Ballo delle Castagne - Kalachakra. 2011 Italy

---4/29/11 (updated)

I'm always on the lookout for modern bands who incorporate psychedelic influences into their progressive rock, and it was clear by the few reviews I saw, plus my sampling of their first album a few months ago, that Ballo delle Castagne are one such band. One only has to look at their label name and album title to pick out a distinct Krautrock predilection. 

Given the sitar, echoed acid guitar and overall trippy effects, perhaps it's surprising that Ballo delle Castagne also possess an early 80s maudlin New Wave sound, especially evident in the vocal styling presented. In some ways, I'm hearing that most misunderstood debut album by the Italian group Runaway Totem (Trimegisto). Ballo delle Castagne's second album, for me at least, improves significantly as it progresses on - losing some of the 80's song narrative, while bringing forth their 1970s Krautrock influences. The moody and atmospheric 'La Foresta dei Suicidi' is my pick for best track.

---9/23/24

Interesting how 13 years can change a perspective. As many albums have lost their space in the collection, an effort like Kalachakra sounds more fresh to my ears now than (apparently) then. The group describe themselves as a mix of hard rock, progressive, and New Wave. The latter was something I wasn't into so much when I heard this. Now I even hear an obscure genre like Italo-Disco which I had no clue about until the last couple of months (think Kraftwerk). One can hear similarities to fellow Italians Il Segno del Comando, another band that seemed to enjoy New Wave, especially the more gothic side of the house. The twist here is Ballo delle Castagne's fondness for early 70s Krautrock. My favorite track remains 'La Foresta dei Suicidi' which recalls Popol Vuh, a band that Ballo delle Castagne clearly has a fondness for. I can't think of another album like this in my collection. That gets you a +1.

Ownership: CD: 2011 Hau Ruck SPQR. Digipak. Lyric booklet with artistic photos.

4/29/11 (first listen / review / new entry); 9/23/24 (update)

Hokr - Hokrova Vila. 2004 Czech Republic

At its core, Hokr are an organ based trio (whose history goes back as far as 1981) that seems to be the spiritual successor to Collegium Musicum, but put through the Elephant9 hyper amplified grinder. Additional guests on cello, tenor sax, and guitar augment their sound greatly. Though primarily an instrumental album, the Czech vocals are delivered in an impassioned narrative like a cross between Pholas Dactylus, Devil Doll, and Deus Ex Machina (at the higher registers). The cello gives them a slight Anekdoten feel. This is the best album from the Czech Republic since the heyday of The MCH Band, who they share some similarities with especially on the tracks with sax (minus the guitar of MCH of course). 'Mouse in a Trance' is a certified monster quality track! Hokr evolved into the also creative Poco Loco, a group I need to spend more time with obviously. Don't miss this one!

Ownership: CD: 2011 private.

This album was originally released as a CD-R and reissued in 2011 as a proper CD.

4/28/11 (new entry)

Klotet - En Rak Höger. 2008 Sweden

Klotet are a modern instrumental band who play in a very Swedish 1970's sort of way. Utilizing only analog keyboards, and a fuzzy electric guitar, Klotet conjures up classic Kebnekaise, Harald Hedning, Lotus, and Flasket Brinner. The foundation of the melodies can be found in Swedish folklore, whereas the music approach is pure early 1970s. An excellent combination.

Ownership: 2008 Musea (France)

4/28/11 (new entry); 9/8/18

Architrave Indipendente - Azetium A Otto Piste. 2009 Italy

Architrave Indipendente's sole album is the closest I've heard yet of a band sounding like the original 1973 Italian progressive rock movement. There are many groups today that emulate the sound, especially from a compositional standpoint, but they still sound like they're a modern troupe (vintage equipment not withstanding). For example, groups such as La Maschera di Cera, Il Tempio delle Clessidre, and La Torre dell'Alchimista all are clearly retro focused, but still are very much of our own era (and that's also a good thing). Architrave Indipendente are hardcore, right down to the recording techniques and LP only release (though a year later some handmade CD-R's were made to meet digital demand). It's as if they immersed themselves directly into the Italian culture of 1972. That's not an easy thing to accomplish. Great album that is closer to the romantic sounds of Celeste, Errata Corrige, and second album Quella Vecchia Locanda rather than the harder edged bands like Il Balletto di Bronzo, Biglietto per L'Inferno, or Museo Rosenbach.

Ownership: LP: 2009 Retroguardie. Gatefold with 2 inserts and a circular patch. Numbered edition (mine is #109). Stunning package.

2010; 4/27/11 (new entry)

Mysteries of the Revolution. 2007 England

Their website says "MYSTERIES OF THE REVOLUTION features BB Davis of the legendary Red Orchidstra and virtuoso French virtuoso keyboardist Dan Biro. Influences range from Miles, Hancock, Zawinul, George Duke, Roland Kirk, Corea, Coltrane, Mahavishnu, Lifetime to Hendrix, Zappa, Led Zep, Doors, Steely Dan to neo-classicism and psychedelica all dished up in a sweaty, heady brew of heavily jazzified, passionate, funked up, blissed-out, head-on grooves with a whole dash a' finesse n' panache - yeah, really."

Yea, really. And no kidding. Damn. Here's a band that not only is current, but is already completely obscure. C'mon, this isn't fair! I think part of the problem here is it appears the band is being marketed to a jazz audience. And while that's not entirely wrong to do, I think the progressive rock buying public would perhaps be more interested in Mysteries of the Revolution.

Mysteries of the Revolution combine instrumental retro Hammond and flute driven rock with a modern jazz approach. On this latter point, despite the analog instrumentation, one can hear the crystal clear production and modern percussion ever so slightly calling out St. Germain for example. But by no means is this a techno jazz album. Just listen to The Crunch and you'll swear it's from a 1971 English proto-prog album. And they use a regular drum-kit. About the only group I can think of in this space is the Norwegian band Elephant9, but Mysteries of the Revolution are more varied and not quite as much in "Hammond overdrive" as Elephant9 are. Let's hope this isn't all we're going to hear from these guys, as they've shown tremendous potential here.

Highlights: 2. The Crunch (10:16); 3. Storius Sensorius (5:58); 7. Secret Fire (5:34)

Ownership: CD: 2007 Blue Serene Focus

4/25/11 (new entry)

Porcelain Moon - ...As it Were. Here and There. 2009 Finland

Debut album from very promising new band from Finland. Porcelain Moon are midway between the classic post-Jefferson Airplane European female vocal lead progressive rock groups of the early 1970s (Sandrose, Julian's Treatment, Circus 2000, Goliath, etc...) and the modern airy symphonic folk groups like Magenta, Iona, Mostly Autumn, etc... What I like most from Porcelain Moon is the analog instrumentation and psychedelic predilection (organ, Moog, fuzz, and wah-wah guitars) - and it's clear to me early Pink Floyd is an influence too. Personally I'd like to see the band focus entirely on this latter aspect, as there has never really been a specific retro movement on what was once a thriving scene throughout Europe as noted by my Post psychedelic, proto progressive with female vocals list. The final two tracks are the winners, with the mysterious 'Markens Grode' and especially the stunning 'Vinden'. This band has enormous potential, but nothing new has emerged from them since (as I update this entry in Aug, 2016).

Ownership: CD: 2011 Musea (France)

The original private press, under the band name Porcelain was extremely difficult to find. Fortunately Musea picked them up and is easily one of the best new albums on the imprint. During this process, a name change occurred resulting in Porcelain Moon. A good idea I think, especially if one considers Google searches.

4/24/11 (new entry); 8/12/16

Amoeba Split - Dance of the Goodbyes. 2010 Spain

Amoeba Split are one of two current Spanish bands (that I'm aware of anyway) playing in the Canterbury styled jazz rock space. The other is the more known Planeta Imaginario. Of the two, I'd say Amoeba Split are the more purest when referring to the classic bands of Soft Machine and National Health. The instrumentation is right out of the 70's: Hammond organ, piano, Mellotron, Mini-Moog, flute, sax, guitar, bass, and drums. The major differentiator here is the female vocals, which are admittedly a bit shrill. Her slightly accented delivery is a bit odd, but I have a feeling that will add to the charm on repeated listens. She's really not that far from some of the early 70's shrieks of Sandrose and Joy Unlimited. But it is unusual in this setting, where we're used to the soft affected tones of The Northettes. Amoeba Split score well on both of the style's major attributes - melody and complexity. A no-brainer pickup for fans of the 1970's UK Canterbury scene.

Ownership: CD: 2010 Creative Commons. Housed in a fine mini-LP sleeve with booklet. Numbered edition (#311 / 500). Purchased new not long after release.

4/24/11 (new entry); 10/12/23

Astrakan. 2008 England

Astrakan starts afire with 'In & Out', which possesses a distinct Canterbury sound but completely run amok. The shredding wah-wah guitar left me breathless. Too bad there isn't much more of that psychedelic sound present throughout. Have no fear though, the melodic jazz rock that the Canterbury sound is noted for remains intact. The jazz influence becomes more prominent in the middle of the disc. Sax and organ all get plenty of time to shine. I particularly enjoy their extended use of the latter. It's important to note that Astrakan focus more on composition and atmosphere rather than noisy soloing, thus endearing itself to me. Highlights include tracks 1, 2, 5, and 7.

Astrakan says: "Friends and followers of the band have likened their sound variously to Soft Machine, Zappa, Gong , Dave Douglas as well as to the newer jazz outfits such as Fraud, Led Bib and Get the Blessing." 

Ownership: CD: 2008 private. Standard jewel case release with simple booklet.

4/10/11 (new entry); 11/4/23

Neom - Arkana Temporis. 2009 France

Neom's debut is a slow burner, built on intense thematic melodic lines while adding guitar, Rhodes electric piano, wordless voice, and of course the all important driving woody bass and percussion. The guitar is a unique dimension for the Zeuhl style, and only on the debut by Eider Stellaire will you hear so much of the instrument in this context. The fact that they can write beautiful melodies within the confines of the martial style of Zeuhl is a testament to Neom's talent.

Ownership: CD: 2009 Soleil Zeuhl

4/9/11 (new entry)

Ramp - Nodular. 1998 Germany

Regular readers of my reviews know that I'm quite fond of the Berlin School of electronic music as founded by Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. Atmospheric keyboards that give way to blazing sequencers, choral mellotron tapes (likely sampled in Ramp's case), and melodic synthesizer lines (and even better if there's guitar which Ramp unfortunately doesn't employ) will blow me away every time. Instant mental movie soundtrack music. Ramp were part of the original renaissance of the movement that gained quite a bit of traction in the late 1990s (especially in the UK and The Netherlands) with Radio Massacre International, AirSculpture, and Redshift leading the charge. Ramp were rare in that they were from the namesake country. Certainly Germany had support of the style within, but mainly from various individual synthesists like Bernd Kistenmacher and Mario Schonwalder (and owner of the influential Manikin label). So Ramp were indeed unique given they were a group effort.

Ramp originally started as a trio, and the synchronicity of ideas is apparent. There were (and are) a ton of solo electronic musicians, but many of those sound monolithic to these ears. The best acts, like the ones I mentioned above, feature at least 3 performers if not more. Later, the band changed their sound to what they call "doombient" which I hope to hear one day as well, though I'm not entirely convinced it's a style I'll embrace. Hardcore EM followers no doubt are already very familiar with Ramp.

The lineup on Nodular is:
Frank Makowski: sampling, sequencing, electronics, loops
Stephen Parsick: electronics, sequencing, rhythm programming
Lambert Ringlage: electronics, micro composers, tapes
Martina Fantar: voice on "before the storm"

Martina's atmospheric voice is positively enchanting in this setting.

All the tracks are good, but the 19 minute 'Phasenverzerrung' is absolutely brilliant. If it doesn't lay you out on the first try, then there's a better than average chance this style isn't for you.

Ownership: CD: 1998 Manikin

4/9/11 (new entry)