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). Acquired in 2024.

11/24/24 (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. Acquired in 2019.

7/12/19; 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). Acquired in 2015.

11/4/15 (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). Acquired in 2014.

6/27/14 (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). Acquired in 2010.

12/29/10; 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. Acquired in 2010.

2010; 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). Acquired in 2008.

2008; 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). Acquired in 2008.

2008; 9/11/12 (review)

Also own: Tessellation Of Euclidean Space

9/11/12 (new entry)

Gabrielle Roth and The Mirrors ~ USA ~ New Jersey

Dancing Toward the One / Sacred Rock (1982)

Dancing Toward the One is exactly the kind of tape I seek in the wilds. There was a lot of very interesting music released in the world during the 1980s that never saw a vinyl pressing, nor a CD later in the decade. Both were too expensive to produce whereas the lonely tape was much cheaper to get out to the masses.

Based on what I've read, Roth was a key mover and shaker in the health and body dance movement, something she invented to overcome a skiing accident. This kind of thinking was coming to prominence in the 80s. There are many tapes in the new age genre, the key is finding the ones that are musically interesting. It appears to me that most of Roth's output is electronic / trance dance oriented, and that started with her creating the Raven label (I'm sure Discogs has the wrong appellation for the label here). I did buy one of her other later tapes so we'll see how it compares.

In any case Dancing Toward the One / Sacred Rock represents her debut, and I would submit this is one of those "accidental" cool albums we often find here in America. Her sound hasn't been shaped yet, and there are at least 15 musicians on the album. It's more tribal than dance, and best of all for us, it can get very psychedelic! The overall sound isn't that far removed from what was happening in England during time with the UK festival psych scene. I really don't think that was her intent, and yet the end result is very satisfying, and comes from a completely different perspective.

There are only two side long tracks here and neither are named 'Dancing Toward the One' or 'Sacred Rock'. Rather side one is 'Sing the Body' described as thus by Roth: "Is the first power chant I received from the spirit..." Wellll....good. I almost put the tape back after reading that. I thought to myself "here we go...". But I also thought "it's only 69 cents..." lol. The second side longer is titled 'Can You See Me' and this has the following description: "Was created in a healing circle as a dance meditation to be done in pairs." Nothing beats a healing circle... as long as it has loud psych guitars! Honestly the trance like rhythms aren't that far removed from what Can had created only a decade earlier. And while the vocals are not near as psychotic as Damo, they aren't too bad on the whole.

The world is an interesting place. Worth grabbing this one.

Ownership: 1982 The Moving Center (MC). 

7/6/24 (review / new entry)

Of Petra - So Onto Itself. 2018 England

Of Petra is currently an unsigned band from London, England and So Onto Itself is their second album. The band themselves list Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock as influences, so its something of the "usual suspects". However, as is usually the case, a band like Of Petra finds their own voice within these parameters. The music is instrumental, slight jazzy - even funky - but with a strong psychedelic streak. This is most notable with guitarist Cyril Meleiro's decidedly acidic tone. I feel he does a fantastic job throughout the album, giving it the rough-hewn sound the band needs. There's a distinct UK festival styled neo psych here, though not near as slick and synthesized as say Ozric Tentacles, but more toward some rundown club in East London. The heavy use of samples recalls the 90s UK group Ship of Fools. The instrumental psychedelic nature of the music also points me to fellow countrymen Lunar Dunes. Of the big name artists the band lists, I would say Led Zeppelin is the least influential, and Pink Floyd and early 70s Miles (minus the trumpet of course) is the most.

Bandcamp

10/18/18 (new entry)

Taipuva Luotisuora - I. 2005 Finland

Deep in the dark forests of Finlandia, where lurks the mysterious Hidria Spacefolk, hushed whispers abound of another pagan tribe nearby known as Taipuva Luotisuora. On one dark misty night we ventured carefully over, and while peeking through the leaves, we listened to the tribe perform their magical brew. A small, furry group, only numbering five, armed with guitar (electric and acoustic), bass (fuzz), drums, percussion, synthesizers galore (some even fuzzed like the Farfisa’s of previous civilizations), piano, violin, flute, and even kantele (a Finnish zither like instrument). They played with a strong sense of the groove, with gorgeous melodies. They are sometimes quiet, sometimes intense. Always mesmerizing. Sometimes they’d even use modern percussion. In fact this infatuation with modern electronica reminded us of that distant tribe from the land of Hungaria known as Korai Orom. Sometimes we even thought of the ancients like the Ozric Tentacles people. For as much as we tried to walk away and head home, we were entranced, no one could stop their endless stare. We hadn’t felt this way, well, since the last time we visited the Hidria Spacefolk. When it was finished, we looked at each other and thought, Taipuva Luotisuora are the best new tribe we’d visited in years. We raced home to tell what we had saw, but no one knew who we spoke of. Go to the mountaintops and yell ‘Music For Kortela Space Hood Elevators’ we said. And o’er the land, our people were wiser and filled with joy.

Ownership: CD: 2005 Kaakao

I bought this album not long after release, and penned the review above at that time. It's a bit silly, but it does still capture my feelings on it. I listened to it a lot initially, and haven't heard it in 12 years since. Oddly though, my musical memory of it is very strong, so I must have let it inculcate into my brain. In retrospect, perhaps not quite enough depth for a 5 star masterpiece, but still a super album, and one that fans of the genre will not want to miss.

6/7/06 (review); 8/31/18 (new entry)

Hadal Sherpa ~ Finland

Hadal Sherpa (2017)

Every once in awhile I'll receive a recommendation on a new album to try. But it's very rare for me to receive three strong recs from trusted advisers, and that's exactly what happened last year with Hadal Sherpa, a new space rock band from Finland. I purchased the CD last year, but as these things tend to go, I'm just now getting around to listening to it.

And the reason for all the buzz behind Hadal Sherpa becomes obvious upon listening. Anyone who knows me personally or has read my notes will know that I enjoy an excellent rendition of the sound that Ozric Tentacles (and Gong / Here & Now before them) created years ago. Especially the Finnish school. The album opens up surprisingly subdued with the two part 'Nautilus', a mid paced number with flute and melodic guitars. Things began to pick up considerably with 'Chafa Azeno' reminding me quite a bit of Ozric's 'Bizarre Bazaar' (from Strangeitude) without the silly bits. 'Ikaros' takes the baton and runs faster. It's here the album begins to draw you into its vortex. Then, as these albums tend to do, you get smacked with the one - two punch of awesomeness. 'Heracleion' is packed with ideas, with smoldering guitars, and Middle Eastern / Eastern Asian themes. A highly energetic piece, that never sits in one place too long. This leads to the album's piece de resistance, the brilliant 'Marracech' where blazing bouzouki battles the dual guitars and synthesizers, all the while demonstrating even more ADD than the predecessor. Imagine Hidria Spacefolk covering Embryo's Steig Aus album, and you have an idea of the excellence found here. 'Abyss' slows things down a bit, bringing forth a 1969 Pink Floyd vibe, and then accelerates later on. 'Black Elk' is another rip roaring track, though by this time one is exhausted from burning too many calories air jamming. If I had a complaint, I would suggest a better production next time. The album sounds a bit thin at times. These kind of albums require a thick, meaty production.

If you're a fan of Hidria Spacefolk, Taipuva Luotisuora, Moonwagon, and Dasputnik, then it's hard to imagine Hadal Sherpa not registering in the red zone. Perhaps not an entirely new concept, but the execution is superb.

Ownership: 2017 private (CD). Digipak. Acquired in 2018.

7/18/18 (new entry)

Alpha Omega - Down the Gravity Well. 2013 Australia

Had someone fed me this album, and stated it was from a cassette from the UK Festival scene of 1985, I would have had no trouble believing them. Though from Australia, Alpha Omega sounds so very English. Hawkwind is obviously in the middle of the conversation with its driving guitars and bleeping synthesizers. The songwriting has that odd lost warehouse sound of the Soho underground, especially given the sparse post punk vocals. Perhaps early Omnia Opera or Strobe could be a guidepost, or something really obscure like Rancid Poultry. Strange to hear something like this from 2013 - but much welcomed. Nice gatefold cover too. Makes me pine for a new issue of Freakbeat.

Ownership: LP: 2013 Clostridium

9/30/15 (new entry)

Fjodor - St. Anthony's Fire. 2014 Croatia

Fjodor are yet another great new discovery from Cosmic Eye. Like most on the label, Fjodor's focus is on instrumental space rock. Whereas a band like The Space Spectrum prefer to soak in the static intensity of psychedelia, Fjodor are much more kinetic. Great attention is applied to moving the instrumental jams forward, with frequent shifts in time and dynamics, so that the listen becomes a journey to another land rather than just staying home and meditating. As with most space rock bands, the guitarist gets the lion's share of the attention, and he owns up to his responsibility with an electric performance. Synthesizers also play a prominent role, and get more to do than tweet-tweet-tweet thus giving the band two strong protagonists. Meanwhile the rhythm section proves more than apt at keeping it all within the rails, and moving the proceedings forward in an exciting way. If looking for comparisons, certainly the 90s school of Hillage-era Gong (Ozric Tentacles et al) would have to be in the conversation, though Fjodor seem more willing to absorb the late 60s approach of Pink Floyd as well. It's progressive space rock, and certainly one of my personal favorite sub-genres. Let's hope they don't stop here!

Once again, I would like to reprint my friend Spyros' review (and he is part of the Cosmic Eye team, but also a fan of the genre, so this goes far beyond a hype sheet comment): "FJODOR are an instrumental progressive space rock band from Croatia influenced by balkan & oriental roots music, krautrock, fusion, electronic space rock and the Floydian progressive take on classic psychedelia. "St. Anthony's Fire" is their 3rd album and can be most likely described as a conceptual 46 minutes piece of pure instrumental progressive rock, mixed with heavy psychedelic guitar riffs and space synthesizer vibes that colour the music with that particular jam groove of the late 80s free festival bands. The album starts in a melodic contemplative mood and then bass starts to build up and the synths really swirl and float in and out of the mix till the guitar bursts in an Ozric Tentacles meets early Eloy style. From then onwards, the piece is intensified with a spaced-out energy enrichened by jazz rock twists and psychedelic guitar freak-outs.

"St. Anthony's Fire" is a heavy record, but in the way Eloy's "Floating" is heavy, or in the way Vespero's "Subkraut: U-Boats Willkommen Hier" is heavy. It's that patient, smoke-clogged, spaced out vibe, that gradually builds to a crescendo of an erupting riffy, psychedelic stomp wrapped in grunge and gristle to just climax in an intense heavy -yet precise- spacerock maelstrom. It's like floating on a tsunami; the wave that crosses the bridge and breaks the boundaries."

Ah yes, Vespero is an excellent comparison as well - another band operating between traditional progressive and space rock. 

Ownership: LP: 2014 Cosmic Eye (Greece). Single sleeve. A very nice gift from the label.

6/23/14 (first listen / review / new entry)

Mantric Muse ~ Denmark

Mantric Muse (2012)

Mantric Muse are a band from Denmark that have been around for nearly 20 years, and have received many great write-ups for their fiery club concerts in Scandinavia. But the band never officially released anything (beyond some archival live stuff on cdr), and it seemed this tree would produce no fruit. Mantric Muse proceeded to become the root system for Oresund Space Collective, which dimmed hopes further for a studio outing. OSC, ironically, have been incredibly productive since 2005. While OSC tend to be more sprawling, improvisational, and more in line with traditional space rock - Mantric Muse are a much tighter outfit. This is bread and butter Hillage-era  Gong styled progressive rock. For fans of early Ozric Tentacles and Quantum Fantay, this a no-brainer pick up. Always great to hear new inspiration applied to an already excellent formula. Seven minute 'Azur' has to be heard to be believed. A breathless track with many twists, turns, spins, swoons, and just an overall dizzying track of immense proportion. Don't miss this gem.

Ownership: 2012 Transubstans (CD). Acquired in 2013.

5/7/13 (review / new entry)

Moonwagon - Night Dust. 2011 Finland

Moonwagon are yet another instrumental band from Finland that was smitten with the Ozric Tentacles sound, similar to Hidria Spacefolk, Taipuva Luotisuora, and Dasputnik. So where does Moonwagon fit in all of this? Beyond the usual guitar rave-ups and hyper rhythms, Moonwagon offer five distinct qualities that endear them to my tastes, at the very least: A concentration on melody; bluesy electric guitar solos; copious use of acoustic guitar; spatial keyboards/synthesizers (including some fat analog sounds); and a thick / woody bass guitar that drives the music forward. Music like this is timeless: Complex, memorable, energetic, and heck of a lot of fun. Can't go wrong here, especially if you're a fan of the prior bands mentioned.

Ownership: CD: 2011 Twilight Works

11/21/12 (new entry)