Labels

Mental Experience

  • 01. Black Sun
    02. Set The Controls From The Heart of The Sun
    03. Theme
    04. Revenge of Tim Boo Ba
    05. Amazing Grace
    cover

    ACID REICH

    Mistress Of The Perpetual Harvest

    [engl] Heavy psych insanity from 1989, featuring MONSTER MAGNET founding members John McBain, Dave Wyndorf and Tim Cronin plus Shaune Kelley (Ripping Corpse) and Joe Paone (hellSausage). Long tracks with raw & in your face lo-fi sound, wall of fuzz-wah guitars, caveman drums, echo-laden treated vocals… As John McBain said: “We sounded like Amon Düül with Uli Jon Roth sitting in”. Originally released as a private cassette on Tim Cronin’s Cool Beans “label”, here’s the first ever “real” release. Insert with liner notes by Plastic Crimewave. Unearthed by Steve Krakow aka Plastic Crimewave, the Acid Reich cassette is a cool testimony of the origins of Monster Magnet and the Cool Beans label, a vehicle for McBain, Cronin and Wyndorf to experiment with homemade four-track cassette recordings, influenced by their love for 60s garage / freakbeat sounds and 70s space / hard-rock. Using a couple of four-track cassette recorders plus an array of vintage Orange & Ampeg amps, fuzz and echoplex pedals, Danelectro guitars, etc, many fake bands and side projects were created, some of them recorded between rehearsals of their “main band”, Dog of Mystery (pre-Monster Magnet). Acid Reich was born when they decided to record something “very heavy, weird and raw”. They recruited a couple of friends, Shaune Kelley (a top guitar player who was also a member of death/trash metal band Ripping Corpse) and drummer Joe Paone (of experimental / noise solo project hellSausage). The result was “Mistress Of The Perpetual Harvest”, a cassette comprised of four long tracks (including a freaked out cover of Pink Floyd’s “Set The Controls From The Heart Of The Sun”). Limited to 300 copies on black vinyl.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    14.05.2021
    EAN
    EAN 4040824089764
     
  • 01. Elementos
    02. Evocación
    03. Transformación
    04. Meditación y acercamiento a la Génesis
    05. El vuelo del "Bú" ácromo y el despertar del "Bú" rojo
    06. Magma
    07. Perdido entre las arenas del Siroco
    08. Un instante en el vértice
    09. El paisaje posible
    10. Sobre cómo las lavas cubrían la isla
    cover

    AGUILAR, ILDEFONSO

    Erosion

    [engl] Spooky, meditative soundscapes inspired by the desolate volcanic environment of Lanzarote (Canary Islands), created using Minimoog, Polymoog, vocal loops and field recordings. Originally recorded in Germany in 1978 by Spanish painter / sound artist Ildefonso Aguilar, only a selection of the original recordings were released a few years later on a very rare limited edition cassette and LP. Now, for the first time ever, “Erosión” is reissued on 2LP featuring the complete recordings, as Ildefonso conceived it at the time. “Canary Islander Ildefonso Aguilar is best known for his paintings and surreal photography of the desolate volcanic wastelands of his homeland. He was also organiser of concerts at the Jameos del Agua in Lanzarote, a regular event which has featured the likes of Michael Brook, Roedelius, Steve Roach, and numerous other luminaries of ambient and atmospheric music. But, for his own music Ildefonso has never gained the mass recognition he really deserves. “Erosión”, recorded in 1978, is certainly one of the most fascinating of synth albums I've heard. And, it's remarkable really, if you consider all the technological advances that have happened since, what with digital synthesizers and samplers, that this music created entirely on analogue synthesizers still sounds so fresh and original. Okay, I know in the past that I compared Ildefonso's use of melody to more atmospheric Neuronium, and the mood of the music to early Klaus Schulze, Conrad Schnitzler, and Edgar Froese circa AQUA, but in retrospect it's really a forerunner to the acclaimed spacious works of Michael Stearns and Steve Roach (I could also quote Kevin O'Neill here, as to the use of ambiguous melody and texture), but besides all that “Erosión” has a style all of its own. As if the sonic description of mist swept rocky plains, rumblings from beneath the earth, the eerie power of nature looming. Beautiful yet strange, unnerving yet calming. Even more so, at 1¼ hours, “Erosión” reveals itself as a grand conceived suite, as themes recur in an almost ghostly fashion, as tension builds upon tension, and threatens to explode, which it never quite does! Extraordinary all the way through.” - Alan Freeman (Audion Magazine)
    Format
    DoLP
    Release-Datum
    11.01.2017
    EAN
    EAN 4040824086756
     
  • 01. Hava
    02. Schace
    03. Impro–Vision
    04. My Ape & My Monkey
    05. Ron Do
    06. Baz
    cover

    AK MUSICK

    Ak Musick

    [engl] "AK Musick" was originally released in 1972 as a private edition of 150 copies on Hans Kumpf’s legendary AKM Records label. Radical, freaked–out sound with hints of free–jazz, improv and avant–garde. File next to Anima, Annexus Quam, Albrecht D, Gulda, Nihilist Spasm Band, Nurse With Wound... AK Musick was an improv collective assembled by Hans Kumpf to "make music in a very democratic way". The five players had a classical education but they were also influenced by avant–garde composers like Helmut Lachenmann and Johannes Fritsch. Their only album, "AK Musick", was recorded in 1972 at the famous Bauer Studios in just three hours and engineered by Martin Wieland, who had previously worked with Keith Jarrett for the ECM label. Some of the instruments used were: clarinet, cello, oboe, organ, piano, darbuka, tam–tam, ektare, flute, zither...Includes the amazing "Impro–vision" which sounds like electronic music but using only natural instruments. "AK Musick" was originally released as a private homemade edition of 150 copies with spray printed covers. During the 70s, AKM Records was also home to other free–jazz rarities like "Free Blacks" by Perry Robinson / Hans Kumpf (where Hans also collaborated with his friend Wolfgang Dauner) and "In Time" by Theo Jörgensmann. Very hard to find now, we present the first ever LP/CD reissue of this rare Kraut artifact done under license from Hans Kumpf.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    29.09.2017
     
  • 01. Historia de un Pueblo por Nacer ou Carta Abierta a Vassili Vassilikos y a todos los Pesimistas
    02. Cinta Cita
    03. Auto-Retrato Sobre Paisaje Porteño
    04. Valsa Sideral
    05. Contrapunctus Contra Contrapunctus
    cover

    ANTUNES, JORGE

    Musica Eletronica

    [engl] Originally released in 1975, “Música Eletrônica” is considered the first electro-acoustic / electronic album made in Brazil. It features tracks recorded between 1962 and 1970 by avant-garde / electronic music pioneer Jorge Antunes. Early electronic oscillations, white noise, feedback, loops, tape manipulation, treated vocals and proto-minimalism / sampling / glitches Mandatory to anyone into Pierre Henry, Iannis Xenakis, Pierre Schaeffer, Ralph Lundsten, Louis & Bebe Baron, Ihlan Mimaroglu, Morton Subotnick, Stockhausen… Born in 1942 in Rio de Janeiro, Jorge Antunes is one of the earliest composers of electro-acoustic music in Brazil. During the early 60s, he built his own components for making electronic music: theremin, sawtooth oscillator, a spring-reverb device, a frequency filter… The works included on “Música Eletrônica” were recorded at Antunes’ home studio and at the Electronic Music Laboratory of the Institute Torcuato Di Tella, in Buenos Aires, Argentine. We can find early pieces like “Valsa Sideral” (1962), on which Antunes uses artificial echo and reverberation by feedback between the recording heads to create the first Brazilian work consisting only of electronic tones. “Auto-retrato sobre paisaje porteño” (1969 / 1970) is an amazing piece of early turntablism on which Antunes “samples” an old tango vinyl record found at a flea market, using it as a loop and for sound effects / manipulation, adding a different, “electronic dance” version to it, mixed with electronic sound effects and cut voice manipulation / sound poetry. It sounds years ahead of its time and it’s a precursor to the dance / downtempo music from the following decades. The version included here, features the audio collage which Antunes created to criticize the military regimes from Brazil and Argentine and which wasn’t used on the original LP to avoid any problems with censorship. “Cinta Cita” (1969) was the first piece recorded by Antunes at a professional studio. Pure electronic sounds and pulsating rhythms using filtered noise and synthetic sounds created by additive synthesis. “Contrapunctus versus contrapunctus” (1962) was created using tape splicing, micro-assemblies and tape manipulation. "Historia de un Pueblo por Nacer or Carta Abierta a Vassili Vassilikos y a todos los Pesimistas” (1970) with its sinoidal sounds and low frequencies was inspired by the plot of the novel and film ‘Z’ by Vassili Vassilikos. In the original audio of this work, Antunes used a quotation from the International Communist anthem. To avoid problems, he cut that passage for inclusion on the original LP. But you’ll find here the uncensored, original version. In 1970 Antunes had done research at the Institute of Sonology at the University of Utrecht with a specialization in Computer Music (working with the Electrologia X-8 computer). During the 70s at different occasions he had worked under guidance of Pierre Schaeffer and Iannis Xenakis amongst others. Mr. Antunes is presently Director of the Electroacoustic Music Studio of the University of Brasilia and President of the Brazilian Society for Electroacoustic Music.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    27.09.2016
    EAN
    EAN 4040824086343
     
  • 01. Diamond Age
    02. New Industry
    03. Thrill Of The Game
    04. Croatia
    05. Starusfa
    06. Club International
    07. Red Rose
    08. Priest
    09. Forget
    10. Theatre War
    11. Little Death
    12. The Twist
    cover

    BASKING SHARKS

    Back To The Deep Water (Sharkive: 1981-1987)

    [engl] BASKING SHARKS are one of the unsung heroes of the original minimal / synth-pop / wave era. Formed in 1980 in the North of England, members Adrian Todd, Ged McPhail and Martyn Eames used an array of home-made electronic instruments plus customized second hand synths to provide unique sounds. On stage they always played “live” without the use of backing tracks. Their stage act included a slide show, films and computer visuals synced into the stage performance. Their music merged electronic pop with European influences and experimentation. During their existence, they toured extensively throughout the UK, did a session with John Peel and produced a single, an EP and an LP plus numerous videos, and live recordings. Here’s their first ever vinyl retrospective, including a selection of tracks from their sought-after album, “Shark Island” - originally released in 1983 – the complete “Diamond Age” / “Thrill Of The Game” singles plus fantastic previously unreleased recordings.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    23.10.2020
    EAN
    EAN 4040824089771
     
  • 01. First Light
    02. French Passport
    03. Respect The Road
    04. Street Without Lunch
    05. Why Blondes Eat
    06. I Don’t Want
    07. Hell’s Little Ransom
    08. Forced Delight / Debris Factory
    09. Jumpstart
    10. Robop
    11. Keep The Letters
    12. Bus
    13. I Walk The Lawn
    14. The Big Horizon
    15. Integers
    cover

    BOMIS PRENDIN

    Clear Memory

    [engl] Formed in 1978, Bomis Prendin is a collective of experimental "noisicians" from Washington DC, pioneers within the DIY, Industrial, cassette culture and experimental electronics scene. Using cassette recorders, mutated musical toys, electric guitars, bass, rewired circuitry, analog pedal effects & cheap keyboards, they recorded and released in the late 70s a couple of astounding flexi–discs (Test and Phantom Limb) which led to them being included on the infamous Nurse With Wound list. "Clear Memory" was originally released in 1984 only on cassette (50 copies) and it’s an incredible example of DIY mutant psychedelic pop and homemade electronic weirdness which sounds years ahead of its time. Here’s the first ever reissue.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    19.06.2020
     
  • 01. Chinese Food Part I
    02. Cemetery
    03. Like Me
    04. Chinese Food Part II
    05. Oceans In My Ears
    06. Dogs’ Ears Are Stupid
    07. Australia / The Sleepwalker Bites Herself In French
    08. European Trains
    09. No Beethoven
    cover

    CARE OF THE COW

    Dogs Ears Are Stupid

    [engl] Originally released only on cassette in 1983, "Dogs’ Ears Are Stupid" by Chicago trio Care of the Cow is a fascinating blend of psychedelic folk, minimal electronics and post–punk weirdness. Acid fuzz guitar, incredible vocal harmonies, drum machines, analogue synths... One of Chicago’s best kept secrets, Care of the Cow’s history goes back to 1974. A trio formed by Victor Sanders, X Baczewska and Sher Doruff, they had a very unique and eclectic sound, experimental yet very melodic, mixing psychedelic folk–rock with art–rock and DIY / post–punk. Their influences were very diverse: Beatles, Fripp, Eno, Joni Mitchell, Carla Bley, Pauline Oliveros, Eric Dolphy... Care of the Cow debuted in 1975 with a 10" followed by their first LP album in 1981. By 1983, the band was adding drum machines and synths to their sound, highlighted by Victor’s amazing guitar playing and X & Sher’s perfectly blended vocal harmonies, resulting in "Dogs’ Ears Are Stupid", the second Care of the Cow album, released only as a tiny cassette edition in 1983.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    29.03.2019
    EAN
    EAN 4040824088804
     
  • 01. Einblicke
    02. Viele Wege
    03. Chant
    04. Rockcola
    05. 10° Unter Null
    06. Troflut
    07. Reibend
    08. Intermezzo
    09. Woistich
    10. Umgedreht
    cover

    CIRCLES

    Circles

    [engl] In the late 1970s and through the 1980s there was a lot happening on the German "post Krautrock underground" that few people knew about, lots of independent artists doing their own thing, either via small labels or doing it themselves. Circles were one of these bands. Based on the Frankfurt suburbs, they consisted of the multi- instrumental duo of Dierk Leitert (synthesizer, sequencer, drums, bass, guitar, voice, saxophone, flute) and Mike Bohrmann (guitars, bass, synthesizer) plus a few collaborators. Carrying the torch of 70s bands like Cluster, Harmonia or Liliental into the 80s, Circles were also contemporaries of groups like Throbbing Gristle, Ilitch and Nurse With Wound so you can also expect some similarities in their music. Circles? was their first album, released in 1983 as a private pressing on their tiny Einhorn label, housed in a cool and mysterious looking cover. This little known but excellent kraut/psych/experimental album is highly recommended to anyone into Harmonia, Cluster, Fripp / Eno, Heldon, Conrad Schnitzler, Neu!, Throbbing Gristle, Ilitch, Irmin Schmidt, Amon Düül II?
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    24.02.2016
    EAN
    EAN 4040824085803
     
  • 01. Minimal Instant
    02. Several Steps Leading Through Different Rooms / Escapades
    03. Tripletwin
    04. Paris Cut
    05. Mental Dart
    06. Trio Atonale
    07. Tranquilo Gonzales
    08. Sequences
    09. Consequences
    10. Spiral Dance
    cover

    CIRCLES

    More Circles

    [engl] In the late 1970s and through the 1980s there was a lot happening on the German "post Krautrock underground" that few people knew about, lots of independent artists doing their own thing, either via small labels or doing it themselves. Circles were one of these bands. Based on the Frankfurt suburbs, they consisted of the multi-instrumental duo of Dierk Leitert (synthesizer, sequencer, drums, bass, guitar, voice, saxophone, flute) and Mike Bohrmann (guitars, bass, synthesizer) plus a few collaborators. Carrying the torch of 70s bands like Cluster, Harmonia or Liliental into the 80s, Circles were also contemporaries of groups like Throbbing Gristle, Ilitch and Nurse With Wound so you can also expect some similarities in their music. “More Circles” was their second album, released in 1984 as a private pressing on their tiny Einhorn label. Experimental krautrock with lots of psychedelic guitar, keyboards, motorik drums, drones, proto-ambient sounds and avant-garde / dadaist touches.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    24.02.2016
    EAN
    EAN 4040824085827
    Format
    CD
    Release-Datum
    24.02.2016
    EAN
    EAN 4040824085834
     
  • 01. Dark Path
    02. The Summit
    03. Mountainside
    04. Niemand Versteht
    04. Daruber
    cover

    COZMIC CORRIDORS

    Cozmic Corridors

    [engl] First ever vinyl reissue of this underground Kraut–Kosmische monster, recorded / produced circa 1972–73 in Cologne by Toby "The Mad Twiddler" Robinson for his Pyramid label. Originally released as an ultra–limited handmade edition, original copies are lost forever in the mist of time. Featuring Mythos drummer Hans–Jürgen Pütz on percussion & effects, alongside synth / keyboard freak Alex Meyer, poet / vocalist Pauline Fund and mysterious guitarist Peter Förster.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    27.02.2017
    EAN
    EAN 4040824086800
     
  • 01. Wild World
    02. War
    03. I Travel
    04. Don’t Leave Me Drowning
    cover

    DAYS OF SORROW

    Remembering The Days

    [engl] First ever vinyl reissue of this sought–after POST–PUNK / COLD WAVE / MINIMAL SYNTH 12" from 1984, Germany. Days Of Sorrow formed in Dortmund in 1981 by a bunch of school friends influenced by the Post–Punk / New Wave scene. They were William Lennox (vocals, keyboard) André Schreiber (bass), Wolfram Huber (guitar) and Nicolai Sabotka (drums). Soon after, John Tollhaus, who ran a tiny record label (Tollhaus Records), discovered them at one of their rehearsals and impressed from what he heard and saw, helped the band to release their first 12". "Remembering The Days" saw the light in 1984 and featured four excellent tracks: "Wild World", "War", "Travel" and "Don’t Leave Me Drowning". A perfect mix of post–punk and minimal synth / cold wave. Dark and powerful sound with distorted guitar, minimal synths, drum machines, cold vocals...No wonder this is one of the most sought after minimal synth 12" from the 80s Euro scene. In 1985, Days Of Sorrow signed a deal with Rough Trade and after some line–up changes and a couple of releases, the band split up just before a scheduled Spanish tour.
    Format
    12''
    Release-Datum
    05.12.2018
     
  • 1. So Many Ways
    2. J’Attends Les Marines
    3. So Many Ways (Cherrystones – Electric So Far I Edit)
    4. So Many Ways (Cherrystones – Slow Many Ways Rework)
    cover

    ELECTRIC CHAIRS

    So Many Ways

    [engl] Expanded to 12" including hot edits / reworks by GARETH GODDARD aka CHERRYSTONES. In 1979, Wayne County & The Electric Chairs – the legendary punk–rock band – recorded their third album, Things Your Mother Never Told You, in London. It was produced by David Cunningham of the Flying Lizards, famous also for his work with This Heat, Michael Nyman, etc. He also played synthesizer on some of the tracks. Often compared to Bowie’s Low and Iggy Pop’s Lust For Life, the album combined the no–frills punk–rock sound of the band with the experimental production of Cunningham, showing his love for dub music and cut’n’paste / electronica. After a tour promoting the album, vocalist Wayne County along with guitar player Eliot Michaels departed the band and returned to New York, where County later emerged as Jayne County. The remaining Electric Chairs members – Val Haller, JJ Johnson and Henry Padovani (ex–Police!) – decided to continue under the Electric Chairs name. Their record label gave them just a month to find a replacement singer and write material for an album. After rehearsing with a few singers, none of which were suitable, the trio decided to go into the studio and record some tracks with Cunningham as producer. The result was the "So Many Ways" / "J’Attends Les Marines" 45, released in November 1979 by Safari Records. Here, Cunningham applied his most experimental production techniques, using electronic treatments on drums, rhythms and vocals. "So Many Ways", featuring Val on lead vocals, was far from anything else the band had previously done: an hypnotic punk–funk / no wave / synthetic pop hybrid that still sounds years ahead of its time. In 2013, it was included on the compilation "Under The Influence" by famous DJ James Glass. "J’Attends Les Marines" was a rework of "Waiting For The Marines" from the Things Your Mother album but adding a cool dub / experimental touch. Here’s the first ever vinyl reissue of this sought after punk–funk / no wave 45, featuring the original artwork but expanded to 12" format for maximum sound quality and including two exclusive edits / reworks by Electric Chairs fan and mix/edit wizard Gareth Goddard aka Cherrystones.
    Format
    12''
    Release-Datum
    11.12.2020
     
  • 01. Expansión Galáctica
    02. Los visitants de Sirio
    03. La Pipa de Lucas
    04. El Nacimiento Diario
    05. La Ceremonia
    06. El Misterio de Tihuanaco
    07. Brujería
    08. Transfiguración del Iniciado
    09. Bo Bo Bo Beu
    10. Paren la Contaminación del Aire
    cover

    EMILIO APARICIO MOOG

    Expansion Galactica

    [engl] “In 2010, I was searching for old records in the city of Quetzaltenango in Guatemala. I found myself in a dusty basement which had been in another time the warehouse of Iximché, a rock-o-la machines distributor. It was an exciting discovery, two big rooms full of old 45s but also dust and rat’s dung. Among some incredible finds, I found two strange private 45s which had been released by local drink company. The song titles, “Brujería” (“Witchcraft”) and “Transmutación del iniciado” (“Transmutation of the initiated”) matched perfectly with the abstract psychedelic/electronic instrumental Moog sounds emanating from the grooves. I was fascinated and I knew I had a mission: to discover and tell the world the story behind Emilio Aparicio Moog. After seven years, I finally managed to locate all of his recordings, eight in total.” – Ruffy Tnt (Discodelic) Emilio Aparicio was an electronic experimental musician from Guatemala, a pioneer in using the MOOG synth in Latin America. He released a series of private 45s, recorded at his home studio in collaboration with his patron and producer, the painter Roberto Abularach. In 1969, Roberto travels to New York, where he purchases one of the very early models of the Moog synthesizers directly from Robert Moog. He brought it back to Guatemala and he gave it as a present to his friend Aparicio. It is during those years, 1969-1971, when the recordings included here, featuring primitive drum machines and the Moog synth, are registered. Most of the tracks were written at the country house of Abularach, where Emilio built his own home recording studio and where he spent long periods of seclusion. It is in this house where they also spent weeks experimenting with hallucinogens (LSD and Datura) in the company of other artists, painters, poets and musicians from the underground arts scene of Guatemala. The fruit of those two years of experimentation were released in less than one month as five volumes of a 45 housed in a generic picture sleeve and titled “Música Electrónica” (“Electronic Music”). These strange records were never sold at shops: they were given away in exchange of four corks of a local drink called Salvavidas Roja, related to Abularach’s family. As you can guess, the response was not that great, as the experimental music of Aparicio was too advanced for its time. Most of the 45s were destroyed and recycled and soon after Emilio created another experimental project, La Banda Plástica, releasing a couple of 45s for the biggest record label from Guatemala which also went nowhere. Aparicio’s music is a fascinating blend of primitive homemade electronics with Latin influences. Imagine “Psyche Rock” era Pierre Henry, Gershon Kingsley and Bruce Haack meeting Joe Meek at the Guatemalan jungle and you’re there. Emilio Aparicio passed away on 2012 . As his wife says, when he died and went to another dimension, it was as if he took with him all the energy from the electronic devices from their house: “it was a very strange thing, just everything died with him.” Here’s for the first time ever the collected works of this unsung DIY hero which will blow the mind of any vintage electronica fan.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    16.11.2017
    EAN
    EAN 4040824087463
    Format
    CD
    Release-Datum
    16.11.2017
    EAN
    EAN 4040824087470
     
  • 01. Lunarscape
    02. Ethereal Jazz
    03. Venus Rising
    cover

    GALACTIC EXPLORERS

    Epitaph for Venus

    [engl] Another shrouded in mystery album from the Pyramid label, produced by Toby Robinson in Cologne circa 1974. Kosmische and Head sounds with plenty of Minimoog, analogue synths / keyboards, effects, loops, tape manipulation, treated percussions, etc., courtesy of Galactic Explorers, an electronic, minimal, ambient krautrock trio featuring Reinhard Karwatky (Dzyan). Take a trip to the inner regions of your mind, see ancient solar systems forming and listen to cosmic winds and vibrations while sine waves of pure bliss will give you total peace of mind...
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    21.05.2019
    EAN
    EAN 4040824087210
     
  • 01. Orion Awakes
    02. Stellar Launch
    03. Godhead Dance
    04. Jupiter & Beyond (Signal / Noise / Rebirth)
    05. The Returning
    cover

    GOLEM

    Orion Awakes

    [engl] A glorious blend of Space–Rock, Kraut and Psychedelia courtesy of the mysterious Golem. Plenty of Hammond organ, analogue synths, ripping guitar, effects, trippy jams..."Orion Awakes" was recorded and produced circa 1976 by Toby Robinson a.k.a. Genius P. Orridge, while he worked as second engineer at the famous Dierks Studio in Cologne. Memories from those hazy times are sketchy but all leads to believe that the musicians featured here were well–known names from the Kraut scene under pseudonyms, recording 100% underground, non–commercial music under Toby’s guidance, just for fun. Apparently, "Orion Awakes" was released as a very limited hand–made pressing housed in a silver foil sleeve on the Pyramid label, which was ran by Toby and his friend Robin Page, the Fluxus artist. No original copies have ever been found. The fascinating liner notes by Kraut expert Alan Freeman talk about seeing an original copy of Golem at a record shop in Germany many years ago and he also sheds some light on who could be the real musicians involved, as well as discussing the controversial story of the Pyramid label and the accusations of Golem being a manufactured 90s "fake" instead of a real vintage 70s recording.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    03.07.2017
     
  • 01. Modhera
    02. Bonampak
    03. Girnar
    04. Fatehpur
    cover

    HAMILTON, THOMAS

    Pieces for Kohn

    [engl] Spaced out bleeps & bloops and wild ARP synth freakouts from 1976! "Pieces For Kohn", as the title suggests, included four electronic pieces composed by Tom Hamilton as musical responses to 3–D geometric paintings by artist Bill Kohn. A renowned audio producer and electronic composer, among other many things, you’ve probably have seen Tom Hamilton’s name in the credits of many albums by Robert Ashley and on releases from labels like Lovely Music, Pogus Productions, New World Records, etc. Tom was first introduced to electronic music in 1965, while he was an undergraduate in Milwaukee, thanks to a lecture by Vladimir Ussachevsky illustrated with examples of electronic composers of the day: Bülent Arel, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Henry, Milton Babbitt...Encouraged by his teacher, Thom David Mason, Tom started to build audio circuits and battery–operated boxes that produced or modified sounds. In 1969, Tom moved to St. Louis. After graduating at Washington University, he was offered a job to design, purchase, and build an electronic music and recording studio there. He now had continuing access to commercially built synthesizers and by the mid 1970s Tom found that working with electronic music was more satisfying to him than other musical endeavors. The idea for the "Pieces for Kohn" album came from a studio visit with St. Louis artist Bill Kohn. Tom was an admirer of his work, which combined vibrant color combinations to fulfill 3–D geometric and architectural compositions in paintings, prints, and watercolors. Bill proposed that Tom composed music for his art exhibition opening at a famous St. Louis gallery and Tom decided to simultaneously release that work on LP. Tom picked four of the paintings that he liked the most and titled his four pieces correspondingly. The recording took place at the Washington University Electronic Music / Recording Studio – the studio that Tom designed and first built in 1971 and then moved and rebuilt in 1974 (where it resides to date). The original tapes were performed at the opening of Bill Kohn’s exhibit at the Terry Moore Gallery in St. Louis, in January, 1976 and then Tom did a limited pressing of the album on his own label, Somnath Records.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    18.04.2019
    EAN
    EAN 4040824088828
     
  • 01. Economic Injustices
    02. Weird House
    03. Old Ladies
    04. Outside
    05. When I Change My Eyes
    06. When I See Her
    07. Antonetta Perplexes Me
    08. Do You Think About Me
    09. Many Are The Tears
    10. Mideastification
    11. On The Telephone
    12. Roman Legion #9
    13. Isolation Tank Is My Bedroom
    14. This Is Not Television
    cover

    IN TIME

    Inside your mind

    [engl] Homespun psych–punk–garage–pop from 1985!! Over a decade ago, Steve Krakow aka Plastic Crimewave found a cassette by a mysterious 80s band called In Time at a Chicago thrift shop. When he returned home and listened to it, he was amazed: "I had flashes of the TV Personalities (one of my fave "DIY" bands), early "paisley underground" like Three O’Clock (maybe when they were the Salvation Army), wobbly but illuminated 60s folk–garage like Faine Jade, and even first wave UK punk like Subway Sect or yes, thee Pistols. There were even jagged post–punk moves ala the Swell Maps or Scrotum Poles, outrageous phasing, trumpet, and something lacking so deeply in bands today–PERSONALITY". Obsessed with it, Steve tracked down one of the band members in Pennsylvania and found out that there was more unreleased stuff. So here’s the first ever IN TIME vinyl LP. Including most of the songs from their ultra–rare cassette plus previously unreleased tracks. Like Steve says: "self–depreciating jangle–pop, furious power–chorded decrees, full–tilt psychedelia, experimental texture pieces––and actual tunes that will burrow into one’s skull for weeks."
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    30.09.2013
     
  • 01. The Man (English Version)
    02. Flieg
    03. Tidal Meditation
    04. Die Stimme aus dem Universum
    05. Arabische Nacht
    06. Ein Kleiner Walzer
    07. Lieben ist
    08. Parademarsch.
    cover

    KOZMONAUT

    Flieg

    [engl] Ultra rare D.I.Y minimal / synth–pop / industrial / darkwave album from 1986! Kozmonaut was the personal project of a young & talented Canadian musician called Michael Gutierrez, who moved to San Francisco in the early 80s. Influenced by Kraftwerk and German culture / electronic music, Michael recorded the "Flieg" album all by himself at his garage studio, using the pseudonym of "Hans Schiller". 1000 copies were pressed on his own label, Vier Productions Inc, but they were never distributed or sold at the time, with virtually the entire pressing being discarded, as Michael, a perfectionist, was not satisfied with the spelling mistakes on the cover, among other things. In 1989, Michael, along with Pieter Ziegelmeier, formed the famous industrial / electronic band Kode IV. Sadly, Michael contracted AIDS and passed away in 1994. All the contents of his garage (tapes, albums, synths and recording equipment) were sold for cheap or ended up in the street. Fast forward to 2010: An adventurous record hunter (Christian Peintner) finds a copy of the "Flieg" album at a thrift shop in San Francisco. At first, he thinks it’s a German album but after some investigation, he discovers the name of Michael Gutierrez which leads him to Kode IV and then to Peter Ziegelmeier. He visits Peter who tells him the real story of Michael Gutierrez aka Hans Schiller and Kozmonaut. Listening to it now, "Flieg" is an excellent album, a crossover of a wide range of styles from early Industrial (paving the way for Michael’s later sounds with Kode IV), to Synth–Pop, Experimental Electronics, and Dark Wave. Michael uses the vocoder very effectively and in one of the songs, "Tidal Meditation", he recorded the Golden Gate Bridge fog horn to use it as a sample.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    19.06.2017
     
  • 01. Some Day Silly Twenty Three
    02. Reflections
    03. Am I
    04. Everythingsnothing
    05. Tunion
    06. The Tourist
    07. Bars
    08. The Letter
    09. Mangel-Wurzel
    10. To Whom It May Concern
    11. Optimism
    12. Touch-Downer
    cover

    LADY JUNE

    Lady June’s Linguistic Leprosy

    [engl] From 1974, the legendary debut album by Canterbury Scene pivotal figure, performance poet, painter and experimental musician June Campbell Cramer, better known as LADY JUNE. Produced by KEVIN AYERS, who also plays on the album along with BRIAN ENO, PIP PYLE (Gong, Hatfield and the North) and DAVID VORHAUS (White Noise). Originally released by Virgin’s budget imprint Caroline (home also of artist like Faust & Tony Conrad, Gong, Lol Coxhill, etc),“Lady June’s Linguistic Leprosy” is a surreal, eccentric, psychedelic oddity of interest to fans of the Soft Machine-Gong-Canterbury family as well to experimental / sound poetry / art-rock explorers.
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    16.11.2017
    EAN
    EAN 4040824087449
     
  • 01. Obertura
    02. La Marca de Anubis
    03. La Comitiva Celeste
    04. Meritatón y El Nilo
    05. Isis y Osiris
    06. Resurrección
    07. Atlas
    08. Mantis Religiosa
    09. Ella Es Intangible
    10. El Hombre Sin Nombre
    11. Peter Pan
    12. Soy El Vacío
    13. El Cantor de Jazz
    14. Posesión
    15. Arco Iris
    16. Sangre de Ángel
    17. Enigma y Tu Voz
    cover

    LOS INICIADOS

    La Marca De Anubis

    [engl] LP + 7". Originally released in 1982 on the DRO label, "La Marca De Anubis" was the debut album by LOS INICIADOS, an obscure project related to legendary Spanish synth–pop band AVIADOR DRO. Always shrouded in mystery, Los Iniciados decided to hide their indentities behind masks. The only visible and confirmed member was Arco Iris (aka Marta Cervera, also on Aviador Dro) and according to rumours, behind the other nicknames we find Biovac N (Servando Carballar, founder of Aviador Dro and the DRO label) plus members of Alphaville (the Spanish post–punk band). On "La Marca De Anubis" we also find Jesús Arias (of Andalusian punk band T.N.T.) on electric guitar. The album was produced by Servando Carballar (Aviador Dro). Dark & eerie MINIMAL SYNTH / DARK WAVE sounds with a POST–PUNK edge, highly influenced by THE RESIDENTS, Dadaism, performance art and ancient Egyptian cults. Including cult classics like "Peter Pan", "Soy el vacío" and more!
    Format
    LP + 7''
    Release-Datum
    07.11.2018
    EAN
    EAN 4040824088194
     
  • 01. Obertura
    02. Canción de Los invitados
    03. Danza Inca de La Tía Ubú
    04. Canción 1 de Los Palotines
    05. Desfile
    06. Canción del Tío Ubú
    07. Canción 2 de Los Palotines
    08. La Aparición del Sr. Matías
    09. Última Canción de Los Palotines
    10. ¡Al Saco!
    11. Intermezzo
    12. Canción de Ladislao
    13. Presentación del Príncipe Freixinet
    14. Canción del Zar
    15. Canción de Guerra de Los Palotines
    16. Canción del Klam y La Tía Ubú
    17. Triunfo de Ladislao
    18. Canción Final
    cover

    LOS INICIADOS

    Todo Ubu

    [engl] Dark minimal synth electronics & experimental sounds by LOS INICIADOS, a mysterious project, highly influenced by The Residents, related to legendary Spanish synth–pop band AVIADOR DRO. This is their rare and sought–after second album, originally released in 1983 on the DRO label as the soundtrack to a puppet stage play, based on ALFRED JARRY’S "UBU ROI". *16–page LP sized insert featuring the original stage play booklet. *Remastered sound. *Original artwork
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    07.11.2018
    EAN
    EAN 4040824088200
     
  • 01. Lobby
    02. Friday
    03. Mirror Egg
    04. Bloodsucking Babies
    05. Ghosts
    06. Locust Swarm
    07. Core of Water
    08. Dog
    09. World Is Only Turning
    10. Nitrate Mine
    11. Slab
    12: All Is Forgiven
    13. Mao
    cover

    MOMES, THE

    Spiralling

    [engl] Featuring Tim Hodgkinson (Henry Cow, The Work) on Hawaiian laptop noisy guitar and keyboards, Mick Hobbs (Family Fodder, The Work, Officer!) on bass and Andy Wake (Unrest, Work & Play) on drums, The Momes were an unique power trio with an abrasive sound channelling post–punk, psych–prog and avant–rock. "Spiralling" is their sole album, recorded at This Heat’s Cold Storage studio by Charles Bullen (This Heat, Lifetones) and originally released in 1989 on the Woof label (operated by Tim Hodgkinson and Bill Gilonis). First ever vinyl reissue of this lost gem, recommended to fans of THIS HEAT, WIRE, SONIC YOUTH, FAUST, AMON DÜÜL II, CAN, MX–80 SOUND, MISSION OF BURMA... Includes a bonus 7" with two tracks taken from the album sessions (originally released only on CD as bonus tracks). Digital download also includes a previously unreleased bonus track from the same album sessions. "They mix a kind of driving post–punk rock–lurch with beautiful lyrics, lovely Trout Mask guitar moments and plenty of twisted art–rock details" – Byron Coley *Bonus 7" with two bonus tracks recorded in 1989.
    Format
    LP + 7''
    Release-Datum
    17.01.2019
    EAN
    EAN 4040824088590
     
  • 01. Largo Pour Piano Et Océan
    02. Goutte De Sang En Feu
    03. Hard–Rock Ouverture
    04. Ailleurs
    05. 7 Contre 4
    06. Le Voyage Sperper
    07. Nebel/Leben
    08. Mémoire Pulvérisée
    09. The Playwrite’s Drift (bonus track)
    10. Roots Eater Take 1 (bonus track)
    11. My Guitar Is Driving Me Mad Take 2 (bonus track)
    12. I Love You, Sugar Beef Take 1 (bonus track)
    13. Hard–Rock Ouverture Take 1 (bonus track)
    cover

    MOUVEMENTS

    Mouvements

    [engl] First ever reissue of this impossible to find artefact from the Swiss underground avant–garde scene of Geneva, originally released as a private boxset limited to 150 copies in 1973, only sold at art galleries. A unique, instrumental mix of free–jazz, classical, psych–rock, folk, improv, kraut, funk and musique concrete with tape effects... In the late 60s, musician / guitar player Christian Oestreicher, "a savage in the era of twist and free jazz", met artist and painter Richard Reimann – famous for his optical art –, at the Aurora art gallery in Geneva. Fuelled by the artistic creativity from this underground scene, where jazz and rock musicians rubbed shoulders with artists, poets and painters, Christian ideated the Mouvements project, enrolling his friend Richard to create the artwork. Christian was a trained guitar player with diverse influences: Ornette Coleman, Chuck Berry, Zappa, Soft Machine...He envisioned Mouvements as a concept album and he asked some of his musician friends from the jazz / rock scene to join in for the recordings: among them, Jean–François Boillat (of Boillat–Thérace), Blaise Català, Jerry Chardonnens... The album sessions took place at an occupied mansion during 1972, using three Revox machines. The musicians played standing in a circle and there was lot of room for improvisation. Tape effects and a small portable synth were also used. The result was released in 1973 as a hand–numbered, deluxe boxset limited to 150 copies, including a series of Richard Reimann’s lithographies and inserts. For this, the first ever reissue, we’ve created a new, more affordable edition with new artwork, including an insert with liner notes and previously unreleased photos. LP edition comes housed in a silver–mirrored sleeve. CD comes in standard jewelcase. The CD version includes five previously unreleased bonus tracks taken from the album sessions, including the 17 minute long improv monster "My Guitar Is Driving Me Mad". Both CD and LP versions come with a digital download coupon including all the tracks from the LP/CD plus another four bonus tracks taken from the album sessions. Highly recommended if you’re into avant–garde psychedelia, free–jazz, free–rock, psych–funk, kraut... Think Staff Carpenborg, Zappa, Soft Machine, Bo Hansson, The Feed–Back, Mahogany Brain, Semool, Pierre Schaeffer, the BYG and Futura labels...
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    24.03.2018
    Format
    CD
    Release-Datum
    24.03.2018
     
  • 01. The Tower of Barad–Dûr
    02. Shelob’s Lair
    03. The Dead Marshes
    04. Mount Doom
    cover

    NAZGUL, THE

    The Nazgul

    [engl] Shrouded in mystery Kosmische / Kraut / Avant–Garde artefact, produced by Toby Robinson aka The Mad Twiddler circa 1975 for his private Pyramid label. Tolkien inspired dark ambient soundscapes with spooky / ritualistic atmosphere, treated percussions, gongs & guitars, trippy Hammond & Mini–Moog, tape loops, weird noises, drones...File under dark ambient, proto–industrial, kraut, experimental...
    Format
    LP
    Release-Datum
    22.02.2018