SPOTLIGHT 10

13/03/2024 09:08

Welcome to the Spot Light. Check out the latest psychedelic, cosmic, prog, freakbeat, folk, kraut, experimental, jazz, drone, mystical, and avant-garde sounds! https://www.shinybeast.nl/blog

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PSYCHEDELIC/PROGRESSIVE/FOLK

BLACK FLAMINGO - AN-NUR (BLACK) (LP/SUBSOUND)

'An-N?r,' "light" in Arabic language, is The Black Flamingo's first LP. Six tracks that go across obsessive rithms, lysergic journey and stoner blows. 'An-N?r' is also the title of the single, a long trip of black holes and solidarity with Palestinian people. The LP has been recorded in Rome, in the Cinque Quarti studio, under the patient supervision of Lorenzo. The Black Flamingo is a stoner-psych instrumental trio, which vibes among space and desert, with a rotten attitude. The band is formed in Rome, literally in the spaces of 30 Formiche club, by Erio Destratis (guru and housekeeper), Tiziano Giammichele (Camion, Cielo Drive) and Mattia Lolli (the Whirlings). Erio soon leaves for a nomad life and his bass is taken by Matteo Nuccetelli (Mad Roller).

BLACK RAINBOWS - CARMINA DIABOLO (CD/HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS)

First digipack repress ever of the original 2010 album edition of the sophomore album for the Italian heavy psych/stoner fuzz trio.

KITAJIMA, OSAMU - BENZAITEN (LP/EVERLAND PSYCH)

'Benzaiten' (1976) is an album which is called Osamu Kitajima's masterpiece by many aficionadoes of 1970s progressive rock, with its mixture of haunting Japanese folk elements and skillfully played spacey rock music that takes you on a spiritual journey to the center of your mind. A legendary yet long lost crown jewel from the late 70s Japanese progressive rock scene available again, this time with original insert and original Japanese obi art.

SANGRE DE MUERDAGO - O VENTO QUE LAMBE AS MINAS FERIDAS (LP/NEUROPA)

Limited to 400 copies on marbled vinyl. Every copy has a unique colour combination. Sixth album from the magick folk druids! Taking it where they left it with their previous album 'Xuntas,' Sangre de Mu?rdago are back with what's probably their more personal album. Adding extra twists, even more progressive melodies and tearing emotion. This album has been recorded as a trio.

TOTH, JAMES - DEMON STATIONS (LP/FERAL CHILD)

This LP contains 11 previously (and mostly - certainly in these forms) unreleased home recordings and demos from a 10 year period between 2012 and 2022. Titled 'Demon Stations,' it's a beautifully seamless collection, mercifully saved from the relative oblivion of Bandcamp/digital only demos. Many of course know James best from his Wooden Wand moniker, alongside his work with the likes of Michael Gira and Thurston Moore etc., then one would hope 2023's 'Birthday Blues' 33 artist tribute/comp covering songs from various points of James career (feat. Meg Baird, Lee Ranaldo, Six Organs of Admittance amongst others) will only have raised his star further.

TRAUM (ITALY) - TRAUM (BLACK) (LP/SUBSOUND)

Traum are Luca Ciffo (Fuzz Orchestra), Lorenzo Stecconi (Lento), Luca T. Mai (Zu) and Paolo Mongardi (Zeus!). Traum 's first album is the result of almost a month of living together in an old farmhouse, playing, improvising and sharing lives and musical passions. Through a state of presence and mutual listening, the eight tracks that make up this multifaceted album were born: music takes on different forms, guiding the listener on a journey within himself. The album is the spontaneous fruit of an impulse to communicate and explore today's reality musically, both internally and externally.

VARIOUS - BROWN ACID: THE 18TH TRIP (BLACK) (LP/RIDING EASY)

EIGHTEEN AND I LIKE IT... if you survived trips 1-17 with one tiny speck of psychedelic sunshine intact, 'Brown Acid The 18th Trip' will be your coming of age nightmare. Vintage underground '70s hard rock, coming at you from bizarre angles, local scene wasteland America when everybody was out for themselves and the drugs went bleak. The guitars kill, the attitude is twisted, even the sex is headed down the wrong road. Real people, no compromise, pure and potent. Get stoked, take the 18th Trip and know that the artists will get paid for pulverizing your soul!

VIIMA - VAISTYY MIELEN YO (LP/VIIMA)

'V?istyy Mielen Y?,' the third album of the Finnish prog band Viima was slowly worked on for 12 years, sometimes with a closer pace and sometimes with a break of several years. Some changes in the line-up took place during these years. Keyboardist Kimmo L?hteenm?ki left the band in 2011, but his playing can be heard on a couple of tracks on the album. His successor, Eric Marquis, was present at Viima's concerts. Next, Risto Pahlama, who is present on this album, took over the keyboards and the duties of the lead vocalist after Hannu Hiltula moved more in the background. As before, Hannu Hiltula (flute, keyboards, backing vocals), Mikko Uusi-Oukari (guitars, Mellotron) and Mikko V??r?l? (drums, vocals, keyboards) are responsible for the compositions on this '70s spirit album. Aapo Honkanen plays bass. The lyrics were written by Petri Hyyti? and Mikko V??r?l?.

 

GARAGE/BEAT/SURF/ROCK'N'ROLL

YUM YUMS - POPPIN' UP AGAIN (LP/SCREAMIN' APPLE)

The Yum Yums, Europe's ambassadors of power-pop are back! Their sixth full-length is called 'Poppin' Up Again' and you can be sure that whenever they have a new album poppin' up, it's gonna be a hit record! It's stacked with catchy hi-energy, guitar-driven power-pop songs, complete with sugary multi-layered harmonies and lyrics that seems to be stolen from some 12 year-old girl's diary.

 

POP/ROCK/WAVE/NOISE

SCENICS - NEW PART IN TOWN (LP/SUPREME ECHO)

Canadian proto-punk pioneers! "A rich & diversely textured sound that encompassed art punk, garage rock, psychedelia and pop, all marked by a distinctly John Cale-esque appreciation of sound and jazz-influenced avant-garde flourishes." ~Paraphilia Magazine. "New York had Talking Heads, and London XTC, but here was their equal in Toronto." ~Bob Mersereau, author of The Top 100 Canadian Albums. "These underground icons merged Television's guitar work, Big Star's pop prowess, Pere Ubu's dementia & the Ramones' urgency." ~Jonathan Cummins, Montreal Mirror. 10 songs (8 previously unreleased) from 1976 all meticulously remastered from the original analog tapes. Includes 8-page booklet with story, artwork and photos. Limited to 500 copies. Includes a sticker.

 

PUNK/HARDCORE

MAVRO GALA - TENDERNESS (LP/VENERATE INDUSTRIES)

Mavro Gala (Black Milk) is a screamo/post-hardcore band formed in Athens, Greece in 2015. Heavily involved in the DIY scene of Athens, they have toured extensively in Greece and twice in Europe. They have released an EP and three full-length albums. 'Tenderness,' their first release on Venerate Industries, is an album centered around the themes of bodies worn down by work, finding solidarity with each other through getting older and more vulnerable and getting alienated by watching your city being sucked in a post-gentrification nightmare. For fans of Birds In Row, Touche Amore, Thrice, Unsane, Deaf Kids. Comes on blue vinyl.

 

INDUSTRIAL/EXPERIMENTAL/NOISE/NEOFOLK/GOTHIC

LLYN Y CWN - MEGALITHS (CD/COLD SPRING)

Step into the shadows of ancient mysticism as Llyn Y Cwn, the maestro of Welsh dark ambient, unveils the mesmerising odyssey that is 'Megaliths.' A profound exploration of the sacred resonance embedded within stone circles, capturing years of field recordings from the silent and enigmatic monuments that stand as timeless witnesses to the ebb and flow of existence. 'Megaliths' is a ritual, a sonic s?ance that beckons listeners to commune with the ancient energies that saturate these sacred circles - an atmospheric descent into the heart of mysterious realms, where the boundaries between the earthly and the spiritual blur into an indistinguishable, haunting atmosphere. Embrace the darkness, and let the stones speak. The journey begins now. Presented in a 6-panel flood-printed digipak with breathtaking photography by the artist.

VARIOUS - FIVE SPANISH PIONEERS OF ELECTRONIC... (LP/SUB ROSA)

...AND EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC' - This LP reveals the extraordinary diversity of research - almost all hidden - by Spanish musicians in the '50s and '60s. Those pieces were composed while the country was under the tyranny of Francisco Franco. It is truly the ultimate grail, developed by musicologist Miguel Alvarez-Fernandez, he is its curator, editor and commentator. This undoubtedly marks a major step in the approach and understanding of this music which had to fight to exist before the death of Franco in 1975.

 

METAL/STONER/HARDROCK

SARFAS, PETE - SNOWBLIND IN EAST HAM 1974 (Bk/BLACK SABBATH APRECIATIO)

An A4 sized glossy book, 160+ pages, authored by former Black Sabbath Appreciation Society founder Pete Sarfas. This timely book is crammed with hundreds of colour photographs many of which come from the BSAS archives and include an abundance of behind the scenes shots. The focal point of the book is the East Ham Granada chapter when the author took multiple photographs of Sabbath on stage during their 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' UK tour. A full account of this concert and various other live performances are documented in fine detail including the momentous Alexandra Palace show in 1973. The book takes you on an exhilarating journey of extraordinary tales from the nascent days of heavy metal in the early '70s to the helter-skelter of the late '80s/early '90s when the group, beset by constant personnel changes, struck again with renewed vigour. Included in this new book are rare BSAS interviews with Tony Iommi, Tony Martin and Cozy Powell and some previously unreleased interviews with Bill Ward and Sabbath's first manager Jim Simpson, which is highly revealing. Additional special features in specific chapters analyse the early UK underground occult scene in 1970 that Sabbath found themselves entangled in when they sparred with rivals Black Widow plus a profile of early downer-rock bands many of which remained in the shadows. This sweeping book will appeal to fans from all genres and included are many never before seen photographs and unique items of Black Sabbath memorabilia. Obscure and little-seen clippings pepper the book throughout with revealing comment from Tony, Ozzy, Geezer and Bill. A rare and insightful interview with Dio is a special feature of the 'Heaven and Elf' chapter. But that is just the tip of the iceberg in a book that is a cornucopia of surprises. 'Snowblind In East Ham' comes from a unique angle. It is penned by a lifelong fan who witnessed the live Sabbath experience dozens of times and who went on to gain special access to the band's affairs when the BSAS was formed in 1988 and when working for Bill Ward in 1997 during the reunion with Ozzy, Tony and Geezer.

SATURDAY NIGHT SATAN - ALL THINGS BLACK (LP/MADE OF STONE)

Emerging like a shadow from the underground, Saturday Night Satan is an occult doom heavy metal band hailing from Greece, a country infamous for its dark metal tradition. Based on the artistic endeavors of a core duo, Kate Soulthorn on vocals and Jim Kotsis on bass, guitars, and backing vocals, who is also a member of the traditional heavy metal band Black Soul Horde, Saturday Night Satan began as a studio project. Now, it also boasts a live show incarnation consisting of experienced and long-time members of the Greek underground scene. The Athenian collective draws inspiration from the masterpiece albums of their favorite decades in heavy music, offering '70s proto-metal vibes, '80s metal grooves and riffage, and '90s heavy rock heaviness. Influenced by the occult rock movement, horror cinema, and all things dark and gloomy, Saturday Night Satan, with the release of their debut endeavor 'All Things Black,' is intricately carving out its niche in the world of heavy metal.

SUN OF NOTHING - MAZE (LP/VENERATE INDUSTRIES)

After a necessary regrouping period, Sun Of Nothing are back with the most anticipated album in the Greek underground scene. 'Maze' is a condensed core of explosive blackened post-crust metal, infused with the unique identity of the Athenian veterans. On their 4th studio album, Sun Of Nothing redefine their present status and add another solid chapter in their 20-year career.

 

ELECTRONIC MUSIC/AMBIENT/D'N'B/TRIPHOP

SELF MODIFIER - LOZELLS DRONE SURVEY (LP/POLYTECHNIC YOUTH)

Sle Modifier is the new project from Peter Duggal, the current musical partner of ex-Kraftwerk legend Wolfgang Flur. His work with Wolfgang has seen collaborations with Peter Hook, Juan Atkins, Midge Ure, Claudia Br?cken, Carl Cox and many others for the critically acclaimed 2022 album 'Magazine 1' (which reached the top of the UK Electronic Album Charts). 'Lozells Drone Survey' contains 4 intensely beautiful slow building pieces of electronica, rhythmic and richly melodic. It's a beautiful record and a fine addition to the PY canon. Pressed on lush marbled orange wax and with a sleeve continuing the labels' tip of the hat theme to the '70s BBC sound effects series of library releases, this one is not be missed...

 

SOUNDTRACKS/LOUNGE/CULT ETC

MISS DEE - SEXARAMA (CASS/EBALUNGA!!!)

In 1962, the world was buzzing with significant cultural and historical events. The Cuban Missile Crisis, a tense confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union, had the entire globe on edge as the threat of nuclear war loomed large. On July 3, 1962, Algeria declared its independence from France after an eight-year war for independence. Meanwhile, the iconic musician Bob Dylan released his debut album, 'Bob Dylan,' which would go on to have a lasting impact on the music industry and inspire countless artists. In the realm of space exploration, the United States made history with the successful launch of the Telstar 1 satellite, which enabled live transatlantic television broadcasts for the first time. This groundbreaking achievement revolutionized global communication and marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. And 'Sexarama' was released in hot nights 1962. 'Sexarama' captured the hearts and minds of music enthusiasts with its playful and lively novelty tracks. Miss Dee was another one great artist from the legendary 'My Pussy Belongs To Daddy' compilation album. Now, with the expertise of Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Jessica Thompson, this timeless classic is set to receive a new lease on life, allowing fans to experience the album in a whole new light. You never listened the album in quality better than now. Jessica's careful and meticulous approach ensures that the album's original charm and character are preserved, and push its sonic quality to meet the standards of modern audiophiles. Besides the different versions by well-known hits 'Things Are Soft For Grandma' and 'Hey, Mr. Ice Man' from 'My Pussy Belongs To Daddy' you'll find there 10 more sounds which won't let you get bored. So what about now? The beginning of 2024, the world is shivering again a tense confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union (or call it however you want to call), the threat of nuclear war is real again. Electric cars are everywhere and Elon Musk is almost on Mars. Bob Dylan is still active... and 'Sexarama' receives a long awaited reissue.

 

DANCE/TECHNO/HOUSE/HIPHOP

LARSON, DR. PETE - FIELD DRIFT 2 (LP/GREAT CORNER SOUND)

The 'Field Drift' series began as a series of synth based electronic and techno experiments from lyre psyche musician Dr. Pete Larson (Cytotoxic Nyatiti Band, Dagoretti Records, Bulb Records). These dark, murky techno tracks are minimal compositions using unfamiliar technology. Each track is approached differently, reflecting entry into new spaces from the comforts of old environments. Music is a journey and a trip through sonic lands, calling nowhere and everywhere home, wherever you are is where you need to be, but there's other places to go.

 

VARIOUS: WORLD, CLASSICAL, SPOKEN WORDS ETC

GALBI, SAMI - DAKCHI HANI/RRUINA (7"/BONGO JOE)

Introducing the much anticipated 7" featuring two standout tracks from Sami Galbi. Face A is 'Dakchi Hani,' a poignant post-breakup anthem blending ra? influences with contemporary rhythms, offering a humorous take on navigating emotions. Face B showcases 'Rruina,' a powerful follow-up track that delves deeper into darker, club-oriented sounds, pushing the boundaries of Swiss-Moroccan ra?-chaabi fusion. Seamlessly transitioning from the raw synths and bouncing rhythms of 'Dakchi Hani' to the tension-filled atmosphere of 'Rruina,' this vinyl promises a captivating journey through Sami Galbi's musical evolution. With each track tailored for the dancefloors, this vinyl release is poised to explode with energy wherever it goes.

OIUN, OIDUPAA VLADIMIR - DIVINE MUSIC FROM A JAIL (CD/EBALUNGA!!!)

Oidupaa Vladimir Oyun was a Tuvan musician and a man with an amazing, but really heavy destiny, a man of unbending will and divine talent and the creator of a unique style of throat singing, accompanied by playing the button accordion. Researchers described Oidupaa's style as blues and emphasized the complexity of this style of performance, which requires the singer to exert a lot of tension on the vocal cords. This is the author's unique version of the deepest and most powerful type of throat singing - the Kargyraa. Oidupaa spent 33 years of his 55 years of life in prison - in fact, this album was recorded in prison. Oidupaa himself claimed that his conflicts with Soviet legislation were slander, which often happened with other Tuvan artists of that time. During his imprisonment, Oidupaa Vladimir became a believer and glorified God through his songs, thereby creating an unprecedented combination of Tuvan throat singing and Christian tradition: "With all my voice, throughout the whole universe, I glorify you, my Heavenly Father - among distant people, among near people, through the channels mass media, through the TV screen, through a cassette recorder, in prisons and camps, I glorify your name, my Heavenly Father!" Oidupaa's style is pure freedom of creativity and self-expression. His style of unconventional performance of throat singing delights both professionals and musicologists, as well as the common listener. Often living on the road, he found listeners and admirers everywhere. Performing at train stations among crowds was his distinctive feature. In the early '90s, thanks to a caring fan from Japan, the artist gained some fame and gave concerts in Sweden and Switzerland. After returning from Switzerland he was arrested and imprisoned for 15 years. During this prison time, according to Oidupaa, he achieved true mastery. He claimed to have brought his music to total perfection, in a way that no one would be able to copy his style in the next hundred years. In prison his mastery in musical performance and immersion in faith and revelation of the spirit were fused. It was in prison wherehe reorded his nowadays iconic album. In terms of his level of performing skills, Oidupaa was undoubtedly a unique musician. Oidupaa's immersion into the depths of his music and his emotional energy can hardly come just out just from a human, it comes much more from another dimension. It's an unprecedented giftedness of God and nature, strongly affected by a extremely hard life. Oidupaa is a man from other spheres, in which own concepts and values apply. It's a tragedy that this man, having freedom as his main value, was again and again deprived from it in prison. From time to time, performers appear on the Tuvan stage who attempt to copy Oidupaa in the manner of playing and performing Kargyraa. The presence of imitators is a sure sign of the exclusivity of Oidupaa's creative personality and uniqueness. Twelve years after the death of that talented man, Ebalunga!!! wants to honor his memory and bring his music back to today's audience with an 25 anniversary re-release of his only full-length album, 'Divine Music From Jail.' The record was remastered by Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Jessica Thompson.

 

Blog

Previous editions:

06/03/2024 10:32 SPOTLIGHT 9

27/02/2024 07:31 SPOTLIGHT 8

19/02/2024 16:36 SPOTLIGHT 7

13/02/2024 08:19 SPOTLIGHT 6

06/02/2024 09:02 SPOTLIGHT 5

29/01/2024 17:52 SPOTLIGHT 4

22/01/2024 19:20 SPOTLIGHT 3

16/01/2024 08:42 SPOTLIGHT 2

09/01/2024 07:33 SPOTLIGHT 1

19/12/2023 08:48 SPOTLIGHT 50

11/12/2023 19:25 SPOTLIGHT 49

05/12/2023 08:38 SPOTLIGHT 48

28/11/2023 08:07 SPOTLIGHT 47

20/11/2023 17:59 SPOTLIGHT 46

14/11/2023 08:08 SPOTLIGHT 45

07/11/2023 08:13 SPOTLIGHT 44

31/10/2023 08:17 SPOTLIGHT 43

24/10/2023 08:10 SPOTLIGHT 42

17/10/2023 08:51 SPOTLIGHT 41

10/10/2023 08:30 SPOTLIGHT 40


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