The latest from The Higher Craft is sadly also the band’s swansong as they have decided to cease activities. But they created lots of great music in their six year run and that’s pretty good in the underground. Like its predecessor, the 2011 released The Quest into the Steppingstoneage, the new Delta 9 album defies simple categorization, drawing on Metal, Prog, Space Rock, and Psychedelic influences to create a theatrical Rock extravaganza. The band are the quartet of Christina Poupoutsi on vocals and keys, J.D. Tait on guitars, keys and vocals, Andre Thung on drums and percussion, and Richard Alan Weeks on bass and narration, plus guests on flute and narration and original guitarist Craig Twining on a couple tracks.

The album opens with The Healer, which starts with a brief narrative endorsing the benefits of cannabis, and then breezes into a dark but majestic Space-Symphonic segment before launching into the brand of Psychedelic theatrical Goth-Metal that The Higher Craft established on Quest into the Steppingstoneage. The theme continues on the title track with a compositional complexity that sees the music swing through Orchestral-Metal, operatic intensity, and fiery instrumental gymnastics. This is Rock theater meets Space opera at its very best, with the band covering a variety of ground. I like the bouncy yet orchestral Prog powerhouse Dirty Paradise. The high intensity yet uplifting Space-Prog-Symphonic Meta-Universe incorporates elements of Metal, Goth and Space Rock, and an incredible array of vocals and narration. Each track transitions seamlessly into the next, including periodic space-ambient segments with narration. Listening to the narration it sounds like the theme is a sci-fi tale endorsement for cannabis. Go get ’em Christina! Diamond Dealers hop-scotches from swingin’ in the cosmic canteen, to spacey lysergic disorientation, and on to Space-Symphonic dreamland. Sagacious is a kick ass rocker that’s like Symphonic-Prog Hawkwind. I like the combination of high intensity Rock and acoustic Renaissance on Para-Toxic Dream. Far King Clue is a heavy rock smack in the chops, a gentle ride into space, and a carnival ride all rolled into one. Galaxias Kyklos consists of bewitching theatrical Metal with a cosmic edge. And Freedom Pass closes the set with deep space symphonic waves, rave-in-Goth-space beats, and steady paced melodic Rock.

I like all the music The Higher Craft created but on Quest into the Steppingstoneage and now Delta 9 they really hit their stride with the establishment of a powerhouse theatrical sound that is distinctly The Higher Craft. I highly recommend reading the interview I did with Christina in 2011 that coincided with the release of The Quest into the Steppingstoneage, in which we learn about her background and interests in theater (CLICK HERE). If you know the band then waste no time checking out Delta 9. Newcomers should start with Delta 9 and backtrack from there. See you all in 2021 and then again in 2028.

To stream, download and order the CD visit The Higher Craft Bandcamp site at: http://thehighercraft.bandcamp.com
Visit The Higher Craft web site at: http://christinalice.wix.com/the-higher-craft

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Get On Jolly are a Swiss 7 piece band, three of whose members are in Ad’Absurdum who also have a new album on the Acoustic Desaster label. The band employ a variety of instrumentation including guitar, bass, drums, piano, harmonium, organ, Rhodes, synthesizer, electronics, xylophone, and vocals. All the lyrics on Why Was Cupid A Boy are by the poet William Blake.

The set opens with the 11 minute Land Of Dreams, which starts off drudgingly stoned, but soon drifts off into droning, pulsating space. A lightly tinkling piano melody join in, soon followed by pensive, lilting vocals. The combination of atmospheric drones, piano and vocals are dreamily haunting, yet also feel like a mesmerizing Psychedelic lullaby. This quality is only enhanced by spacey effects and eventual descent into pure cosmic drone and angelic aura that leads us to the finale. Why Was Cupid A Boy is a wistfully dreamy acoustic song, nicely embellished by harmonium melody and bells. The Smile is a fuller band song with somber Rhodes leading the way. Plus we now we have a female singer, giving the music a kind of drugged Marissa Nadler feel. The Golden Net is next, and after an extended, mournfully atmospheric intro a guitar melody and dual male/female vocals open the song segment. I like the densely fuzzed wall of sound guitars, creating an Acid-Folk feel that incorporates traditional elements. But then the song portion ends and a pitch black cinematic mood building segment begins, dominated by acid-drone guitars and sparse percussion, floating gently but dangerously to the finale and transitioning smoothly into The Grey Monk, which for Get On Jolly is fairly uplifting and soulful, though still dreamily spacey. Finally, Introduction (Songs of Innocence) closes the set on an optimistic note, continuing the spirited mood but also morphing into hypnotic drone.

In summary, this might be one of most melancholy albums I’ve heard this year. Get On Jolly excel at creating a sense of Psychedelic despair, though it all feels like one big lysergic lullaby and something that can only happen in a dream. I love the vocals, both male and female, and the overall musical feel is a unique blend of Pagan, Wryd and whatever other brand of Folk-Psych you can imagine. Ultimately Get On Jolly just sound like themselves.

For more information visit the Acoustic Desaster Records web site at: http://www.acousticdesasterrecords.ch.vu

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Ad’Absurdum are a Swiss quintet who, though new to me, have been around since 1991. Three of the members do double duty in the band Get On Jolly, who also have a new album on the Acoustic Desaster label.

Atomonoton opens the set with a choppy rhythmic pulse and bashing guitars that have a Circle styled vibe, plus synths and non-lyrical vocals that are both haunting and anguished. Phosphor is next and the previous rhythm now morphs into a Motorik beat, and the guitar aggression become dual melodic guitars. After a few minutes the band start to rock harder and it all feels like 70s melodic hard rock meets Krautrock experimentalism. The guitars continue their melodic foray, and the atmosphere is punctuated by trippy Psychedelic Indian tinged drones, as if Neu! took a detour to the mystical East. Then out of nowhere the music abruptly veers into a haunting piano keys and strings assault that segues smoothly into Deep #2, an anguished Psychedelic dirge that gradually builds from valium paced momentum to an acid drenched expression of misery. The guitars wail as if tortured, but there are also beautifully sailing cosmic licks and sporadic mournful vocals. Once again the piece ends with atmospheric piano, this time winding down to a silent conclusion. The mood changes dramatically on the bouncy Sunshine Baby, which rocks steadily with fuzzed guitars, gorgeously wailing spaced out licks, melodic keys, and freaky but endearing vocals. I like the chunky guitar chords combined with the soundscape licks and cosmic synth lines. In Ad’Absurdum terms, this is almost a Pop song. Territor once again takes us in a different direction, being an alluring, acoustic driven and somewhat pagan Folk-Psych instrumental. I love the combination of acoustic guitars, banjo and songbird synth melody. The last four tracks comprise the Suite About A Day at Home. It opens with soundscapes, shimmering guitar and cosmic organ. The band start to settle into an ominous rhythmic pattern but the music soon melts into intense, orchestral Psychedelic angst. Cohesion eventually prevails, which finds the band settling into a robotic electronic space groove, and very quickly culminating in an explosive Space-Punk-Kraut rocking finale.

Three previous Ad’Absurdum reviews have appeared in Aural Innovations by other writers and it seems I’ve been missing something with these guys. I’ll have to start backtracking.

For more information visit the Acoustic Desaster Records web site at: http://www.acousticdesasterrecords.ch.vu

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

I became acquainted with Italian Space/Psych/Stoner/Metal quartet L’Ira Del Baccano in 2008 when they made their live performance Si non Sedes Is Live MMVII album available for free download. I was impressed with the band’s all instrumental brand of spaced out heaviness and now pleased that a new studio album is available. The band consists of founder Alessandro “Drughito” Santori on guitar, Roberto Malerba on guitar and synth, Sandro “Fred” Salvi on drums, and Luca Primo on bass.

The album opens with the three part, 32 minute Phase I – The Infinite Improbability Drive. Part 1 kicks off with a hard and heavy Metal assault, but quickly demonstrates that we’ll be rocketing through a continually transitioning parade of themes. We’ve got a spaced out Rock groove with both dirty Stoner guitar and pleasantly melodic leads, a trippy melodic ambient segment with more tasty leads as well as deep space efx’d guitar and a solid funky rocking rhythm section, with the bass injecting a Jazz-like feel. I like the way the band alternate between soundscape excursions and majestic Rock ‘n’ Roll, at times sounding like Rush with a Stoner-Psychedelic and heavily space efx’d edge. Part 2 features blazing Hard Rock augmented by freaked out trip guitar and even more spacey effects. In fact, parts of this sound even more like Rush, though it’s got a Hard Rock vibe, the guitars are more Psychedelic and we’re treated to oodles of freaky effects, especially the Part 2 finale and intro to Part 3 which is all deep space ambience, swirling effects and soaring gliss guitar. Things stay mellow for much of Part 3, cruising along at a steady rolling melodic groove, which feels a little jazzy and is continually colored by intense, spaced out, atmospheric guitar, but also dirtier rocking guitar. And when the band take off again we’re flying high in monster rocking Space-Psych-Jazz-Hard Rock territory. Love that SCREAMING guitar! These guys are constantly shifting thematic gears, though it’s all seamless and makes the entire 32 minutes go by like a cosmic rocking hurricane.

Phase II – Sussurri…Nel Bosco di Diana is next and starts off with a dreamy cosmic flow and spaced out atmospheric gliss guitar, melodic soloing guitar, lots of effects and funky Jazz bass. It’s a cool combination of grooving melodic rock with a jazzy edge and freaky spaced out Psychedelic mind-massage, and when it blasts off it’s got a melodic and easy paced Rush meets Jazz at the cosmic 70s Hard Rock cafe feel. Finally, we’ve got the 15 minute Phase III – Volcano X13, which wraps up the set with a monster blast of Metal edged Psychedelic-Stoner-Hard Rock, high intensity Space-Prog, Jazz inspired segments, and much more. Overall I have to say this absolutely blows away the music I first heard from these guys a few years back. Recommended.

To stream, download and purchase the CD or LP visit: https://liradelbaccanoofficial.bandcamp.com
Visit the L’Ira Del Baccano web site at: http://www.iradelbaccano.it

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Nick Nicely is one of those Pop-Psych craftsmen who has yet to get his due, despite brushes with major labels and producers. His song Hilly Fields was released as a single in 1982 and is one of those instantly infectious tunes that immediately brings to mind The Beatles circa Magical Mystery Tour or XTC at their very best. I first became aware of Nick in 2012 when Hilly Fields was reissued in original and revisited forms as a Fruits de Mer Records single, and later that year with the song Rosemary’s Eyes on Fruits de Mer’s The League Of Psychedelic Gentlemen compilation.

In 2003, Tenth Planet Records released Nick’s debut album, Psychotropia, which collected recordings from 1978-2004, and in 2011, Burger Records released Lysergia, which I believe might have been cassette only. Interestingly, Lysergia isn’t mentioned in the promo sheet for Nick’s latest album, Space Of A Second, though most of the song titles are common to both albums.

The songs on Space Of A Second take Pop-Psych into deeply cosmic and surreally experimental territory, as if the spirits of Magical Mystery Tour, Revolution 9, Syd-era Floyd, and the most wigged out Krautrock all congealed to create melodically hook-laden songs. Tunes like Headwind Aheadwind take Pop-Psych into space, being a driving rocker that’s loaded with an infectious melody and wrapped in a hauntingly cosmic Pop-Psych meets Space-Prog wrapper. Rosemarys Eyes is here from the Fruits de Mer League Of Psychedelic Gentlemen comp, and it’s a steady paced rocker with propulsive drumming, acoustic and electric guitars, and bubbling alien keys that really make the song. Wrottersley Road is an oddly alluring blend of noise-drone and dreamy Prog-Psych, but within a larger melodic Pop-Psych song context.

It’s the banquet of effects and sense of spaced out Psychedelic surrealism that slingshots along with, as well as morphs and blends with the songs that I find so captivating. It was interesting to read the Shindig magazine review of the album which warned that fans of Hilly Fields “will be disappointed by Nicely’s current penchant for avant-garde, overindulgent electronics” and “way too many superfluous noises drowning out the actual song”. While I do feel that the sound quality is a bit too cavernous and would have benefitted from more clarity in the production and mix, I disagree that the effects drown out the song. This album strikes me as being about far more than just the core song. There’s a lot happening on these songs which begs an attentive ear and rewards the listener with new discoveries upon each new spin. Psychedelia is HOT these days and there are a lot of youngsters like Temples and a zillion other bands I could name that are doing a damn good job of it. I for one am starving for a little extra oomph and adventure in my Psych, and Nicely stands apart with his brand of freak flag fluttering, cosmic experimentalism enhanced song-craft. (Though I do think he can stop re-recording Hilly Fields.)

For more information visit the Lo Recordings web site at: http://www.lorecordings.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Oresund Space Collective (OSC) are a Scandinavian ensemble with a fluid lineup, the one constant being synth maestro Scott “Dr Space” Heller. The sessions for their new album, Music for Pogonologists, took place in April 2012 with all the members of the Danish band Papir plus American guitarist Daniel Lars. If you’re wondering what a pogonologist is, it’s someone who studies beards! There are significant differences between the CD and vinyl editions, with some tracks being exclusive to the CD, one exclusive to the vinyl, and others being edited to fit the vinyl format. Across both editions we’ve got 9 tracks for a sprawling 2 1/2 hours of music.

Beardlandia opens both the CD and vinyl editions and kicks off with narration by Scott, talking about pogonologist Upton Uxbridge Underwood and his 1913 pamphlet Poets Ranked By Beard Weight (Scott has what must be one of the weightiest beards on the planet). The narration concludes at the 2 minute mark as the band launch into a funky grooving jam with a deep space edge. I love the dual guitars, with one ripping off fiery solos and the other serving the liquid Psychedelic role, and these are soon joined by a cool sounding Space-Prog synth.

The 14 minute Ziggurat of the Beards is exclusive to the CD and is a high intensity monster rocking jam that lays down a funky but rough riding chunky rhythmic pulse and sounds like some kind of demonically possessed Allman Brothers Band cum Ozric Tentacles with a dash of Mahavishnu Orchestra and then shaken and stirred in heavy rocking space. The guitars are freakin’ awesome and the whole piece is gripping from start to finish.

The relatively short The Trichophantic Spire is another CD only track that continues in the spirit of Ziggurat of the Beards and feels like an extended coda to that jam. Really cool extra-terrestrial electronics on this one.

The 17 minute Bearded Brothers (CD only) maintains the funky rolling groove, jamming along steadily as the space synths soar to the heavens and fall to the ground. The band trip along like a Space Rock Allman Brothers, an analogy I’ve made before with OSC, and if that sounds strange I can only insist that Space Rockers, Psych fans and Progheads alike should be schooled in the Allmans. OSC funk it up and add tasty Jazz flourishes in the spaced out way that San Francisco band Mushroom does. And I like the lengthy meditative finale which gives the listener a breather after the rockin’ intensity we’ve experienced so far.

Remnants of the Barbonaeum is a 26 minute jam that’s included on both the CD and vinyl. It opens with a Space Ritual Earth Calling intro of freaky alien synths, electronics, soundscape guitar and light drumming. After a few minutes a combination of Space-Ambient Psychedelic Rock and electro groove-pulse starts to ever so gradually take shape. For a while we stroll along in floating yet grooving atmospheric Space-Prog drift. But a repetitive riff increasingly asserts itself in volume and intensity, threatening to overtake the Proggy elements, though the electronic effects flitter about as if they are untouchable. Everyone eventually decides to cooperate for the greater good and we settle into an ambient Soft Machine meets Psych Rock improvisational drift, which builds back up to a high octane Space-Doom finale.

Music for Pogonologists is on both editions but the full 34 minute epic on the CD loses about 12 minutes to fit the vinyl. It starts off as a free-wheeling spaced out Psychedelic Blues-Funk jam, colored by electronic effects darting about, but also roaring space engine effects. The jam quickly gets heavy rocking intense and I love the hip shakin’ groove that accompanies the funky deep space Hard-Psych assault. Throughout the jam OSC slowly evolve, moving on to Blues infused Ozrics Space Rock, fuzzed and wah’d Space-Psych, Jeff Beck gone Space Rock, white knuckled intensity alien attack, and much more. Not only do they NOT start to peter out but the last several minutes are among the smokinest of the entire set. KILLER guitar action!

Phewwww… what a ride. But there’s no rest for the weary because this is followed by the 24 minute Barboconsciousness, which is common to both the CD and LP. This is a tension laden number with a strangely alluring mixture of Indian influenced Psychedelia and a punishing brand of high energy and deliriously rocking Space-Prog. Another smoker!

The 12+ minute Portal of Pogonic Progress is another CD only number. The sense of tension continues here, with a feeling of slow rolling yet meditative cosmic doom. One of the soloing guitars has a tasty Dave Gilmour feel and the other a lusciously liquid drenched Psych sound, and both end up rocking hard and nicely complimenting each other.

Finally, the 9 minute Bartischlag is exclusive to the vinyl and download editions. It starts off melodic and lulling, but like most of the album things take off pretty quick and rock hard to the finish.

I’ve said this before and it bears repeating that the fluctuating lineup is one of the things that keep OSC exciting from one album to the next, but more importantly the fact that they consistently group up musicians that really gel with one another, creating improvisations that are free-wheeling yet always certain of their direction. Not many bands can bust the half hour mark with nary a dull moment nor lull in the action. If you like all instrumental improvisational Space Rock, these guys are among the absolute must-have bands.

Vinyl junkies should note that the LP is limited to 500 copies – 200 black, 200 purple, and 100 purple with white and blue speckles. I’ve not seen it but if it’s even half as beautiful as the Damo Suzuki meets OSC set from earlier this year it’ll be a genuine bring a tear to your eyes piece of art.

For more information visit the Oresund Space Collective web site at: http://www.oresundspacecollective.com
Visit the Space Rock Productions web site at: http://www.spacerockproductions.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Fruits de Mer Records sure come up with fun ideas. Postcards From The Deep is a box set with ten square flexidiscs… that’s right, FLEXIDISCS… each with a cover song by ten contemporary artists, and each including a square 7″ postcard. The theme was originally going to be Freakbeat, but ended up all over the Psychedelic thematic map. Here’s the rundown…

The Luck Of Eden Hall do a rip roaring rendition of the Count Five’s Psychotic Reaction, with gnarly psych guitar and freaked out electronic effects. The Thanes retain the Garage-Psych tone of The Pretty Things’ LSD but add a number of twists, from trippy Indian ragas to Bluesy harmonica. Brainticket’s trio of early 70s albums are favorites of mine, often being lumped into the Krautrock label even though the leader was Dutch Belgian. Astralasia take their namesake song Brainticket and add a funky rolling groove, soulful rocking organ leads, monster guitar solos, and lots of spaced out craziness that nicely ups the ante on the original. Icarus Peel takes The Avengers’ Theme and turns it into a high intensity Psychedelic guitar monster showcase. It’s a real Hendrix on steroids rockin’ SMOKER!

Making this set even more fun is several obscure songs by bands I’ve never heard of (I got quickly acquainted by visiting the Psychedelic research scientist’s archive – YouTube). Dragonfly were a Dutch band who released one EP in 1968. The Loons take their song Celestial Empire and add a chunky rockin’ kick to it, along with ultra cool rapid-fire wah’d guitar and ripping licks, plus intense alien oscillations. The Calico Wall were a Minneapolis band who released the Garage-Psych song I’m A Living Sickness as a single in 1967. The Crawlin’ Hex, which is Fred Laird from Earthling Society’s new band, take the core riff of the song and give it a dark, cavernous, feel, and get pretty wild and spooky with the vocals and effects. Satori were a Texan band who released Time Machine b/w 1000 Micrograms Of Love as a single in the late 60s. The Blue Giant Zeta Puppies take on Time Machine and turn it into a steroidal, spaced out Surf-Punk Psych rocker. The Hippies were a South African band whose funky, soulfully Psych rocking instrumental Soul Fiction was released in 1968. The Past Tense are largely faithful to the original, but inject a space age vibe and a slightly robotic twist to the rhythmic pulse. The Sorrows’ Take A Heart is a 1965 song that sounds like it could have been the Yardbirds with a different singer. Schizo Fun Addict blast the song into space, blending a dirty garage vibe with swirling cosmic effects and mucho alien freakiness. You Just Gotta Know My Mind was written by Donovan for Dana Gillespie, whose 1967 recording of the song was classic 60s Pop. Crystal Jacqueline quickens the pace and really Psychs it up with killer dual trip guitars. She has done some of the best cover songs I’ve heard in the past couple years.

The set will be available late November and is limited to 700 copies. Each box set comes with a CD that compiles all ten songs, though apparently some of the bands submitted slightly different versions for the CD, which is even more fun, right? If interested you better hurry because Fruits de Mer releases sell out QUICK!

For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

John and Alice Coltrane covers may seem to be a bit off the wall for Fruits de Mer, but the two entries on this single only reinforce how the label keeps coming up with great ideas that work.

Superfjord are a Finnish band who are new to me. The promo sheet explains that they recorded a cover of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme for their It Is Dark But I Have This Jewel album, and it’s presented here with a new intro. This is really cool. Superfjord funnel the jazz legend through a Woodstock meets Krautrock filter by creating a late 60s west coast Psychedelic vibe á la Airplane/Dead, but adding deep space atmospherics and a repetitive chant that brings to mind a Faust song I can’t recall the title of. It’s an intriguing blend and a cosmic interpretation of this jazz classic.

Earthling Society included a 15 minute cover of Alice Coltrane’s Journey In Satchindananda on their latest album, England Have My Bones, and for this single they offer up an 8 minute “Cosmic Joy Mix” of the song. The band open their homage with the same sitar-like drone as the original, maintaining the same slow melodic riff, pace and jazzy feel as Coltrane, but taking it into trademark Earthling Society heavy Psychedelic Space Rock territory. The bass and drums continually recall the original, but the guitar and alien effects are busting out in space, culminating in a cosmically acidic, surrealistically swirling finale.

Note that those who purchase the single also get bonus CD with 70 minutes of music. The CD wasn’t included with the promo so I’ll quote from the Fruits de Mer web site describing its contents – “A remix of Superfjord’s track by Astralasia, a live version by Superfjord, a remix of Earthling Society’s track by Skam label’s VHSHead, two new recordings by Superfjord and Astralasia that are inspired by John Coltrane’s music, and an epic new song by Earthling Society that isn’t – maybe it’s not such a little bonus after all”.

The single will be available late November and is limited to 700 copies. As usual this is vinyl ONLY, no CDs or downloads (other than the bonus CD). If interested you better hurry because Fruits de Mer releases sell out QUICK!

For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

The Chemistry Set have been at it a long time, having emerged as part of the late 80s UK neo-Psych scene. The band enjoyed regular airplay by John Peel and have played shows with the likes of Hawkwind and Robyn Hitchcock. Hot on the heels of their covers of Love’s A House Is Not A Motel and Live And Let Live for the recent Fruits de Mer 7 and 7 is box set, the band are back with a three song single of their own consisting of two originals and one cover.

Elapsed Memories is a bouncy toe tapper with an infectious melody, solid vocals, and a Psych infused, Power-Pop rockin’ feel. I love the orchestral, Middle-Eastern tinged finale. A Cure For The Inflicted Afflicted is a heavier rocker which manages to get down ‘n dirty without forsaking the melodic hooks that make the first listen sound like you’ve known the song for years. Dig that blazing Bluesy ending!

Rounding out the set is a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Love Or Confusion. Regular readers will know I’m a sucker for bands whose idea of a cover is taking the spirit of the original and putting their own spin on the song, and that’s precisely what The Chemistry Set do. We’re whisked off to a mountain ashram for a deliriously trippy, snake charming spiritual ride, with sitar and grooving tablas, while all along retaining that soulful Bluesy Hendrix vibe. Very nice.

The single will be available late November and is limited to 700 copies. As usual this is vinyl ONLY, no CDs or downloads. If interested you better hurry because Fruits de Mer releases sell out QUICK!

For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

To say that German space explorers Electric Moon have been prolific would be an understatement, having released a steady stream of LPs, CDs and live CDRs since their inception in 2010. Their debut album was originally released as two separate vinyl LPs on Nasoni Records in 2010 and 2011, and now Sulatron Records has reissued the two in double CD and LP editions, with the LP being limited to 500 copies.

The Lunatics set consists of two lengthy jams sandwiching one shorter song. Brain Eaters features 19 minutes of mind-melting spaced out freeform Psychedelic jamming, with fuzzed and wah’d trip guitar soloing in acid drenched space as the drums flail and the bass lays down a head throbbing groove. Songs are uncharacteristic for Electric Moon, but Hotel Hell is a dreamy Psychedelic tune with a dark Gothic flavor, colored by eerie organ and Komet Lulu doing her best Renate Knaup on vocals. Wrapping up the Lunatics set is the 23 minute Moon Love. It starts off slow and cosmically dreamy with a Careful With That Axe, Eugene vibe. We’ve got a sauntering rhythmic pulse, soundscape and quietly rumbling guitar licks, and ghostly space whispers from Lulu. Then around the 10 minute mark the pace picks up as the guitar cranks out dirty stoned chords, the rhythm section gets more intense, and the space whispers get downright menacing. When the explosion comes we’re rockin’ hard. I love the combination of searing acid-space guitar, cool looped sounding solos and deluge of effects, as it blazes along with the crashing drums and grooving bass. Monstrous!

Lunatics Revenge opens with Gefahrliche Planetengirls, which lays down a stoned dance groove and 60s organ that conjures up images of sleek, tiger adorned hippie chicks hip shakin’ in the Beat Club. But this is no mere retro sound. Between the wildly soloing guitar, organ and overall dark but grooving atmosphere it’s an interesting combination of 60s Psychedelia and contemporary Stoner-Psych with a dash of Ozric Tentacles thrown in for good measure. Lunatic is a cool grooving freeform spaced out Psychedelic excursion with lots of emotional twists and turns as the pace and intensity level rises and falls. At nearly 18 minutes, D-Tune is the lengthiest track of the Lunatics Revenge set. Right out of the chute the band lay down a steamrolling Sabbath-in-space Stoner vibe, with killer guitar that burns a corrosive trail as it peels skin off flesh and paint off the walls. The potency of the music gradually climbs to Psychedelically feverish heights, and I love how Lulu’s efx’d chants magnify the sense of delirium. Stunning! Finally, the appropriately titled The Landing is a short trippy number that closes the set.

If you missed these albums the first time around (the Nasoni vinyl is sold out) then here’s your chance to get both gems as a twofer.

To order the vinyl LP visit the Sulatron Records web site at: http://www.sulatron.com
Visit the Electric Moon web site at: http://electricmoon.de

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz