Lastryko - Tętno Pulsu

Self-released

Lastryko is an improvisational, instrumental kraut/space rock band from Gdynia, Poland. Apparently Lastryko is their second album and it was released in March this year so I'm a bit late with this review (once again...). The band is formed by Wojciech Lacki (bass), Jacek Rezner (drums), Artur Bieszke (guitar) and Maciej Szkudlarek (synthesizers).

The album has six tracks and lasts for around 45 minutes. The hypnotic opener "Jeden" sounds a bit like early Föllakzoid, dreamy & trancey."Dwa" rocks out a bit more with a steady drum beat and a bit louder guitar stuff. The next track "Trzy" is more ambient in nature, atmospheric stuff. "Cztery" has a synthesizer arpeggio going on and a cool more electronic krautrock vibe, I like it a lot. "Pięć" is an airy, rather minimal jam and the last track "Sześć" a longer (8:07), psychedelic excursion bringing to mind some of the lighter, instrumental passages of Circle or Pharaoh Overlord. All in all, a very pleasant album full of cool jams, but I somehow have a feeling that they could have evolved at least some of them a bit more with overdubs or something. Check it out!

www.facebook.com/Lastrykoband

Top albums of 2019

Once again, I decided to do separate lists for foreign and Finnish albums. Here we go (in alphabetical order)!

Top 20 foreign albums:
3rd Ear Experience With Dr. Space ‎– Ear To Space
Acid Rooster ‎– S/T
Altın Gün ‎– Gece
Centrum – För Meditation 
Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek ‎– Kar Yağar 
Dreamtime – Tidal Mind

Ecstatic Vision ‎– For The Masses

Gong ‎– The Universe Also Collapses

Hawkestrel – The Future Is Us

Hawkwind ‎– All Aboard The Skylark

Kungens Män ‎– Hårt Som Ben

Magic Shoppe ‎– Circles 

Moon Duo ‎– Stars Are The Light 

Orsak:Oslo ‎– S/T 

Psychic Lemon ‎– Freak Mammal

The Spacelords ‎– On Stage 

Twink – Think Pink IV: Return to Deep Space

Uffe Lorenzen ‎– Triprapport

Weltraum – NYX 

White Manna ‎– Ape On Sunday 

 

Top 10 Finnish albums:
Earthbound Machine – Destined for the Grave
The Fërtility Cült – Kosmodysseia
Hexvessel – All Tree
Jupiter – Iosomnia
Kosmos ‎– Ajan Peili
K-X-P – IV
Oranssi Pazuzu ‎– Live At Roadburn
Pharaoh Overlord – 5
Tähtiportti ‎– Abiristeily 
Waste Of Space Orchestra ‎– Syntheosis

Silver Cloud Express - Postcards From Outer Space EP

Self-released

Silver Cloud Express is an "inter-galactic rock" band from the Sonoran desert, Tucson, Arizona. The trio is formed by Jamie Laboz (vocals, guitar, keys and sonic wizardry), Cristina Williams (vocals and bass) and Daniel Thomas (drums). Postcards From Outer Space is their second EP following Colors released last year. Both EP's are available at the band's Bandcamp site as a digital download but you can also buy the new one on CD.

I have already used the excellent tittle track "Postcards From Outer Space" on my latest Astral Visions Mixcloud show so my readers have probably heard that by now. If not, check it out now at least! I love the relaxed, spacey atmosphere of the rather melodic but psychedelic track. Excellent work! "Here & Now" is a bit more pop oriented and not so spaced-out but I love it too. The EP is finished with alternative/indie rock/dream pop song "Silver Lining" that isn't too bad either although a bit closer to main-stream. I could easily imagine this stuff been played on radio, it has a certain mass appeal to it. I hope the band will release a full-length soon since they certainly have a lot of potential. Personally I wish they would concentrate on the more spacey/heady material but I'm sure I will like it anyway.

 www.facebook.com/silvercloudexpress

Syrenomelia - A Rose Shattered

Human Hox (HHX001)

Some of you might remember Wim Lankriet's project Magdalena Solis from my old Psychotropic Zone reviews. This Belgian artist has now evolved into Syrenomelia. The music is maybe a bit less spacey, psychedelic and dark now but still very melancholic and atmospheric.

A Rose Shattered is the debut single by Syrenomelia and available as a limited CD-R and digital download through Bandcamp. I guess you can say that it is mix of Gothic rock, alternative rock and melodic metal, although not being overtly heavy. The title track begins in a very emotional, gloomy way. The string sounds and vocals (about a toxic relationship between a mother and her daughter) fit in perfectly and the track soon gets more powerful and intense. Cool! "Like the World Outside" has a ghostly vibe with its, at first whispered, vocals and dark keyboards etc. This reminds me of some of the 90s Gothic rock bands, not bad at all. In the middle the track sounds almost like funeral doom metal, so I guess this IS as dark as Magdalena Solis after all... The track has a very gloomy, menacing feel to it, like something very bad is about to happen. If you like dark, melancholic, eerie and atmospheric music you should definitely check out Syrenomelia.

www.syrenomelia.net

The Legendary Flower Punk - Wabi Wu

Tonzonen Records

The Legendary Flower Punk from St. Petersburg, Russia is sort of hard to pin down. They are not overtly psychedelic or spacey, not main-stream, not pure jazz, funk or trance but maybe still all those things and a lot more. They can play in a very progressive style and know how to jam and rock out. Some of the stuff is also rather experimental but still really not that hard to digest. We know the guitarist Kamille also from his main band The Grand Astoria who are, at least at times,  a bit heavier than TLFP. Other main members are Mike Lopakov (bass) and Nick Kunavin (drums) and Wabi Wu also features a large cast of guest musicians from the Russian music scene (sax, electronics, flute, synths etc). Fans of Ozric Tentacles will be delighted to know that Ed Wynne plays a great guitar solo on "Hexagram"!

To me the band are at their best in the danceable up-beat tracks like "Prince Mojito" and "Hexagram" that bring to mind bands like Maserati and, espacially the last mentioned, also The Ozrics. The track "Aki Kaurismäki" has gained some momentum in the Finnish press since it's sort of homage to the famous Finnish film director and also includes some samples from his movie "Hamlet liikemaailmassa". It is also a pretty nice track, I must add! Some of the tracks are pretty close to jazz/rock fusion stuff with saxophone and overall jazzy motives and moods, but "Trance Fusion På Ryska" also has some, dare I say, disco elements. Somehow the band makes all these different influences work together. I'm sure there's a lot of stuff to discover for repeated listening times and you won't get bored fast with this album. It has a fresh, inspired and varied vibe to it and the sound quality is super crisp and clear. Well done guys! So far the album is only available on Bandcamp as a digital download but an LP release will follow early next year on the marvellous Tonzonen Records.

www.facebook.com/thelegendaryflowerpunk

Zone Six - Kozmik Koon

Sulatron Records (st1905/st1905-2)

Wow, a new studio album by German impro-spacerockers Zone Six! I've been a fan since the original debut album in 1998 so I'm very excited... The line-up is now Rainer Neeff: guitar, fx (The Pancakes, ex Embryo), Komet Lulu: bass, fx, voice (Electric Moon, Krautzone) and good old Sula Bassana: drums, synths, organ, mellotron, e-piano and a-guitar (Electric Moon, Interkosmos, Krautzone, ex Liquid Visions etc.) and together this trio makes wonders.

The trippy first track "Maschinenseele" is some of the best hypnotic psych rock I've heard this year. After the spacey, tranquil beginning the track grows and pulsates in your mind like a good, heavy and colourful trip! The use of acoustic guitar and wordless human voice gives it more texture and mellotron adds a celestial bonus level. I love this! "Kozmik Koon" is another long killer tune but this time a bit faster and groovier stuff. Makes you want to party in space! Thinks get slower and weirder later on... Then it's time for a couple of shorter, experimental tracks. "Raum" sounds like early Pink Floyd and The Spacious Mind making rough love under heavy medication while "Still" is a sort of 60s oriented, beautiful and dreamy piece. "Song for Richie" is the album's longest track at almost 14 minutes and it's a real mind-journey. The spoken-word stuff fits in perfectly. A very cool, spacey and trippy jam oozing lysergic energy and psychedelic vibes indeed. In summary, Kozmik Koon is another improvised masterpiece by Zone Six and I'm sure all lovers of cosmic, hypnotic, instrumental space rock will like it a lot. Available on vinyl and CD, just go an get it!

www.facebook.com/zonesixz6

Pavallion / Automatism ‎– Purple Ground / Sonar 10”

Tonzonen Records (TON062)

Here’s a cool new split 10” release on the excellent Tonzonen Records. Pavallion’s ”Purple Ground” is softly pulsating psychedelic post rock with some more intense elements. I like the vocals on this one and the overall vibe is just great. This is truly a pleasant listening experience from Germany.

Sweden's Atomatism on the flip side offer us a very enjoyable, rather relaxed jam called ”Sonar”. The mood is rather sleepy and dreamy but there is also a certain krautrock like beat in there. This very nice, atmospheric instrumental is a superb pairing to the Pavallion side and together they from a nice little 10” split. There are only 300 hand-numbered copies of this one so once again: please hurry up!

www.facebook.com/pavallion

www.facebook.com/automatismband

Sounds of New Soma - Nachdenken über Rolf​-​Ulrich Kaiser

Tonzonen Records ()

SONS keep up their rather hectic release schedule of great, experimental, psychedelic, mostly electronic kosmische ambient krautrock. The cover art of course is a remake of the classic krautrock compilation Sci Fi Party that was released on the the legendary Kosmische Musik label in 1974. Famous German writer and  producer Rolf​-​Ulrich Kaiser was the mastermind behind this and many other projects, hence the title of this release that is apparently very influenced by the original electronic Kraut scene.


This time we've got mostly shorter tracks and there are nine of them. The overall vibe of this album is very relaxed and spacey and also rather quiet and minimal. This is perfect music to put on your headphones, lay down, close your eyes and start dreaming. This is very meditative, instrumental music and the synthesizers and sequencers of Dirk and Alex are at points augmented by jazzy saxophone, guitar, drums etc. by guest musicians. There is also some narration in German on a couple of tracks. The very nice "Luftikus" is closer to the folkier side of of the Krautrock element. The titles like "Kaiser's Kaffee" and "Komische Kuriere" emphasize the effect of the "good old lysergic times" on the band's music. The longest track is "Kinder der Geburtstagspresse" that also has a drum beat. The last, beautiful and dreamy track "Verschollen" is a nice tribute to all the original musicians and inner space astronauts that we have already lost in time and also has some wordless singing. All in all, Nachdenken über Rolf​-​Ulrich Kaiser is a great tribute and homage to the kosmische music of the past as well as a very successful update on the genre. Warmly recommended!

 www.facebook.com/SoundsOfNewSoma

Maat Lander / Sounds of New Soma - Split LP

Tonzonen Records (TON075)

This is a marvelous new split album by two of the most interesting modern instrumental psych/space/krautrock/ambient/electronic bands. On side A we get more of the rock thing with three previously unreleased tracks by Russian's Maat Lander. When you have members from bands like Vespero and Re-Stoned you just can't go wrong and Maat Lander definitely does the job with flying colours again. SONS is for sure one of the leading acts in the more "kosmisch" school of mind-altering ambient music at the moment and I have loved their every release.

At first, Maat Lander show us the "Maat's Way" with a peaceful beginning that shortly builds up into a cool Ozrics styled groove. The Fedotov brothers tight rhythm section and cool, spacey electronic sounds is a perfect match to Ilya's very fluent, soulful and imaginative guitar playing. "Volga Dream" is a slower, atmospheric trip deep into your mind, just close your eyes and let the music take you on a journey. "Lunar Module" has a cosmic vibe from the beginning, the hypnotic beat starts after the two-minute-marker. Very nice yet again, we are floating in space!

SONS deliver us three a bit shorter (for them, anyway!) tracks all in between 5 and 6 minutes in length. "Auf Fart" starts off their side with beautiful, tranquil synthesizers staying rather minimal and ambient all the way. "Radweg ins Glück" is next and this time we also get some Tangerine Dream styled sequencers and laid-back guitar. Very mellow and pleasant stuff! "Ab Fart" ends the B side in similar mode, but now there is also some faint electronic beat. These three tracks seem like three parts of a one long piece since they flow together so nicely and put you in a cosmic dream state. Wonderful! If you want this superb split LP you'd better hurry up since it's limited to just 300 copies and already sold-out at source.

maatlander.bandcamp.com/music

www.facebook.com/SoundsOfNewSoma

Psychic Lemon ‎– Freak Mammal

Drone Rock Records ‎(DRR030)

Freak Mammal (must mean us humans?) is the third studio album by Cambridge based space/kraut/psych rock group Psychic Lemon. It follows the splendid live album Live At The Smokehouse that the band released earlier this year. I've been a fan since I first heard the band's little more prog oriented, eponymous debut album in 2016 and have loved all releases. Psychic Lemon's brand of psych/space/krautrock is never a direct clone of any other band as they do have a direction of their own to go and I like it.

This new album released on two limited vinyl editions, CD and digital download has seven rather long instrumental tracks on it. The space party begins with the over 10-minute, hypnotic "Dark Matter". I love the heavy, modern krautrock style here. Things get pretty fuzzy and wild so this is not for the faint-hearted. The even longer "Seeds of Tranquility" is a bit more peaceful, dreamy and also very hypnotic track with repetitive bass line, psychedelic guitar and cool percussion. There's also some spacey synthesizer for a good measure of course. This long cerebral jam reminds me of some of the old White Hills stuff a bit. "Afrotropic Bomb" is a more explosive, wild thing again, for fans of The Heads and A.M.T., perhaps! Also "Free Electron Collective" is an energetic, freaky mind-blaster that works really well. "White Light" is fast, pounding & powerful space rock the way it should be. Mugstar at their best comes to mind, wow! Another killer album by this great band. I hope I get to see them live one of these days.

www.facebook.com/psychiclemon

The Fërtility Cült ‎– Kosmodysseia

Self-Released

Kosmodysseia is the new album by Finnish heavy progressive/psych rock band The Fërtility Cült. This Tampere-based band has progressed and grown a lot in a few years and now seem to be annual performers at Fruits de Mer Records's Crabstock Festival in Wales. In addition to the standard rock instrumentation and great vocals their sound is heavily saturated with Hammond organ, Rhodes piano and saxophones making them sound rather special at least in Finland at the moment. There's also some cello and violin on the album. The new album seems less doom metal and more progressive rock which is definitely a good thing this time but there are still some heavy, gloomy parts in there.

There are seven, mostly long tracks on the album. "Kosmodysseia Part I: The Planeswalker" starts in a very peaceful and moody style. Later on things get darker and heavier and I'm reminded of some of the other great, modern adventurous prog/psych bands like Astra, not bad at all! "Return To The Desert Planet" rocks faster at first before it starts to float in hazy space. Then we get some slow, doomy Black Sabbath going but the sax keeps things jazzy. "Star Siren's Song" is a great heavy prog tune sounding a bit like mixture of VdGG, Uriah Heep, Gentle Giant and Sabbath but with a personal touch of their own. Great! "Visions of Home" is a short, orchestrated song with strings and vocals, but on "Hunters of Galactic Daemons" the band returns to heavy, doomy prog rock vibes. I love the groovy, faster middle part that reminds me of Gong. The eight-minute "Kosmodysseia Part II: Timeless Ithaca" has a hypnotic, dark atmosphere that gets you in a trance. Some more light-hearted prog rocking follows. Cool soloing and jamming! The last track "The Queen Of Spacetime" is a rather spacey affair not unlike Oulu's Deep Space Destructors. All in all, this is absolutely the best release by The Fërtility Cült so far and comes warmly recommended.

www.facebook.com/thefertilitycult

Various Artists - From a Distant Shore - 4 Species on Display

Mega Dodo

This is a cool compilation of new Swedish music put together by one of our favourite Swedish psych folk acts Us & Them. I must admit to never have heard of the other three bands/artists that are Astor Wolfe, Internal Planet and Eve and the Last Waltz. But of course, I'm always looking for new sounds so this sounds like an interesting album right from the start!

Us & Them starts off the album with the nice, not very psychedelic folk piece Among Antiques. Always a pleasure! Astor Wolfe is next with the sort of British traditional folk song sounding "Emerald Green". Nice female vocals here as well. "Frame of Reality" by Internal Planet brings to mind some of the more peaceful tracks by Peter Hammill of Van der Graaf Generator. Eve and the Last Waltz performs a song called "Could Never Sleep" next. This one has also some dirtorted guitar and organ. A bit noisier affair. Us & Them take us back to the soft dreamland with the beautiful "In Between Time", just wonderful. Astor Wolfe returns with the peaceful and pretty folk ballad "Heart of Pebblestone Beach". Just acoustic guitar, harmonium and male vocals on this one. Internal Planet gives us some relaxed country rock with "Defining Moments". Eve and the Last Waltz sounds a bit like female Leonard Cohen on "Waltzing Crows Birds". Okay, time for the last round and this time in a bit different order. Astor Wolfe's "Liontine Looking Glass" is a beautiful, simple, British sounding folk song. Then comes the album's longest (7:08) track "The Intruder" by Internal Planet. It seems like a somekind of a ghost story and even has drum beat after the spooky intro. Again I get some VdGG vibes, not bad at all. Eve and the Last Waltz's "Reflections" is a bit more powerful than their previous numbers and also has drums and electric guitar. Us & Them end this fine compilation with their beutiful and uplifting "Roller Coaster". Great!

First when this release was announced I thought without a doubt that it would be an LP release. Then it seemed to be only released on digital format at Mega Dodo Bandcamp site. I was surpriced to receive a physical copy (a CD-R in a jewel case with no extra information apart from the track details) with my recent order, so at least that exists as well. But let's hope From a Distant Shore will also see an LP issue soon enough! This is great music for those Autumnal twilight moments.

www.facebook.com/usandthemmusic

www.astorwolfe.com

www.facebook.com/internalplanet

www.facebook.com/EveandtheLastWaltz

Crystal Jacqueline - A Prayer for the Birds

Mega Dodo (DODOLP035)

This is the fifth studio solo album that Crystal Jacqueline has released with his partner, song-writer, producer, guitarist etc. Icarus Peel. Then there are also the singles, the albums done with their full band The Honey Pot and various split releases with the two... And of course the rare live album! Together with some marvellous quest musicians they once again make magical, spellbounding and wonderful soundscapes that take you deep inside a dream. This time there are also some pretty hard rocking tunes included later on. Folk music lovers have no need to worry though, there are also soft, high-lifting and just amazingly beautiful acid/psych folk tracks in there like before.

The album starts off with the pretty, acoustic folk piece "The Edge Of My Garden". "White Horse Hill" continues in mostly acoustic mood, just superb. We also get some very nice percussion and solo guitar later on. "Dorsetshire Days" has a beutiful vibe and the new female background singers etc. make a difference as well. The melancholic and soft "100 Years Ago" has some great melodies. One of my favourites is the dreamy and magical "First Light". "Arise The Sun" is a darker, more rock oriented number that brings to mind some of the 60s psych rock legends, wow! "Mercy Row" is again a softer, hazy and hypnotic number, the title track a great, pagan inspired acid folk piece but then it's time to rock out. "Turn The Tide" reminds me of The Magic Mushroom band and some others I just can't get out of mind right now. There's some heavier, mind-blowing stuff later on... Loving it! Okay, time to chill out a moment again with "Moth" and then the finishing number "Bird Song" blissfully takes us on a journey. It is both a beautiful and rocking ride I tell you! An excellent way to finish the totally amazing album! There are only 300 copies pressed on vinyl and the 150 first to order also get an art print signed by Crystal Jacqueline so hurry up!

www.facebook.com/crystaljacquelinemusic

Dj Astro to spin vinyl @ Tasavallan Presidentti 50-years Celebration Concert in Helsinki

I am honored and highly excited to be spinning some classic prog/psych/rock singles from 1966 to 1973 at Tasavallan Presidentti 50-years Celebration Concert in Helsinki on the 2nd of December!

Tasavallan Presidentti is one of the absolute best progressive rock bands from the hazy past of Finland and their albums have made a huge impact of the prog scene in general. Also playing is Vesa Aaltonen Proge Band which should be interesting.

Svart Records is releasing for the first time Live In Lambertland double album as well and two Tasavallan Presidentti studio album reissues that you can buy at the concert!


Facebook event is:
www.facebook.com/events/1094314400761670

Get your tickets from Tiketti!

Freedom Fuel - Dance!

Secret Entertainment (SCR103)

Dance! is the second album by Finnish rock band Freedom Fuel. The debut album Happy People was released in 2016 on Uhka-Tuotanto. They are from Helsinki and I just call them rock band because it's hard to pigeonhole them into any strict category. Freedom Fuel has elements of 90's Finnish/foreign pop/rock/grunge bands like Sub Urban Tribe, Don Huonot or Porno for Pyros including some great melodies. Both of the albums are produced by Jukka Puurula, ex-Don Huonot, who also sings backing vocals on this one so no wonder... On the other hand, they often have a rather hard rocking sound and for example the fast "Planet Away" is stoner rock in the vein of Queens of the Stone Age.

The psych heads also get their moments, although they are rare. The opener "Dancing" has a spacey middle part and some cool jamming in the 70s style, great! You can hear some 70s hard and prog rock influences every now and then (Led Zeppelin, Rush, Black Sabbath, even Yes for example), but the great production is still rather modern sounding. Another bit special track is "Suspension of Disbelief", dark and experimental with no drums or guitar. The use of effects on the CD especially on bass is innovative and really mekas a difference. There are also some synthesizer, accordion and piano to widen the aural spectrum. The album is finished with the pretty piano ballad "Catch Phrase for Believers" to give the album even more variation and depth. Maybe Freedom Fuel could be descibed as a hybrid of mainstream pop/rock and a little more adventurous, experimental stuff. They do know how to write interesting songs, have ear for nice melodies and play really well, that's for sure. If I listened to mainstream radio this is what I would like to hear. Check them out!

www.facebook.com/FreedomFuel1/

Astral Visions Mixcloud Show #90 now online!

New Astral Visions Mixcloud Show #90 now online at:

https://www.mixcloud.com/AstralVisions/astral-visions-090/

Tracklist:

1 Moon Duo - Eye 2 Eye (from Stars Are The Light)
2 Orsak:Oslo - Tipping Point (rom S/T)
3 Silver Cloud Express - Postcards from Outer Space (from Postcards from Outer Space EP)
4 The Past Tense - Dream of My Mind (from Time Stands Still EP)
5 Schizo Fun Addict - Dedicated to the One I Love (from V/A - Sunny Spells EP)
6 Abronia - Half Hail (from The Whole Of Each Eye)
7 Crystal Jacqueline and The Honey Pot - Dreams (from I Talk to the Wind EP)
8 Cosmic Juice - Moon Pillow (from V/A - Deep Sea Exploration)
9 The Legendary Flower Punk - Prince Mojito (from Wabi Wu)
10 Zone Six - Kozmik Koon (from Kozmik Koon)
11 The Re-Stoned - Smoke Sea (from 10π)
12 Night Stalker - Cursed (from Great Hallucinations)
13 Alunah - Velvet (from Violet Hour)
14 The Cosmic Dead - Ursa Major (from Scottish Space Race)
15 Anunnaki - Procession (from Immanentize The Eschaton, edit)
16 Ax and Sunhair - Spaceship Memory (from V/A - Deep Sea Exploration)

The Past Tense - Time Stands Still 7" EP Across the Pond...and Back Again CD

Fruits de Mer Records (crustacean 91 /91CD)

I don't have any albums or singles by The Past Sense but they have been included on several of the Fruits de Mer compilations since 2011's Keep of the Grass. In any case, they're a mod/garage/psych/rock/pop band from Surrey, South East UK and have released several albums on CD. I'm not generally THAT keen on the original mod stuff (prefer the more psychedelic phase that followed...) but here we have fourteen  60s cover songs recorded by the band in a rather raw, a bit more psychedelic mode than usual and it works. The 7" EP has four tracks and the CD ten. The most famous song must be "7 and 7 Is" by Love, most of the rest is pretty obscure stuff I think. I do recognize/remember some of the original artists like The Syn, Rupert's People and The Attack, though.

I'm not going to go through all the tracks here, but let's say that the song list is well balanced between a bit different tracks (some more straight garage, some more mod, some more psych etc.). All songs are played with guitar, bass, drums and organs and have cool vocals. Some of the high-lights include "Dream of My Mind" (originally by Rupert's People), "Grounded" (originally by The Syn) and "More Than Me" (originally by Wild Flowers). In fact, all the covers work really well and are definitely cool songs. I would love to own the original singles for djing... But I bet most of them cost a fortune now. It's nice to have a full album's worth of this stuff even if only four of them are on vinyl. This release is a must have for all mod/garage/psych fanatics out there! Sorry I don't seem to be able to find an internet link for this band. With a name like that I do get Past Life Regression therapists and the like, though... Might be interesting!

www.fruitsdemerrecords.com/index.html

Various Artists - Sunny Spells 7" EP

Fruits de Mer Records (crustacean 93)

The second item in the next bunch of FdM releases is this 7" EP filled with four tracks from a CD set planned for next year. There will be massive 3CD extended version of the 2018 3LP compilation The Three Seasons (songs from 1966-68) and these songs are a taster of the previously unreleased stuff. Well, let's see what happens in real life, you never know with Fruits de Mer... Anyway let's get briefly into these four tracks here.

First, Chad and Jeremy perfom a new version of  "Rest in Peace" from their 67' psych folk LP Of Cabbages and Kings. I had never heard from them before so yet another interesting and blissful lesson learned at the Fruits de Mer Psych Academy. This new version is a bit more stipped down and folky, I'm only sorry there is no sitar anymore. I bet most of us have heard the pleasant "Dedicated to the One I Love" (by The Mamas and The Papas) and the Schizo Fun Addict version with Ilona V on vocals sounds very nostalgic and wonderful as well as pretty trippy. New to the Fruits de Mer catalogue, Hanford Flyover performs "Just Another Day" (by the relatively unknown 60s band Neon Pearls) and this is another great tune with gorgeous female vocals. What comes to beautiful female vocals, next we have Sweden's pride Us and Them with a marvellous version of Neil Young's "What Did You Do to My My Life?". Absolutely spellbounding! Another magnificent 7 EP on Fruits de Mer, just get it.

www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

Crystal Jacqueline and The Honey Pot - I Talk To The Wind 2 x 7"

Fruits de Mer Records (crustacean 92)

Crystal Jacqueline is without a doubt one of my favourite female singers from the U.K. at the moment and together with guitarist/arranger etc. Icarus Peel they can do some psychedelic sonic miracles. This time they have interpreted five classic 60s/early 70s tracks for a cool double seven-inch release.

The excellent double EP starts off with a soul-tingling version of Traffic's "Mr. Fantasy". I'm in heaven already during the intro! This one has very cool, authentic 60s vibe but with modern sound quality, not easy to achieve. The Mellotron etc. of course helps! Amazing stuff, anyway. Things are going to get even better with the beautiful "I Talk to the Wind" originally released on the debut King Crimson album in 1969! Ah the flutes, the vocals, again the Mellotron and everything else... Just breath-taking! A few years ago, I was happy to score a cheap single called "Zabadak" by a 60s bunch named Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich. The A-side was okay pop psych that I remembered hearing before but the main issue here was the trippy, hypnotic, Eastern-tingled B-side "Sun Goes Down". This was a winner for sure! It's good to hear a bit darker, fuzzier song here as well. Rare Bird's "Sympathy" has been covered many times but not recently, I think. Great, melancholic song and a superb version too. The double EP is finished with an eight-minute "Dreams" by Tonton Macoute and I don't think I've ever heard this song before. It's a good choise to have one song with also some male lead vocals to give the EP some more variation. This version is twice as long as the original... Wonderful!

www.facebook.com/crystaljacquelinemusic

Dj Astro spins vinyl at Blowup Vol. 5!

Alright, it's that time of the year again! Blowup Festival Volume 5 will happen this week from Thursday to Saturday at Korjaamo, Helsinki. You can still buy some single day tickets over here but it's very close to being sold-out.

I'm honored to be djing there again, this time at the smaller Attic (Vintti) stage upstairs. It is a cool place and I've been telling Esa to include that into his festival and it finally happens! The Attic will only be in use on Friday (Dj Astro & DJ Jugh reunion! It will be like the old times at Roadburn/Psychotropic Caravan/Slip Inside This Club) and Saturday (Dj Astro with Dj Valentin Kocmoc). It should be fun! Please check us out in between the bands and have a blast.

Here are the timetables:

And don't forget the pre-festival club with the mighty Ufomammut tonight at On the Rocks!

Dj Astro to Helsinki Psych Fest Vol. 3!

At last minute's notice Dj Astro has been asked to the rescue to dj at Helsinki Psych Fest Vol. 3 this Friday 4.10.2019! There will be no vinyl players so it will be a CD-only night, unfortunately.

This time the HPF will take place at two stages of a new venue Tiivistämö along with another venue nearby called Magito. In addition to live bands like Hidria Spacefolk and Meteor Vortex, there will also be other cool activities like movies and theatre... Check it out!

www.facebook.com/events/2053317714968759/

September hotlist

Early Autumn has been pretty hot...

Lumerians - Yellow Cake 7”
The Myrrors ‎– Black Sand: Live In London
Comacozer ‎– Mydriasis
Acid Rooster ‎– S/T
Hawkestrel - The Future Is Us
Earthling Society ‎– Sci-Fi Hi-Fi (new vinyl version)
Kozmotron ‎– ¿Qual?
Ecstatic Vision ‎– For The Masses
Alan Davey's Psychedelic Warlords ‎– Captain Lockheed & The Starfighters Live!
Alan Davey's Psychedelic Warlords ‎– Hall Of The Mountain Grill Live (London 2014)

Cool stuff once again! Have a nice Autumn everyone.

     

Sendelica ‎– Cromlech Chronicles IV: The Door Into Summer 2LP

Fruits de Mer Records ‎(Winkle 37)

This is the latest studio album by Welch psychedelic space rockers Sendelica and the fourth and final part in the Cromlech Chronicles series. Pete, Glenda & co have established themselves as one of the most prolific and experienced modern bands in their field which is something to be proud of. This time the band's annual pilgrimage to Mwnci Studio in Wales resulted in four long, mellow and trippy tracks that fill in three sides of the double album. The fourth side has a unique UV printing on it that looks really cool and is something I've never seen before!

The 19-minute "Lightstar" starts off with some soulful sax by Lee and slowly builds up into a dreamy, summerly jam. As the promo sheet states, this album has a bit of late 60s/early 70s West Coast vibe to it. This is very mellow, pleasant and sort of spiritual stuff, just close your eyes and enjoy. The 23-minute "Saturnalia" leads us into this ancient pagan celebration in a hypnotic manner. After the little faster beginning it has a similar, peaceful vibe than its predecessor. Very nice! On side three we've got "Nine Miles High - Lightstar Reprise" and finally the heavier space rocking starts. At the start they of course loan a bit from The Byrds classic "Eight Miles High" but then just take it one mile higher! Later on they go back to the original theme and after some guitar feedback the track turns into "Lightstar (Reprise)" with some more cool mid-tempo jam rock. Another killer album by Sendelica although not necessarily one of their best or most inspired. This is still available so get your copy now!

www.facebook.com/Sendelica-191174294239796