It’s been another very productive year for me in 2024! These are my all releases on Astral Magic Music this year. In addition, I play synths on one track on the new Sendelica album Requiem for Mankind. That’s all, I think…
My New Year’s resolution is to cut down on my releases… I might do some other projects with other people or let real labels put out my stuff but releasing this much stuff without any distribution or real help from anyone is just insane and has to stop… We are living in hard times and people just don’t have money to spend on music like they used to, it seems. Sad but true. I won’t stop making music just yet, though! Thanks to all collaborators, my small but loyal fanbase, dj’s and reviewers for support, I love you all.
Okay, this CD EP was released already in 2022, but I still promised to write a review when I received a copy from Elske after her solo gig at Love Potion Club in Helsinki a few months ago, so here we go. I must admit I had not heard of her or her little band before that event. My friend Jaire (Octopus Syng) just suggested Elske to organizer Daisy to fill in for another artist that could not come and Elske bravely accepted the offer on that very same day! Brave lady. And I liked her gig too!
This 14-minute EP has four folk/Americana songs all penned by the singer/guitarist Elske Seaheart. Other musicians are Noora Nurmi (backing vocals and percussion), Joakim Lehikoinen (guitars), Veikko Pohta (bass, hey, I know this guy!) and Elisa Järveläinen-Koivusalo (violin). "My Heart Is Gone" is a nice mid-tempo Americana/Country Rock song with great chorus. Also some Latin influences in there. I must say that I still really prefer the touching, somehow innocent sounding folky love song "Thinking of You". Very emotional, somehow, and the vocals pour into your soul. Even though this is not that melancholic I notice tears falling form my eyes, not sure why... "Travel Song" is again more into the Country/Americano style and not really for me, although it's still a cool song. "Close to Happpiness" closes the EP with sad but sweet moods and my eyes are getting wet again. Wonderful folk song with 60's/70's vibe. Very beautiful chorus on this one. I really enjoy the playing and especially Elske's vocals. I hope these guys will release more stuff soon!
Antero Mentu is a Finnish guitarist/sitar player that has mixed experimental/ambient sounds with ethnic folk influences and rock and jazz elements for many years now. This is his fourth solo album and he has also recorded and performed in various groups. On this album he plays guitar, electric guitar, keyboards & percussion and is joined by Jesper Anastasiadis (contrabass), Amanda Blomqvist (drums & percussion), Markus Pajakkala (flute) and Otto Eskelinen (shakuhachi, keyboards & percussion).
The under 40-minute album has just six tracks, "Unia I-VI". It's all instrumental, dreamy, warm and very pleasant sounding, soft and jazzy stuff. The album starts off slowly and organicly. Then we go into more mysterious dreams in part II. III is more up-tempo going with a bit ethnic vibe. Nice mix of folk and jazz. "Unia IV" is rather minimal and tranquil, lovely. It grows a bit along the way and is rather long at 7:37. "Unia V" is a very ambient piece and the last, long track rather hypnotic and psychedelic, maybe my favourite. It gets close to some post rock bands later on, I think. All in all, this is a very enjoyable and dreamy album and recommended for fans of jazzy folk vibes with psychy touch. The CD comes in digipack that also includes a booklet with cool paintings from all over the place and time.
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...
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.
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.
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 form a Star Cluster is done together with Shane Beck. It has new versions of some tracks that have previously beenw released on Shane's solo albums but most are totally exclusive to this release. Some really trippy and hypnotic stuff on this one! Just 50 copies on home-made CD-R, 70 min of music.
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.
