Quantum Fantay ~ Belgium

Oneironauts (2024) 

I keep saying I'm not going buy new albums in styles I already have well covered in the collection, especially by bands that I own eight albums from already. But I was in the right mood, and Quantum Fantay were one of the highlights of the last decade, so why not order one more on last call? Besides it's been five years since their last album, telling me they might be more energized and creative this go round. Interestingly enough they open the album just as they did on their last Yemaya Orisha, where I stated: "The opening title track could be considered "typical" (but still very good)". What I mean by typical is their patented Ozric Tentacles interpretation of space rock. Though unlike the prior album, they didn't open the flood gates on the second track. At times I felt the music to be too formulaic. But as the music kept spinning, my head continued to bob and I found myself getting immersed into their fiery brand of space rock. The title track even borrowed a couple of riffs from the almighty Bridges of Kukuriku. Quantum Fantay are to be credited for keeping their compositions from wandering off into the weeds, and always keeping an eye on melody. The elaborate ornamentation of sequencer based electronics and synthesizers space gazing add the proper atmosphere. Rhymically, Quantum Fantay often move beyond 4/4, and get complex at times. Such a great band really. Will this be the last album I buy from Quantum Fantay? I say yes. But that's what I said last time (two years to the day, in fact). 

Ownership: 2024 Progressive Promotion (CD)

11/24/24 (acquired / review)

Yemaya Orisha (2019)

Quantum Fantay proved to be one of my favorite bands of the 2010's, perfectly capturing everything I like about the Ozric Tentacles sound. They filtered out the reggae and lengthy ambient pieces, while going for the throat on high octane space rock. Yemaya Orisha is their 8th, and to date, last studio album. I've captured six of the prior seven already here on UMR. By now I just have too much of this kind of thing, and I'm weeding some out. But I'm not sure though if any of the Quantum Fantay's will be touched. The opening title track could be considered "typical" (but still very good) and I was thinking this may have been one purchase too many. But 'Mami Wata' packs a wallop, and hits all their trademarked qualities: Ferocious guitar chords, flute melodies, synthesizers galore, and insane rhythmic work. They maintain this pace on 'Riddles of the Sphinx'. By now the last two tracks could be country and I wouldn't care. But of course they're not - just more Quantum Fantay goodness. It's likely I stop here with the band (nope - see above) - presuming they continue - unless it's essentially given to me. But what a run they had for 15 years.

Ownership: 2019 Progressive Promotion (CD). Triple fold-out digipak with excellent digital art.

7/12/19 (acquired); 11/24/22 (review)

Dancing in Limbo (2015)

Quantum Fantay have always been a Masters Class course at the Ozric Tentacles University. And on their 6th studio effort, Dancing in Limbo, yet another thesis has been proposed and accepted. So much so, that the professor himself - one Ed Wynne - even guests on the album! If you're the sort that appreciates Ozric Tentacles most in full blown space rock mode with fiery guitar solos and fluttering flute, meanwhile constantly twisting and turning with jumpy rhythms, then Quantum Fantay will certainly blow your socks off. I'm of that sort, and my socks are missing. Dancing in Limbo earns Quantum Fantay yet another "A".

Ownership: 2015 Progressive Promotion (CD)

11/4/15 (acquired / review)

  

Terragaia (2014)

So exactly how would Quantum Fantay follow up the brilliant Bridges of Kukuriku? It would take four years to find out, but the band has finally reappeared with Terragaia, and the CD (that's right - a CD - remember those?) is housed in a fine triple fold out digi-pak. I would say that Quantum Fantay have found themselves back to their roots of Ozric Tentacles' inspired space rock. Unfortunately, there aren't any of the hair raising, head turning moments of the last two albums to be found. However, let's not get carried away and start pointing fingers as if this is some kind of failed effort. Hardly. The music here is as brilliant as Ugisiunsi, but with a distinct Middle Eastern and Chinese theme running throughout the melodies (and some snippets of Caribbean and Celtic music too). There's so much to admire about Quantum Fantay in the studio - and their variation of the Gong's You era is as fine as anyone as ever realized, including Ozric Tentacles themselves. So what you have is the usual fiery guitar solos, flute overlays, bubbling synthesizers, and hyperactive rhythms that you expect - and want - from the genre. Quantum Fantay are money, man.

Ownership: 2014 Progressive Promotion (CD)

6/27/14 (acquired / review)

 

Bridges of Kukuriku (2010)

I've been a fan of Quantum Fantay since their first album. All are very good variations on the Ozric Tentacles sound. But I wasn't prepared for the greatness that is Bridges of Kukuriku. Everything about this album is exponentially better than prior efforts (and that's saying something). Whether it's the production (listen to the panning from speaker to speaker as if Dieter Dirks himself took the controls), the instrumental interplay (crisp and tight), the energy level (extremely kinetic) - or just the general exoticism surrounding the compositions. And this has real melodies, something you can actually latch onto and remember, rather than just a technical exercise in musical theory. The amazing transition from 'Follow the Star' (track 2) to 'Shiver Moments' (track 3) and the subsequent blitzkrieg of said track practically gave me a stroke. Music like this is truly exciting, as you never know what will happen next, and yet it still rocks hard in a psychedelic way. Ozric has never come close to fully realizing an album like this. We're in the rarefied territory of those Finnish groups Hidria Spacefolk and Taipuva Luotisuora. This album is absolutely brilliant and will most certainly be considered one of my personal favorite albums of the entire 2010 decade.

Ownership: 2010 Bassick (CD)

12/29/10 (acquired); 9/14/12 (review)

  

Kaleidothrope (2009)

After the great success of Ugisiunsi, Quantum Fantay return with Kaleidothrope...  ...and serve notice that they are serious and are here to stay. The jumpy sequencers, fluttering flute, hyperactive rhythm section, and - best of all - pyrotechnical psychedelic guitar work, are here in abundance. All of this while never forgetting that melody is truly important to a great composition. Not to mention the constant shifting of themes, meters, and dynamics. Final track 'Telepathy' is a monster and needs to be heard by all. And to think they would actually improve on their next album. Wow! If there's a criticism of Quantum Fantay, it's that they veer too close to Ozric Tentacles. And while that may hold true, one should know that it's more like Ozric extract: All the good stuff is filtered in while leaving the chaff out.

Ownership: 2009 Shiver (CD). With DVD

2010 (acquired); 9/14/12 (review)

  

Ugisiunsi (2007)

While the debut Agapanthusterra could be considered another Ozric album, the sophomore effort Ugisiunsi utilizes to a greater extent other music vehicles like flute (in more abundance than the debut), sequencer based electronics, and haunting wordless female voice, thus adding color to the usual guitar / keyboard rave-ups. The guitarist (from Srdjan 'Sergio' Vucic, in his only stint with the band) adds some metal crunch at times, recalling the Dutch group Kong. And the solos are Ed Wynne-esque in their intensity. Like Hidria Spacefolk (Finland), Quantum Fantay also display a penchant for progressive rock themes and complexities – something that Ozric did more frequently in their past with songs like ‘White Rhino Tea’. Tracks like 'Snowballs in Ghostlands' show Quantum Fantay were capable of writing beautiful melodies as well - moving beyond the usual "if you can't find it, grind it" mentality. At this point in their career, Quantum Fantay looked to be a major force in the space rock circuit. And as it turns out, they ended up being just that.

Ownership: 2007 Pete's Mushroomland (CD)

2008 (acquired; 9/12/12 (review)

  

Agapanthusterra (2005)

Agapanthusterra is Quantum Fantay's most Ozric Tentacles-like album - right down to the reggae bits. That said, the compositions are entirely unique and offer one more perspective of an already great formula. On this debut, Quantum Fantay were a four piece with synthesizers, bass, drums and flute. Guitars were performed by a guest of the band (who would later join as a full time member on their 3rd album Kaleidothrope), but despite this designation his participation here remains a centerpiece to their overall sound. Best tracks are the heaviest rocking pieces 'Lantanasch' and 'Chase the Dragon'. Worth noting that the final track 'Amoevha' is hidden and not listed on the CD itself.

Ownership: 2005 Pete's Mushroomland (CD)

2008 (acquired); 9/11/12 (review)

Also own and need to review Tessellation Of Euclidean Space.

9/11/12 (new entry)

Kennelmus ~ USA ~ Phoenix, Arizona

Folkstone Prism (1971)

Folkstone Prism is one of the more unusual albums coming from the American underground, and that's quite a statement considering the competition. Side 1 is something special: An instrumental mix of Can and The Beat of the Earth baked into the 120 degree Arizona desert, then cooled into a Morricone soundtrack for a Clint Eastwood 60s western. Highly melodic, yet very psychedelic. The instrumentation is all underground sounding, including organ. Essential listening.

The B side is more problematic, though no doubt it's just as unique. It's a mix of vocal folk psych numbers containing some cartoonish vocals with instrumental interludes that King Crimson might come up with. The final track is its own thing, more of a hard psych composition and some narration of Edgar Allan Poe.

A tough album to evaluate given its inconsistent nature, yet anything this different deserves a place in a well researched collection.

Ownership: 1999 Sundazed (CD). Booklet contains historical essay, photos, and recording details.

1999 (first listen); 6/24/15; 11/20/24 (review / new entry)

Clark-Hutchinson ~ England

A=MH2 (1969)

It's always an interesting phenomenon at what point you hear an album. I bought this CD new at Other Music in New York City near the time of release. I really didn't have a point of reference at that time. On first impact, and later listens, the music of Clark-Hutchinson was entirely unique to me, though not excessively enjoyable to my ears. On this revisit I heard the sound of Gabor Szabo via an eastern Indian psychedelic lens. Perhaps had this been a jazz release on Impulse, its historical acceptance would be more widespread. An interesting perspective I hadn't thought of prior. Now that I have a different foundation, maybe not truly accurate but who cares, makes me appreciate the album at a much higher level. To ponder.

Ownership: 1998 Repertoire (CD). Booklet includes historical essay and recording details.

6/8/99 (acquired); 6/30/16; 11/20/24 (review)

11/21/24 (new entry)

Roland Kovac New Set ~ Germany

Love That (1972)

What does Oblivion Express, Vampires Sound Incorporation, Embryo, Sincerely P.T., and Amon Duul II have in common? Roland Kovac. An otherwise ordinary library incidental music composer put together an A-list of underground jazzers to create a very haunting Krautrock album. I use the latter term carefully as the atmospheres created here belong just as much to that genre as it does to jazz rock. Brian Auger is the star here, with his trademark organ all over the recording. But he's not playing in his usual melodic fashion. And Siggi Schwab's well placed fuzz guitar really cements the aura of 1972 Germany. The only diversion here would be 'Sivertime' which is a somewhat ordinary organ soul jazz piece. Kovac is credited on piano, but he doesn't appear to have been sitting in the recording sessions. But he did write all the music. While this was originally intended for TV / movie incidental background sounds, the tracks are way too developed for that and work better as a cohesive album. These are not sketches of ideas.

Despite having heard this CD four times prior, I had no memory of the music. It's certainly not catchy but it is pleasurable. I hadn't given it the proper focus prior.

Ownership: 2002 Garden of Delights (CD). Full historical liners, typical of the label. Interesting to note that GoD defended themselves for not putting both Kovac albums on one CD, saying that "serious collectors" would find that "appalling". I disagree with that assertion. Serious collectors would likely find CD reissues appalling in the first place. For me, who I consider a serious collector, a two album / one CD package would have added that much more personal value to the package. I eventually will be in a position to hold onto one or the other - likely The Master Said. But that's for another day. This CD has space for some time.

3/31/07 (first listen); 2008; 12/14/10; 4/22/16; 11/12/24 (review)

11/12/24 (new entry)

2024 Psychedelic / Garage Journal Vol. 3 - Complete

The First Edition. 1967 Reprise (LP). From a store in Pueblo (Oct). Fine popsike from Kenny Rogers' first band. Safe and harmless psych with a couple of underground moves to attempt street cred. No chance. Good Housekeeping would approve. Second tier Mamas and Papas essentially. Not a sound any rational person would associate Kenny Rogers with. Gotta start somewhere.