Timo Pääkkö: They Never Made It Volume 2

 Psychotron Records (PR1015)

They Never Made It Volume 2 claims to be a compilation of lost early 70s psych tracks. Actually it's a tongue-in-cheek album by Finnish guitarist/singer/songwriter Timo Pääkkö, who the most educated music fans remember from his bands like Kinsky, Penniless People of Bulgaria, The Electric Crayon Set, Love Messengers etc. He also run a record label called Soundhawk Records, that released one Octopus Syng album, for example.

This is a vinyl-only release, and limited to just 100 copies (plus a few promo copies, I suspect, since I was lucky to get one). The album is releaaed on the UK label Psychotron like the Volume 1 in the series and comes in hand-painted cover with clued info sheet on back and on coloured vinyl with white labels.There's even an insert with fake histories for all the imaginery bands involved. A real private-press feel!

So how about the music? Well, I've been a fan of Timo's songs, vocals and especially guitar work (reminds me of Nick Saloman a bit...) since The Electric Crayon Set times, so of course I like it. Some of the songs COULD be written in the late 60s/early 70s, but of course the sound and especially the use of programmed drums reveal that this is actually a modern production. There are seven tracks on the album. "Don't Vent All Your Frustration On Me, Girl" by an imaginary artist Peter Timothy Willful opens the album in an energetic but melodic mod style. Nice! "Bearded Jack" (by Concentration Storage Five...) has a fuzzy guitars, organ and a cool 60s psych vibe and is one of my favourites. Based on a poem by Wilfred Owen, "Strange Meeting" is another highlight with a spacey and hypnotic, Amon Düül II-like atmosphere. I'm impressed! I only wish that The Bavarian Illuminati would have been a real band somewhere in time and space... The side A is finished with an instrumental called "Chase Around Sirius" by Intergalactic Guitars Unlimited (!). This one has a groovy late 70s/early 80s space funk rock vibe and Timo plays some killer lead guitar.

The B side is started with "UAP" by The Devilment (how did he come up with these band names?). Again Timo's love for UK mod music shows clearly. Next, The N-Sults offer a cool cosmic piece called "Magic Is Found Within", I really like this one. The album is then finished with the 12-plus-minute guitar/mellotron freak-out "All My Bullies". The "artist" name probably is the best: Thymothys Yn Unig! This track has a groovy, folky and bluesy, almost Led Zeppelin styled groove and also some vocals. All in all a very enjoyable album and the vinyl sounds great. Timo even went to UK to play a solo album release gig at the Psychotron Records's store and I heard it was a success! It seems the only way to hear this whole album is to buy a copy so please be fast. Timo might have one of two left but at least Psychotron seems to still stock it.

www.timopaakko.com/ 

psychotronrecords.co.uk/product/they-never-made-it-volume-2/

 

 

Astral Magic gone from Facebook and Instagram!

Out of the blue, my personal Facebook and Instagram accounts as well as Astral Magic (and all other...) accounts were deleted. I have no way of getting them back, so goodbye evil Meta Universe.

Well, more time for real life and making music, even if not so many people will hear about it anymore!

Since my main marketing tool is gone now, let's try this... Get all four albums on either of these pics for 30€ plus postage. Email me at astralzoneblog @ gmail . com

 You can also contact me through the Astral Magic Bandcamp site:

https://astralmagic.bandcamp.com/

 

Doctors of Space - Adventures in the Deep Seas of Sound

 Doctors of Space Music (DOS-007)

 

Okay, another new album by Doctors of Space (Dr Space: synths, Fender Rhodes. Mellotron, Hammond, mix & mastering, Dr Weaver - drum machines, synths, bass, electronic & acoustic guitars)! Dr Space things this is their best yet and I must agree. At least it's the most coherrent and worked on.

This 60-minute album is based on three jams by the duo. Dr Space then recorded short synth interludes, then Dr Weaver added guitars and bass and afterwards Dr Space mixed it all together during several weeks. The mix also includes some gong samples from Luis Simoes from different (OSC) recording sessions.

The albun is divided into four parts. "Part One" is mostly hypnotic, repetitive space rocking. "Part Two" sees the duo going into electronic trance music direction, it gets rather danceable, but still very cool and spacey. And hypnotic! "Part 3" starts off in a peaceful, bit experimental way. Trippy stuff. At six minutes we get a funny rap/funk beat and the track gets pretty groovy! Sort of surprising way to go but I enjoy it. "Part Four" is clearly the shortest at under 10 minutes. It's an relaxed ambient ending with some more intense sounds layered on top. Very nice! Stops very suddenly, not sure if intentionally or by mistake. Just 100 copies of this made so get it fast.

doctorsofspace.bandcamp.com/music

Eternal Flashback - I out now!

 

Eternal Flashback is a new psychedelic project by Shane Beck, Vince Cory and Santtu Laakso (yeah that's me...). Out debut album is out now and includes just one, 38-min long track "Trip One"! Only available in digital format, at least for the time being. Check it out below.

Shane Beck (The Last American Poet) - spoken word.
Vince Cory (Sonic Trip Project) - guitars, theremin & multi effects.
Santtu Laakso (Astral Magic) - moogs, percussion.

All music by Cory and Laakso, poetry by Beck. Mixed by Cory and Laakso, mastered by Jonathan Segel. Cover design by Andy Wainwright.

sonictripproject.bandcamp.com

Øresund Space Collective – Espaço

 Self-released (OSC2024-LS019)

This limited edition CD must be the most tranquil release by the band yet. The albu includes just two loooong jams that were recorded in September 2023 at Dr Space's studio in Portugal. In addition to stellar synths by the good Dr, we have Jonathan on guitar and violin, Hasse on bass, Luis on guitar, gong and noisebox, Larry on rhodes and Tito on brim-brau, drums and pecussion. Hey, three of them are also Astral Magic collaborators!

The title of the opener, "Umma", might bring to mind Pink Floyd, and there are some similarities in the peaceful, meditative vibes it brings too. This is very relaxing but also super spacey track that really acts as an espace from all your earthly troubles and stress. Something like this is very much in demand sometimes! It transports the listener into another dimenion altogether. just wonderful... "Birim Magic" starts off in a weird Ethnic/World Music style, but a lot of stuff happens during this, almost 43-minute-long ride. It is also very peaceful and dreamy in the middle, but some rhymths got added later on: first percussion and then a drum beat when we get closer to the end. The violin and bass espcpeially remonds me of Mahavishnu Orchestra a bit, so some jazzy/fusion vibes in there too. Not very common sounding OSC jam, which is a good thing in my books. After some cosmic dreamspaces the jam gets more intense towards the end without never really starting to rock out. Another very cool piece! It's nice to see OSC still putting out high-quality releases after all these years. There seems to be still 16 copies left on their Bandcamp site...

oresundspacecollective.bandcamp.com/

Astral Magic stuff!

 Hello!

Quite a lot has happened in the wonderful world of Astral Magic since my last post. 

Since the Astral Magic with Paul Roland - Mind Melt Machine CD EP there have been already SEVEN new releases!

 Strange Sensation CD, limited to 100 copies, was released in April the 5th. This album is a sort of successor to Am I Dreaming?, so more in the vein of 60s/70s psych/garage rock. Jaire Pätäri from Octopus Syng plays the drums, and the CD also includes a unique mix of Mind Melt Machine from the previous EP as a bonus track. Also featured are Perttu Lindberg – drums on “You Can’t Hear Me” and Jasmin Anglén – backing vocals on “Haunted Mansion”. Eye-popping cover art by Andy Wainwright, as usual.

Then we released a very limited edition home-made CD-R The Secret Paths: More Rarities with Shane Beck. This one has new versions of tracks that were originally made for his solo albums as well as plenty of totally new stuff. Very deep and psychedelic!!! Still a couple of copies left, but be quick...

Cruising the Celestial Highways has been in the works for years... It is the instrumental krautrock album of Astral Magic! It was ment to be an LP release but we'll have to settle for a limited edition CD for now. Just 100 copies in cool digipack.

The Highwaymen:

Santtu Laakso: music, mix, production, bass, synthesizers, motorik beats.
Jay Tausig: live drums, guitar, saxophone.
Pete Bingham: guitar.
Fred Laird: guitar.
Jonathan Segel: mastering.
Andy Wainwright: cover design

 

 Shadows over Jupiter was originally released on tape in 2021. I also made a 2LP version with three extra tracks, but it has proved to be too expensive to manufacture... I recently decided to remix all the tracks for a better sound quality. So a limited CD edition called Shadows over Jupiter Remixed was put out. Art by the original graphic designer Juha Takalo. Some great and quite different Astral Magic stuff on this one. Also features Jay Tausig and Fred Laird! Just get it.

After Shadows over Jupiter Remixed I decided to do limited edition of the previously vinyl only 2022 album Magical Kingdom on factory-pressed CD-R. Just 50 copies and going fast! Some fans do not buy vinyl and have been asking for this, so... And with three bonus tracks!

Floating in Space is a long-time project with my old friend Vesa Partti. We started it in 2021 or 2020 but it was put aside for some time... We finally decided to release it this Summer! First a digital single of the title track, then the whole album on limited edition CD. Vesa plays all the guitars and also does some vocals. I just love this album!

Floating in Space CD also includes the latest single recorded in analog studio with the Kultti-25 guys Tapio and Aki and some new faces: Joonas Soini on another guitar and the legendary Pentti Dassum on modular synths! The single Emerald Tablet / Taste of Sunlight (in My Mouth) was released in digital form last Friday but unfortunately the lathe-cut 7" version is a bit delayed. There will be only 50 copies of these made! Amazing art again by Andy on Floating and the new single...

I recently went to UK for almost two weeks. I visited the wonderful Kozfest for the second time, hang around with my friends Custard Flux and also finally got to Cardigan, Wales, for the Fruits de Mer Records festival 20th Dream of Dr Sardonicus. I also had a dj slot there playing only Astral Magic stuff! What an amazing journey… Astral Magic compilation Different Dimensions was included in the goodie back, I think I have sold all my copies now.

Other forthcoming releases include the CD's Interstellar Relations and Those Who Came from the Stars as well as a limited edition 10" lathe-cut version of the Mind Melt Machine EP with Paul Roland... Stay tuned!!!

Anton Barbeau - Dogstar / Queen of Eyes 7"

 Fruits de Mer Records (winkle 51)

I bet most readers know my pal and Astral Magic collaborator Anton Barbeau by now. Anton seems to live about  equal amounts of time in Berlin and California and why not. He's almost as productive as I am with several albums a year released. His latest single has a new original "Dogstar" on side A. This is a great, hard rocking glam rock stomper that brings to mind Marc Bolan, in a good way. One of Anton's biggest heros, along with Syd Barrett, David Bowie, Robyn Hitchcock, Julian Cope and lots of others, I suspect. Things don't stop here, since somehow, Anton managed to get Barry "The Fish" Melton (Country Joe McDonald and the Fish) to play some loud lead guitar through his custom-built Mesa Boogie! Very impressive. This song really works. For the B side, Ant chose a more atmospheric and melodic cover by Robyn Hitchcock called "Queen of Eyes". Wonderful! This single is also limited to just 300 copies so hurry up if you want one and I think you should.

www.fruitsdemerrecords.com/dogstar.html 

www.antonbarbeau.com