One video each of the two new albums out 6.12.2024!
Available from: https://astralmagic.bandcamp.com/
Astral Zone
One video each of the two new albums out 6.12.2024!
Available from: https://astralmagic.bandcamp.com/
Fruits de Mer Records (winkle 56) / FRG Records
It seems a bit strange reviewing albums that you are on but since I'm only guesting I guess it's okay... Requiem for Mankind expands the previous trilogy about man's relationship with religion, magic, myths, himself the planet into a quadrilogy. The Welsh space/psych rockers are in a realm of their own nowadays with long, atmospheric and (almost) instrumental tracks that evolve peacefully. Now we have a 78-plus minute piece of art that has four works that each fill one side of the 2LP version. So no short hit singles! All the other sides except side three have two different titles, though, but just presented as side-long pieces of music to keep the listening experience as continuous as possible. You will still need to change the sides, though! Unless you of course get the CD or USB stick version with lots of bonus stuff.
Side A starts off peacefully with "Cosmic Slop" that has jazzy, even spiritual vibes. At some point we get to "Let There Be Light" that turns into some of their hardest rocking with double bass drums etc. Phew... "Let There Be Life" is a bit kraut-styled piece with cool hypnotic, electronic vibes. Loving it! After some bird-song it turns into the melancholic and beautiful track "Requiem for the Planet". Here we also are treated to some wordless female vocals that fit in just perfectly. Pink Floyd fans will enjoy this... "Downfall" has at first some church organ sounds and Gilmour-like guitar with cool sax and string sounds joining in. Very sad and gloomy stuff, actually, especially when the slow beat and heavy guitar riff begin. Like a funeral march... Some killer soloing by Pete on this one! Side four starts off with "Chaos" that also features me on synths. A very cool, sort of dub inspired track! It changes into the title track "Requiem for the Mankind" that is a dark and emotional piece with a decending chord pattern. What a great, sublime ending for this quadrilogy! There are several versions of this album available including a book and extra album, so go ahead and have a look...
Self-released (DRAPT2024-01)
So this is the fourth Dr Space's Alien Planet Trip album with Hasse Horrigmoe on bass and effects. Dr Space plays synthesizers, Hammond, Mellotron and modular synths. There are only four instrumental trcaks, one of which is the over 30-minute title track. Apart from the last piece the music was improvised and recorded live in studio in 2023 by the duo. Purple Rose Powder is a very peaceful, meditative and minimal album. Experimental? Sure, especially the first track "Draptomaniac". Spacey? Yeah, that too. I don't think Ive heard anything exactly like this by anyone else. The CD comes in digisleeve as usual and is limited to just 100 copies.
Hello Astral Magic fans!
As it happens, I'm back in Facebook (but no Instagram this time)... You can send me a friend request over here.
You can also follow Astral Magic again or, even better, join the new Astral Magic group.
Okay, a few words about the next releases, then! All these will be out on the next Bandcamp Friday 6.12.2024.
Wizard's Euphoria is a brand-new album that we have been working on with Dr. Space (Scott Heller), Jonathan Segel and Shane Beck. The music varies from electronic and hypnotic atmospheres to more rocking stuff. Some great songs in there! 100 copies on digipack CD and digital download.
Also album will also be available from:
drspace1.bandcamp.com
Mental Collapse
Harness My Whispering Words
Agents of Entropy
Abyss of the Soulless
Deranged Memories
Wizard's Euphoria
Voice of the Sleeping Sitar
This Fluid Motion
Lead Me to The Sky
Shaman's Lullaby
Echoes from a Star Cluster
Voice of the Cephalopod
This Reflection
When Planets Copulate
Psychedelic Butterfly
This Sphere of Magic
Exploding Sun
Invoking Persecution
Pondering Below the Mist
Alluring Slow Jam
This Bleeding Sunset
Whispering Eyelids
Shadow Garden
Eternal Flashback / Exploding Flowers split CD-R is a factory-made disc including these two Astral Magic related project albums that have previously only been available on digital download. Both albums have just one, almost 40-minute long piece! 75 copies made.
All these will be available from
astralmagic.bandcamp.com/music
Self-released (OSC2024-LS022)
This new CD (limited to 100 copies) includes four long tracks recorded at dufferent times in 2023. Scott plays lots of different synthesizers on his own with some occasional singing bowls etc. All tracks are completely improvised and are very repetative and hypnotic.
"Life Is Hell" was recorded after a very depressing day in Fabruary 2023, and it has a pretty desperate, monotonic vibe to it. There is also some spoken word in it, not easy to figure out what he's saying, though. "Smile and Rotate" starts off in a very minimal way. It grows a little bit with weird synth sounds and light percussive sounds as well. Okay, I'm startung to disappear already! The title track "Music To Disappear To!" comes next and it's a weird one for sure. Minimal, spacey ambient. The last piece "Frozen Hypothalamus Pie" is even more minimal and peceful. This is great stuff to chill out to, just close your eyes and disappear into it.
Doctors of Space Music (DOS-008)
Doctors of Space have released a new, massive double CD since my previous review of their Adventures in the Deep Seas of Sound disc in September. Unlike last time, this albun was recorded all live in studio at once without overdubs. In addition to the standard duo of Dr Space (Hammond, Mellotron, analog, modular and digital synths) and Dr Weaver (guitar, drum programming) we also have the frequent Øresund Space Collective etc. collaborator Hasse Horrigmoe (Tangled Edge) on bass guitar which is always great and adds some more grooviness to the great sounding recordings.
The first CD has just two long trcaks. "Wisdom of Clowns" is very atmospheric and tranquil (no drums), while the closer to 40-minute-long "Needs of the One" sees the good doctors returning to space rocking realms in a very successful way. Great! Excellent guitar playing by Martin in there and Scott keeps things spacey and psychedelic all the way. The second disc starts off with the little dub-oriented "Mystic Challenger". "Ascari" is a beautiful, acoustic guitar-driven piece and "Dance Floor Hit (for Freaky Creatures)" a bit funky, sort of funny number that ends the album in a hypnotic and repetative way. The album has a great mix and mastering so sounds really good too! Get it while you can, only 100 copies made which seems to be the standard these days.
doctorsofspace.bandcamp.com/music