Review: The brainchild of Olli-Pekka Laine (Amorphis, Barren Earth, Mannhai), Beyond The Aeons marks the debut full-length from psych-death-prog entity Octoploid. Rounding out the line-up with several long-time collaborators including vocalist Mikko Kotamaki (Swallow The Sun) and keyboardist Kim Rantala (formerly of Amorphis), the collective live up to their namesake by pulling from several eras of rock simultaneously with a sonic bedrock built upon 70s prog and psychedelia, 90s death and black metal, as well as the myriad Venn Diagram-like intersections where these styles have crossed paths over the decades. Equal parts King Crimson, Pink Floyd and Opeth, on their debut statement Octoploid deliver a fuzzy, bombastic ode to all things heaving, hypnotising, hefty and hallucinogenic.
Review: Album number 17 for Oneida began life as basic song structures in the home of frontman Bobby Matador, in Boston, USA. Demos were then sent to New York, where members Kid Millions, Hanoi Jane, Shahin Motia, and Barry London could get to work on them. "We were working out the songs in New York without Bobby. We would start out riding the riffs, and then Shahin and Jane would add wild, out-of-tune licks," said Millions. "It seemed so perfect." The result certainly sounds close to perfection. The true reflection of a band who call gritty underground punk and psyche venues home, alongside high cultural instutitons like ICA London, Guggenheim, MassMOCA and Knoxville Museum of Art. On record, that sounds like huge walls of sound and blood-on-dance floor juggernauts, soaring discordance and hypnotic hooks, frenetic hard rock and noises between the lot.
Pieces: Tombo/La Escuela/Tombo/The Last Goodbye (5:17)
Groove (6:06)
Review: Opa's Goldenwings returns to vinyl after 50 years, offering a remastered take on the 1976 fusion masterpiece that has long been a coveted gem among jazz-funk collectors. Released by Craft Recordings via Jazz Dispensary's Top Shelf series, this album showcases the legendary collaboration between the Fattoruso Brothers, Airto Moreira, and Hermeto Pascoal. Goldenwings blends Latin rhythms, intricate synth work, and lush vocal harmonies into an exhilarating fusion experience. Tracks like the funk-forward title track and the cosmic 'Totem' highlight Hugo Fattoruso's mastery of layered keyboards, while 'Corre NiNa' and 'African Bird' bring a joyful and folk-inspired energy. The album's centerpiece, 'Tombo,' features an impressive suite that leads into the dancefloor-ready closer, 'Groove.' With all-analogue mastering by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180-gram vinyl, this reissue offers a pristine listening experience, complete with the original album art. Goldenwings is a fresh discovery for a new generation of listeners so this reissue will be a much needed one.
Review: Life Go's On's reissue of Organisation's Tone Float sheds light on a pivotal moment in music history. Known as the precursor to Kraftwerk, Organisation's debut album offers a blend of avant-garde experimentation and early German prog. Featuring Ralf Hutter, Florian Schneider, and Klaus Dinger among others, the album combines acoustic instruments with bold electronic elements, creating a cerebral yet immersive sonic experience. Tracks like 'Vor Dem Blauen Bock' showcase the band's innovative approach, bridging natural and synthetic textures with ethereal flutes, majestic organ and varied percussions. Tone Float remains a gem of musical innovation, capturing a moment when boundaries between genres blurred, setting the stage for Kraftwerk's iconic future.
Review: Colemine Records is reissuing Orgone's 2008 classic Bacano on vinyl for the first time, here exclusively for Black Friday RSD 2024. Known for their raw, organic California soul, Orgone's music grabs you by the collar and pulls you to the dance floor. The band's journey began in the San Fernando Valley, where two friends, united by their love for gritty 60s and 70s soul, drew inspiration from the vibrant music scene in Los Angeles during the late 90s. This collaboration ignited a movement, and Orgone has since become a key player in delivering timeless funk for music lovers.
Review: We all know Italians do it better, but did you also know they seem to have the very best library reissues on the planet? Here the legendary singer and vocalist Nora Orlandi joins iconic jazz drummer Franco Tonani for a masterpiece of 1960s-early-1970s production that really encapsulates the ambience of a bygone age which feels dreamlike today. Fittingly, much of the music similarly invokes a sense of surrealism and psychedelia. You can almost feel yourself descending into the depths of a strange and beguiling night filled with weird and wonderful characters as these arrangements play out with pin point precision. A trip to another era, but also a trip into the mind's eye and all that may live there. Exquisite, masterful, but most of all utterly inimitable and difficult to countenance.
Review: This album was a self-imposed ambitious project, conceived to spark creativity amid challenging times. Pivoting from our previous guitar and keyboard-centric albums, we embraced a new approach. I demoed everything on a cassette 4-track using drum loops, aiming for a return to simpler times. Tom and I selected synth sounds, creating samples across three octaves, loaded into Roland SPD-SX samplers, and learned the songs with drumsticks, transforming our writing process. Recording felt reminiscent of brass, so we added a saxophone horn section, thanks to Cansfis Foote and Brad Caulkins, enhancing the reedy bell tones. The result is a blend of Dexy's Midnight Runners, Von LMO, The Flesh Eaters, and The Screamers- a punk junk fusion that's poppy, hooky, heavy, and occasionally sci-fi. With boneheaded riffs and heady lyrics, it's a unique soundscape. Recorded at Stu-Stu-Studio on eight-track 1/4" tape, this album is a fresh, innovative pivot.
Review: Following his departure from The Sons Of Adam, Randy Holden joined forces with Jeff Nowlen, Geoff Western, Larry Brown, and Danny Woods to form The Other Half, a band that significantly shifted from garage rock to a powerful, big-stage sound. Relocating to San Francisco, the band made a mark with their Yardbirds and Rolling Stones-influenced style, performing at iconic venues like the Avalon Ballroom and recording an album alongside several singles between 1966 and 1968. Highlights include a blazing rendition of Arthur Lee's 'Feathered Fish,' and tracks like 'Flight Of The Dragon Lady,' which showcases Holden's guitar reminiscent of the Yardbirds' Jeff Beck/Jimmy Page era. The album also features powerful cuts such as 'I Need You' and 'Oz Lee Eaves Drops,' reflecting Holden's transition from The Sons Of Adam's sound to a heavier, more psychedelic approach. Fans of psychedelic rock will rejoice at being able to get a copy of this on vinyl to appreciate. Holden's relentless pursuit of his musical vision is in evidence here in abundance.
Review: With roots in 1983's Stonehenge Free Festival, when brothers Ed and Roly Wynne joined forces with drummer Nick 'Tig' Van Gelder, bassist Eddie Myer, and keyboardist Joie Hinton to perform a six hour improvised jam session under the guise Bolshem People, Ozric Tentacles define the progressive rock-new age-ambient crossover story. Then they go on to write their own. It would be six years before they put a record out, 1989's Pungent Effulgent, preferring instead to keep things loose, open and, ultimately, unplanned. 12 months or so later, they emerged from Foel Studios in Powys, Wales, with the follow up - Erpland. A record that feels free, born in countless moments of spontaneous creativity, careering between free party dub and mind-melting (if overblown) electric guitar solos set against juggernaut metal rhythms. A remarkable beast.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.