Sammal - Suuliekki

Svart Records (SVART140)

Sammal is for sure of the most loved modern Finnish progressive rock bands. Not that they are commercially that successful or anything, but prog rock fans still know and adore them. This Turku-based band has great respect for the prog forefathers but still manages to sound original and fresh somehow. They are very talented players and creative song writers. What matters the most in my books still is, that they have a way to touch your soul.

Suuliekki is their third studio album if you don't count the No 2 MLP and follows the Live at Roadburn 2015 LP and Suuliekki 7". There has not been any major changes to their sound or music style, and I'm glad about that. You get a good dose of soulful vocals in Finnish, sometimes peaceful, sometimes heavy guitar, groovy rhythm section and great retro organ and synth sounds like expected. Maybe there is more variation in the song material this time, like "Pinnalle kaltevalle" with its intense latino beats. Some  songs like "Vitutuksen valtameri" are closer to early 70s hard rock like Deep Purple and I love it. You can definitely hear echoes of prog masters like Genesis or Wigwam on songs like "Herran pelko" and that's completely okay if you ask me. Another excellent release by Sammal, get it if you are a fan of progressive rock! 350 copies on blue vinyl, 650 on black, release date is this Friday.

www.facebook.com/Sammal-109324700030

Barış Manço / Kurtalan Ekspres ‎– Estağfurullah... Ne Haddimize !

Pharaway Sounds ‎(PHS037CD)

Anatolian rock/pop/folk/psych/funk legend Barış Manço released this album originally in 1983, and this CD/LP reissue was put out in 2016. To my knowledge, it was the last studio album to be recorded with his backing band Kurtalan Ekspres. I don't know much about Barış who died in 1999 or his music either, but I must say that I do have a sweet spot for Eastern/Oriental melodies and rhythms and the combination of Eastern and Western music often works really well for me. The great vocals also have a really cool, exotic effect on me.

In general, 1983 maybe wasn't the best year in music, but this album sort of lives in its own continuum of the 70s which is cool. On the other hand, the grooviest track on the album, "Aman Yavaş Aheste", is a killer, funky disco-boogie number that woud have gone down well in any European discotheque in 1983. Anyway, there are lots of different songs here, some more traditional ballad-like, some more in the rock/pop/funk vain and all with some prog/psych elements so I like it.  My favourites are the mesmerising opener "Halil İbrahim Sofrası" and the mystical last track, the instrumental "Selahaddin Eyyüğbinin Yeğeni Aslan Yürekli Rişarın Kız Kardeşine Karşı". Worth checking out!

www.lightmillennium.org/biographies/bmanco_biography.html 

Paradise 9 - 2oth Anniversary 1997 - 2017 Live 2CD

P9Recordings (P9CD006)

This double CD was released last year to celebrate the 20th birthday of U.K. band Paradise 9. They are usually labeled as space rock band which is fine, but actually I hear a lot of post-punk / New Wave influences in their sound as well in addition to the pure space rock sound. But hey, nothing wrong with that! Anyway, if you enjoy bands like Here & Now, Magazine, The Fall, Killing Joke etc. you definitely should like them. I have previously reviewed a couple of their releases, and am a bit late with this one. Sorry about that!

Anyway, what we have here is a cool 2CD set of live material at various festivals and club gigs in between 1998 and 2016. CD 1 is focused on recent live stuff from Blind Cat Festival and Kozfest from 2016. Most of the stuff is pretty energetic and up-beat, but we also get slower ones like the instrumental "Ocean Rise" where Nik Turner is adding some cool saxophone, like on several other tunes as well. I also really like the use of spacey synthesizers on many tracks enhancing the psych/space element. One of my faves on disc one is "Distant Dreams", a melodic, nice and dreamy piece that features Kev Ellis on harp etc. This sounds quite a lot like some of the Hawkwind or DarXtar space ballads, great! Actually, the same goes for the following song "Crystalized Moments", very cool vibes.

The stuff on the second disc comes from several gigs played around London. The sound quality is very good, like on the first disc, but maybe not perfect. "Into the Ether" is a hypnotic, danceable piece with percussion. We get some acoustic stuff with "I See You Dancing", "All Said and Done", "Bright World" and "Glow". There's also another versions of their classics "Crystalized Moments", "Points of View" and "State of the Nation" that all made appearances on the first disc. Some groovy, spacey moments in there, and Nik is also featured. All in all, this 2CD is a great celebration of the twenty years of Paradice 9 and also gives you a good overal picture of what the band is all about live. Check it out!

www.facebook.com/paradise9band

Hotlist January - February

This is what has been keeping my ears and mind busy so far this year:

Psychic Lemon ‎– Frequency Rhythm Distortion Delay LP
The Myrrors ‎– Archives, Vol. I: Lunar Halo 12"
Damo Suzuki ‎– Seven Potatoes: Live In Nanaimo 2LP
Dead Sea Apes ‎– Recondite 2LP
Causa Sui ‎– Vibraciones Doradas LP
Mugstar ‎– Collapsar: Skull Scorchers & Neuron Phasers Singles & Rarities 2LP
Moon Duo ‎– Jukebox Babe / No Fun 12"
From Grotto – S/T LP
Carlton Melton ‎– Mind Minerals 2LP
Rymdstyrelsen ‎– Space Is Cold LP
Seven That Spells ‎– The Death And Resurrection Of Krautrock: Omega LP
Sula Bassana ‎– The Ape Regards His Tail 2LP
Demian Castellanos ‎– The KYVU Tapes Vol.2 (1990-1995) LP
Secret Saucer ‎– The Reset LP
Hadal Sherpa –S/T CD

Seven That Spells - The Death And Resurrection Of Krautrock: OMEGA

Sulatron Records (st 1801)

Croatian Seven That Spells led by the very cool Niko Potočnjak has been around for 15 years now and released quite a lot of albums. I've been following them almost from the beginning and also was lucky enough to see them live a couple of times at Roadburn Festival. They have a rather unique style mixing together psych, prog, space, kraut, alternative and experimental rock elements. They used to be heavily influenced by Acid Mothers Temple at one point, and also collaborated with them, but now the chaotic ATM elements are pretty much gone. Omega is the last part in The Death And Resurrection Of Krautrock trilogy that started in 2011 with AUM followed by IO in 2014.

The new album just released on the amazing Sulatron Records has five tracks. "In III" is a shorter (4:07) hypnotic piece that sucks the listener into this sonic journey. The pretty heavy, repetitive vibe and particularly the mantra-like vocals (I'm not sure about the language) reminds me of early Circle which is cool. The same goes for the rest of the album. The rest of side A of the vinyl (limited to 500 copies) is filled with the almost 19-minute title track "Omega". This is a rather progressive, adventurous and excellent composition that at times brings to mind some of the modern prog rock/metal bands like Porcupine Tree. Some great melodies and rhythms on this one.Things do also get a bit freaky towards the end which is great! "Chronos" is an atmospheric, instrumental opener for side B, and the "Future Lords" take us away into space and beyond. This is the most psychedelic track on the album, and I like the intense, driving beat and rather dark mood. The sort of weird "Out III" finishes off the album in mysterious atmospheres and leave you wondering what the hell just happened. I love it! OMEGA is another masterpiece by Seven That Spells but be prepared to listen to it several times before you really can get inside it. This is not easy listening music, but still rather approachable stuff, when you really pay attention. Great sound and musicianship, warmly recommended!

www.7thatspells.com

Another dj gig this Saturday! Monomyth & Firebreather 24.02.2018 @ Kuudes Linja

Okay, I was going to have a little break from djing, but they need me so... I'm in! This will be a heavy night, you've been warned...

www.facebook.com/events/1869182373395495

From Grotto - S/T

Rohto Records (RR-0000421) 

The first time I saw From Grotto live a couple of years ago I realized this band was one of the most interesting new psychedelic prog rock bands in Finland. They mix influences from 90s Finnish legends Kingston Wall together with the weirdness and spaciness of Gong, some funky, jazzy parts and heavy prog of King Crimson adding lots of original ingredients as well. Having released their debut EP in 2015 in digital form, 2017 saw the dawn of their first full-length and now it's also available on limited edition vinyl! There are only 250 copies of it.

The opener "The One Wildling" sounds like Swedish progressive psych band Bland Bladen with vocals added. I got to admit that it took me some time to get used to the vocals, since he's pretty intense and theatrical. I love the way he plays the synth and the mind-blowing effects on the vocals! There's lots of different stuff happening to keep the listener interested. The great saxophone definitely adds the pot-head pixie vibe. Spacey, weird, adventurous and wild going! The shorter, groovy "Cycle of the Badger" is much closer to Kingston Wall or even Jimi Hendrix but also a cool tune. Some great playing on this one. "Five And Four Ill Fated" is more progressive stuff again with lots of various turns and moods. "The One That Watches" starts off with didgeridoo drone and then tribal percussion is added to a great effect. This track has a pretty dark, experimental vibe all the way also adding some groovy, Gong-like stuff. "Floating Head" must be one of the band's oldest tunes and has a strong Kingston Wall feel to it. I love it! "The Bustle" is groovy funk rock with psychedelic and dub touches. I wish they had more instrumentals. The longest track on the album is saved for the last. The over nine-minute "Hallucifer: The Wizard That Never Got Some" is a real trip. It also has some flute which is nice. After the more peaceful beginning the track slowly builds up. This track includes cool solo work and killer beats and is a live favorite for sure. A more mind-blowing version of early Santana brings to mind?! Anyway, an excellent way to end an amazing debut album that will probably leave most listeners wondering what the hell happened after the first listening. From Grotto is absolutely not the easiest band to get into but very talented and definitely worth exploring. When you reach their inner essence you might want to stay there forever.

www.facebook.com/fromgrotto