout the recording. 

These top shelf vibrations come highly recommend. Plastic Crimewave is credited with the art, while the colors are attributed to Hands of Hydra. Last copies of this stellar nug are available directly from KSE.

peace and love, friends :)

The Original Flowering Earth - Hosshin ((Cave - 22))

plunged into the stash and experienced nirvana. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

The mindful warrior's universe expands infinitely and that level of awareness is present in Hosshin from the Original Flowering Earth - Kyle Wade of Goldtimers - on ((Cave)) Recordings. Kyle delivers us to the promised land with a tape that adeptly combines field recordings, electronic and acoustic sources. After two sparkling splits on Goldtimers and Planted Tapes, Kyle's first solo recording - comprised of outdoor recording sessions in various yards and gardens in Chicago and Colorado - is notable for the manner in which it sonically precipitates the experience of ephemeral, solemn moments; elation; discovery; and contemplation. Bright, hopeful hues shine through opaque noise to warm the heart. Periodic bursts of noise are circumscribed by a placid drone. Soon, playful and gentle sounds caress the listener as we walk into the light of day - my favorite section on the tape! Later, buoyant strings graduate into celestial synth joined by fervent tones. Moments of serenity glow in subdued noise from field recordings. Fluctuating, tranquil waves merge and grace one's head with a fine mist. The three part suite on the flipside is lovely. Meditative synth shimmers over a layer of resonant energy. Ethereal and lustrous sounds bend and contort.

      When I consider achingly beautiful music that caresses the listener, the Original Flowering Earth and Former Selves are at the top of my list; it's not a coincidence that they share a split on Planted Tapes. Hosshin has a way of minimizing the distance between the speakers and the listener. The soul instantly coalesces with earnest and peaceful vibrations. Overall, Hosshin speaks to life. In any single moment, one may experience joy, sorrow, compassion, wonder, wistfulness, numbness or a range of feelings. Yet, the good, bad and in between occur in the same moment. And, that sensation permeates Kyle's music. Hosshin is produced in an edition of 50 cassettes and may be purchased directly from ((Cave Recordings)).

peace and love, friends :)

Headboggle - Buchla à la Mode (Greedmink, ltd. 24)

icky sticky Buchla à la Mode. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

As one presses play, they peer over the precipice into a brilliant, variegated and churning ocean. On Buchla à la Mode intrepid explorer and composer, Derek Gedalecia (Headboggle), works out on the famed Buchla Box/100 prototype - Morton Subotnick created the epic Silver Apples of the Moon using the Buchla 100 series - at Mills College Center for Contemporary Music. Traversing a dense entanglement of tones, textures and hallucinogenic iterations, Headboggle brings order to chaos. Derek's dynamic, flowing soundscapes enlighten the head with a welter of discombobulated energy; razed structures; scrambled signals; rumbling oscillations; blips; buzzes; and vacillations. Buchla à la Mode is composed of outtakes and demos, with other keyboards and electronics recorded elsewhere. Right away I'm overtaken by the smooth, dank rhythms as the tape commences. I begin to imagine Jeffrey Osborne rising from the writhing, squirming mass. Lively, cascading notes drift into the ether. Shortly, persistent beeps and pulses transport one to their heyday. Flares and flashes of luminous light abound in this animated climate. Morphing signals and rumbling oscillations go into overdrive. Over all the Headboggle tapes to which I've listened, one thing is as clear as day to me: under the mesmerizing, lustrous amalgamation of electronic energy and ideas resides a peaceful, beautiful voice capable of making moving music. The flip gets spacey from the outset and hits a fine groove early. Tangential keys sporadically appear. Subsequently playful tones not dissimilar from that which an organ produces are juxtaposed to decomposing emanations. Before long, Derek has me up out of the chair dancing! Ascending and descending tones abut warped notes. I've always been a proponent of experiencing Headboggle's music by diving in head first. A good, proper active listening session with Headboggle usually leaves my mouth agape.       

Highly recommended like the prized greens that adorn this page, Derek, along with Christopher Merritt, are two artists making some of the best synthesizer music around. Buchla à la Mode is truly sound in which to lose oneself. Released in an edition of 100 tapes, Buchla à la Mode features artwork on heavy blue stock with gold ink by Carrie Sullivan and cassette lettering by Madalyn Merkey. Copies may be purchased directly or through Tomentosa.

peace and love, friends :)

 

Greedmink

Rafi Bookstaber - Greener Pastures (HUM 1001)

And I'm going where those chilly winds don't blow. Peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

The other day I was listening to "Rain and Snow" from the Dead's 02-13-70 Fillmore East show. It felt right given the blustery weather of late. As Jerry belts out, "And I'm going where those chilly winds don't blow" I almost concurrently look to my record crate, in which Rafi Bookstaber's Greener Pastures glows next to the candlelight. "That's where I want to go next" I say to myself. Greener Pastures, on Humito, finds Rafi crafting bucolic, serene guitar meditations infused with yearning and observation. I often take refuge and find a path back to awareness through Rafi's solo music. Among it's many illustrious qualities, the music is comforting, reflective, and mellifluous. It's an intimate recording, the type that embraces the space in which it is played. The listener saddles up next to Rafi in the cozy "Remember Silver Spring...". Warm, reflective strums form the backdrop for soulful fretwork. The languorous "Ain't Nothin Blues" adds vocals, harmonica and various percussion to the mix. Rafi's vocals hover and echo next to gentle guitar. Later, he parts the clouds with an electric section that leaves a vapor trail. Moments of reflection placidly pour forth via tender finger picking on "High Moon". "Sligo Watershed Blues" may be one of the best tracks on the album. Rafi's musical ideas and playing are sublime in this track.      

 Rafi continues to release music through various outlets. Some of the solo stuff is released small-run style through his label, Azriel. Also, he disseminates heady lofi basement burners as a member of Mendocino. Those were some of my favorite tapes of 2013. The next page in that trichome-covered story is currently available through Tomentosa - a review will be on these pages next week. Aswara is the duo of Rafi and Paul, from Death Chants. They recently contributed to a track on MV & EE's, Shade Grown. Greener Pastures comes in a heavyweight sleeve with a paste-on wraparound cover that also accompanies the celestial Space Communion reissue, HUM 1002. For the person willing to do their due diligence, Humito and other Rafi Bookstaber releases may be located online through various distros and shops. However, after much searching there is likely only one copy of Greener Pastures left; and it's available directly from label. No samples are available, but by now you know I don't bring the crumbly commercial stuff to the party. Lets get lifted together with this otherworldly nug.  

peace and love, friends :)  

MV & EE - Shade Grown (Blackest Rainbow Records)

lunar jams and some sweet leaf relief. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

It's something which was grown in the shade with properties unique to that setting and time. This collection of jams is unlike any other in the MV & EE discography - C.O.M. vibrations abound. Shade Grown, the most recent release from MV & EE on Blackest Rainbow, is a blissful and beautiful album containing various members of the Golden Road: Rongoose, Smokehound, Herbcraft, Jeremy Earl, Doc Dunn, Muskox, Mick Flower, Rafi Bookstaber, and Paulie G. There are many memorable sonic experiences, one of which is crystal-covered, "Crazy Snow (Meltdown)". Enlightened vibrations beget ethereal waves that permeate one with ease, diffusing golden rays and faithful vibrations throughout the soul. Breathy vocals float next to ritual rhythms. Shortly, MV's guitar erupts, traversing the peaks and valleys with a wonderful solo. The overall sound of the record, musicianship, and the quality of the vocals and harmonies are paramount when ruminating on Shade Grown. In the opener, "Cocola Parabola (Sugar on Snow Version)", MV & EE's vocals hover dreamily. EE's voice flutters over Rongoose's heady bass, Smokehound's awesome drumming, and MV's guitar like a cool breeze on a hot day - lovely stuff and a track to which I continually return. The flipside is as strong as anything I have encountered. The progression from "Lead Me to Vibration" to "Eagles-->Needmore" to "Patriot Act" resides in venerable sonic territory. The bleary lunar blues of "Lead Me to Vibration" lead to the serene guitars and ascendant vocal harmonies of "Eagles". The drumming of Mick Flower and Doc Dunn fuses perfectly with MV's guitar, giving rise to the slow burn of, 'Needmore'. Jeremy Earl joins in on vocals for the last track, "Patriot Act". A lovey and wistful track, harmonies hover over contemplative guitar and MV's visceral harmonica.
        

Records of this quality are rare. The vinyl of Shade Grown is pure grip it and rip action - no mp3's/previews or streaming available. There's nothing like that first drop of the needle on MV & EE vinyl - it transforms the space. The track below is a bonus cut from the C.O.M. cd, which is not available on the Blackest Rainbow vinyl. I purchased my copy from Eclipse. The last few copies are available directly from the label. 

peace and love, friends :)

Desmadrados Soldados De Ventura - Striiide (dd08)

Morning Wood gets one into their stride. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

This is one the heads will not want to miss. Deep Distance, the cosmic offshoot of Great Pop Supplement, put out some great records last year. Stellar releases from Köhn, J.D. Emmanuel, and Expo 70 culminated in a fine year for the label. Generally concentrated on electronic and kosmische releases, Deep Distance scored one of the finest goals of 2013 with some psych heaviness from Manchester collective, Desmadrados Soldados De Ventura. Literally a majestic strike from distance, Striide, doesn't waste any time in unleashing a deluge of top notch improvised free-form psych - with a garage feel - mayhem. Striiide's pervasive sonic assault is the product of three guitars, two basses, drums and vocals. Of particular delight is the manner in which Kate Armitage's vocals - consumed by the guitar/bass/drums vortex - emit a ubiquitous, dreamy quality. Andrew Cheetham's adept and intense drumming maintains stride, proceeding at a furious pace. At full speed, the barrage of psych goodness envelops one. The second release from this unit, which includes some new players surges unrelentingly upward, a brilliant object ascending into the ether, serenading the stars with unremitting dissonance and omnipotent guitar fury.

Accompanied by some of the best artwork of 2013, Striiide possesses that top-shelf, head warrior high that I seek with alacrity. Lately when I'm in need of a psych fix, I reach for Nick Mitchell-related projects. In only a few days the next batch of heaviness will be harvested, a 2lp on Mitchell's Golden Lab Records. Highly recommended and released in a pressing of 300 copies, the remaining copies of Striiide may be purchased through the band or from Volcanic Tongue.

peace and love, friends :)