Various Artists - Rekinked: FdM Plays The Kings 8" Lathe-cut EP

 Fruits de Mer Records (Friends of the Fish 68)

 The Kinks were of course a very well-known British rock band formed in 1963. I must admit I've never been a big fan, Face to Face being the only album I have. I just thought they were not psych rock, more like r'n'b first and then classic rock, pop or something. An okay band and some cool songs, sure, but nothing to really blow my mind. Sorry about that...

Anyway, coming out at the end of the month is a very limited lathe-cut 8" single with four cover versions of their tunes. I don't even remember hearing the original versions except for the last track. To start off the EP, The Flower Machine makes it Fruits de Mer vinyl debut with "See My Friends". Nice song and very well executed too. Some Indian/Raga flavour in this one, I think. "Do You Remember Walter" is a nice pop song performed here by Bertling / Robertson (Mr. Robertson recently released a great single on FdM). It's cool to hear some added psych elements like backwards guitar and sitar sounds. Crystal Jacqueline & Icarus Peel (from The Honey Pot) play a pretty folk rock song "Shangri-La", an excellent choise for them. Some raga vibes here too. Only song that I actually was familar with before is the straight forward early rock piece "I Need You" that I guess everybody knows. The Tubeheads make their first appearance on a FdM vinyl release and deliver the goods.

All in all, this is a very nice little EP, too bad that only 100 copies were done as lathe-cut, making it quite pricey too. But hey, we're living hard times right now, so I guess a proper pressed vinyl EP was out of the question. If you live in the UK you can still order this from Fruits de Mer, outside of UK Shiny Beast is your only possibility.

www.fruitsdemerrecords.com/rekinked.html

Øresund Space Collective - Everyone Is Evil

 Space Rock Productions (SPR080)

 Okay, this is the new album by improvisational psych/space rock jam band Øresund Space Collective. I've been following them since their start in 2006 and have most of their releases. Since Dr. Space moved from Denmark to Portugal things have slowed down a little but the band still tours and records albums. This is the first album to come out of recent (September 2022) studio sessions from Dr. Space's new studio, but for sure not the last! Like it always is with jams, sometimes the plot is a bit lost, but when all the band finds the spark and follow the clues of others magic will happen.

The title track is a massive, over 60-min jam that starts out rather slowly and it takes some time to find its form. For the 2LP edition it is divided into three parts. I'm really enjoying myself for most of the ride! Thinks get more progressive and on-your-face on the second part. There is a certain sinister feel about it, maybe that's where the name comes from. Then I get some early 70s Gong vibes which is great. The fourth track is called "Everyone Is Good (Maybe)" and starts with a cool ambient soundspace. It stays very atmospheric and beautiful, and I enjoy it very much. The 2CD version also has two bonus tracks not available on Bandcamp or other digital services. There is also some more experimental stuff in there... The stellar cast of musicians also this time features Luis Simoes (Saturnia) on guitar which is great. Astral Magic fans will love to hear Jonathan Segel play guitar and violin! The great artwork is by David Graham as usual. Check this out!

www.facebook.com/OresundSpaceCollective/

 

Le Mur - Keep Your Fear Away from Me

 Self-released 

 Keep Your Fear Away from Me is the fourth album by Bochum, Germany-based trio Le Mur. I have previously reviewed their third album that was released  on Clostridium (check it out here). This time the band have produced the album on their own without a label backing, which is just as fine. It's available  both on limited vinyl (300 copies) and CD from the band.

Like before, I have some difficulties in describing the band's music. As a trio, their sound is often rather minimal with just drums, bass and guitar with vocals. There is also some saxophone and the first of the four long tracks called "Praetarium: ...the Past Will Be Perfect" also includes spoken word samples by J. Khrisnamurti giving in a more spiritual vibe. We also get some occasional bird-song etc. on the second track.

The B side opener also has some synth sounds and  is a bit heavier as well. Lots of saxophone in there too. Then it's time for an acoustic part with some more vocals and bird-song and then some synths. J. Khrisnamurti samples also make a come-back! The last track rocks out a bit more which is cool. Still some weird and pretty minimal going towards the end. I don't understand why there is no guitar if there is keyboards or sax, just bass, drums and one lead instrument. To me this keeps the trcacks sounding like demos more than finished songs. But many people like simpler arrangements so maybe that's it. The sound in itself is good, though.

The band says they are inspired by Camel, The Doors, 70s Miles Davis, Sonic Youth, Hawkwind, Ozric Tentacles, Tool, Anathema etc. but I don't really hear any of those echoes here. Perhaps this is just a bit more primitive version, I don't know. Check it out yourself! You can order both the LP and CD for just 20€.

le-mur.de

 

nick nicely - Afterworld

 Fruits de Mer Records (crustacean 97)

I've been a nick nicely fan for twenty years now but he started his career already in the beginning of the 80s with two legendary singles, DCT Dreams and Hilly Fields (1892). He has always had an unique style to combine synth pop with deranged psych rock arrangements. He did not release any albums until 2003 when the great Psychotropia compilation was put out on vinyl by Tenth Planet. Another compilation followed in 2011 as well as a brand new tape album Lysergia, and then Fruits of the Mer started to release singles and EP's by him. There were also two new albums, Space of a Second (2014) and Sleep Safari (2017), all great stuff.

Afterworld is an album of vintage demos and outtakes, so it's like in between a compilation and a new studio album. So yes, we do have previously heard tracks like "DCT Dreams" and "Rosemary's Eys", but they do sound different to the previously released versions. Then there are lots of unheard demos and abandoned projects like "Eels", "Gallery" and "Shadows in the Sun" and early versions etc. All in all, it all sounds excellent and very exciting so wether you consider this as a new album or compilation it is really great! It all shows how much time, experimenting, effort and energy nick puts in his music. I just love his sound and vibe, sometimes dreamy and beautiful, sometimes freaky and even mental. There are no dull moments on this album and I'm sure all nicely fans will love it. Even if you have never heard of nick or  his music this is just as fine place to start as any other. Warmly recommended! You can get it from the Fruits de Mer website (UK) or Shiny Beast (EU & the rest of the world).

nicknicely1.bandcamp.com/music

Albino Rhinö - Return to to Core

 Space Rock Productions (SRP078)

This is the third full-lenght album by Helsinki-based psychedelic stoner/doom metal trio Albino Rhinö. They also have one mini album, one EP and one split EP with Morbid Evils, for all you completists. All worth getting. This time we only have one long track, "Return to the Core", that is split in two parts for the limited vinyl issue (152 x black, 153 x silver). There are also 200 CD copies in digisleeve.

Early 90's Finnish psych/prog/classic rock trio Kingston Wall is having somekind of renaissance (again) with another book and remixed versions of their albums (hell, even online courses on how to play guitar like Petri Walli!). They have had their influence on a lot of great Finnish music since their demise from Amorphis to Hidria Spacefolk and beyond, and that goes for Albinö Rhino as well. At least I'm very much reminded of the KW on the cool 3/4 groove at the beginning with all the acoustic and electric guitars, killer bass lines and tight drum beat, even the deep vocals. To add some more psychedelic levels, Scott Heller aka Dr Space plays some synthesizer effects all around to a great effect. Slowly the track gets heavier, and before the 10-minute-marker also the stoner doom fans will have their heads nodding to the beat. Now this reminds me of Colour Haze or even Sleep or Om or something. Very cool! These lighter and heavier parts continue and you will be on a great trip for 35 min 35 seconds. The sound is really excellent and the art work very well planned too, so what can I say: another very successful release by Albinö Rhino and Space Rock Produstions as well. Get it!

albinorhinodoom.bandcamp.com

Øresund Space Collective – Live At Roadburn 2010 2CD/DVD

Space Rock Productions (SPR079)

 Most die-hard OSC vinyl fans might already have the 2LP version of this great gig at Roadburn 2010 when the volcano in Island erupted... Phew. That will be something to remember, by the way. The gig was also shot on video, but that has not been free for publishing until now. So what a great time to reissue this as a 2CD/DVD including the whole show!

This show has been one of the top ones of all the OSC gigs I've went to. The vibe is just superb, even with a litte smaller jam group than some other times! Just six guys but that is certainly enough with this kinds of virtuosity and emotion. Sometimes the band just flies in the best Gong/Ozrics style and blow your mind, at times they cool down perfectly. The sound as well and picture quality on the discs are super, so I warmly recommend getting one of these rare beauties (200 copies) before they're gone!

https://www.facebook.com/OresundSpaceCollective/

 

Cosmic Cassiopeia - Music for Later Night Listeners

 Not on Label (OSC2022-LS012)

Cosmis Cassiopeia is a new jam project by Dr Space aka Scott Heller. This debut album made together with his previous Alien Planet Trip collaborator Daniel Lars was created in 2021 and already released a year ago but I just recently reveived a copy, so let's just dive deep into space!

Therea are eight reasonable length, instrumental tracks on the CD. You can clearly hear that espcecially the ones started by Scott with synths are very much improvised on the spot. Some of the tracks have more structure and also programmed beats like the excellent "Bear Romber Stromper", some just float in space without much form or rhyhthm. Daniel plays some great solos that give the album a bit more proggy edge. I like it! The programmed drums could have been better constructed for example on "Sweeping Klaus's Patio", though. All in all, a pretty constant package of trippy space rock sounds and beats, worth getting for sure!

cosmiccassiopeia.bandcamp.com/music