Sometimes you get a tiny feel for what it might be like to be an archaeologist scraping away at something small in the ground that turns into a major find where you keep on unearthing great stuff.
In this particular case its a treasure trove of contemporary psychedelic German music that should quicken the pulse of anyone who likes krautrock, spacerock or even mid-period Pink Floyd.
That process started a couple of months ago when I first heard a Zone Six track on Stuart Maconies Freak Zone (BBC Radio 6). That was a track from their 2003 album Any Noise Is Intentional. I did a mini-review at the time where I mentioned that, excited as I was it was tricky to track down their other work. Well, a little research turned up sources for the other Zone Six albums and also revealed a string of other albums by other groups all of which had a common theme Dave Schmidt: spacebass, synths, drums
Whats more, theyre all great!
Zone Six. Theyre an improv band in which Herr Schmidt plays bass. The first album Zone Six is from 1998 and is different in that it features an American singer (Jody) improvising over a mixed array of generally gentle psychedelic-effected instrumental tracks. Considering that the poor lass was given one take on the whole album its pretty impressive, but it is very different in feel to all of the other stuff here and, though good, is probably the weakest of the Zone Six albums and is the only one to feature vocals in any significant way. In addition I have no idea where youd get it from as I lucked into mine second-hand.
Theres a gap then to 2003s Any Noise Is Intended where the styles changed quite dramatically Jodys gone for a start. This is classic spacerock improvisation out of the Amon Düül 2 book (Phallus Dei, second LPs of Yeti and DOTL) where the guitar leads and synths do their best Dik Mik style fills , interspersed with moments reminiscent of early Ash Ra Tempel. Excellent.
The next year brought Psychedelic Scripture, more space improv but this time a rather quieter affair lead more by the synths than the guitar across three long tracks, though this doesnt mean that it doesnt rock occasionally. Excellent too.
This year they released a live album Live Wired 2004 with a new guitarist and thats brought a rather harder edge to their improvisation, and brought them back more towards the Amon Düül 2 or even Guru Guru sound. Thoroughly excellent.
Samples and more details from their official website, which includes a pile of live downloads.
Wetltraumstaunen (Space is astonished?). They are Dave and Andi Heinrich. Their first self-titled album was released in 2001 and is a delightful mixture of instrumental-only styles that fit really well together. Theres a fairly straight-ahead rock track to start with, followed by Clockline that will have any La Düsseldorf fans sitting up straight, then Kraut which is nailed on for fans of Obscured By Clouds/Meddle period Floyd. But the gem on this album is the 21 minute track Astonished .Like The Universe that builds beautifully from Schulze/Tangs synths through to a full-on fuzzed wah-wah guitar with Hawkwind-style synth swooshing finale. Wonderful.
Ive only just got their second album, Weltraumwelt (2004), and is immediately different again in that there are vocals on some tracks. I have to say that on first couple of listens, though the instrumental elements are again excellent, the vocals dont quite come up to the same standard. Here's their website
Sula Bassana. Is Dave Schmidt doing everything (or so it would appear). The only album out at the moment (another looks like its on its way) is Dreamer. The influences are the same basic building blocks as before, but this time the Floydian feel is to the fore, and indeed the last track is an improvisation of what appears to me to be a bass-line from Atom Heart Mother. Excellent. Here's the Sula Bassana website - youll notice a certain circularity here!
There were MP3 downloads on both the Weltraumstaunen and Sula Bassana sites, but there have been issues that mean theyve been withdrawn for the moment. I'd post small samples myself, but they don't really do the music justice.
Liquid Visions. From The Cube (2004) is Dave with another group of guys (who I can't find credited). This time the influences are from another part of the early 70s. Anyone who liked the guitar-driven Man/Nektar European development of the early Quicksilver/West Coast sound should love this to bits, though theres something there for Wishbone Ash fans and the track Ebola Monster sounds like a classic early Black Sabbath riff!
Theres a MP3 thats escaped the chop here, but thats not really very representative of the above album.
Where to get them? Well, in the UK The Freak Emporium has the best coverage, but Ive also used Greatest Hits (in Germany), and CDExpress (in The Netherlands). Stoner Records (in the US) also stock some of them, though I've not used them myself. Vinyl versions are available for some the above too.
I have to say that all of the above have, over the last few weeks, brought huge grins to my face. Yes, they wear their influences on their sleeves, but to me they manage to blend them in such a way that you never feel as though youre listening to mere pastiches of the originals. Neither are the effects over-done - phasing is used (but never over-used) to great effect.
In this particular case its a treasure trove of contemporary psychedelic German music that should quicken the pulse of anyone who likes krautrock, spacerock or even mid-period Pink Floyd.
That process started a couple of months ago when I first heard a Zone Six track on Stuart Maconies Freak Zone (BBC Radio 6). That was a track from their 2003 album Any Noise Is Intentional. I did a mini-review at the time where I mentioned that, excited as I was it was tricky to track down their other work. Well, a little research turned up sources for the other Zone Six albums and also revealed a string of other albums by other groups all of which had a common theme Dave Schmidt: spacebass, synths, drums
Whats more, theyre all great!
Zone Six. Theyre an improv band in which Herr Schmidt plays bass. The first album Zone Six is from 1998 and is different in that it features an American singer (Jody) improvising over a mixed array of generally gentle psychedelic-effected instrumental tracks. Considering that the poor lass was given one take on the whole album its pretty impressive, but it is very different in feel to all of the other stuff here and, though good, is probably the weakest of the Zone Six albums and is the only one to feature vocals in any significant way. In addition I have no idea where youd get it from as I lucked into mine second-hand.
Theres a gap then to 2003s Any Noise Is Intended where the styles changed quite dramatically Jodys gone for a start. This is classic spacerock improvisation out of the Amon Düül 2 book (Phallus Dei, second LPs of Yeti and DOTL) where the guitar leads and synths do their best Dik Mik style fills , interspersed with moments reminiscent of early Ash Ra Tempel. Excellent.
The next year brought Psychedelic Scripture, more space improv but this time a rather quieter affair lead more by the synths than the guitar across three long tracks, though this doesnt mean that it doesnt rock occasionally. Excellent too.
This year they released a live album Live Wired 2004 with a new guitarist and thats brought a rather harder edge to their improvisation, and brought them back more towards the Amon Düül 2 or even Guru Guru sound. Thoroughly excellent.
Samples and more details from their official website, which includes a pile of live downloads.
Wetltraumstaunen (Space is astonished?). They are Dave and Andi Heinrich. Their first self-titled album was released in 2001 and is a delightful mixture of instrumental-only styles that fit really well together. Theres a fairly straight-ahead rock track to start with, followed by Clockline that will have any La Düsseldorf fans sitting up straight, then Kraut which is nailed on for fans of Obscured By Clouds/Meddle period Floyd. But the gem on this album is the 21 minute track Astonished .Like The Universe that builds beautifully from Schulze/Tangs synths through to a full-on fuzzed wah-wah guitar with Hawkwind-style synth swooshing finale. Wonderful.
Ive only just got their second album, Weltraumwelt (2004), and is immediately different again in that there are vocals on some tracks. I have to say that on first couple of listens, though the instrumental elements are again excellent, the vocals dont quite come up to the same standard. Here's their website
Sula Bassana. Is Dave Schmidt doing everything (or so it would appear). The only album out at the moment (another looks like its on its way) is Dreamer. The influences are the same basic building blocks as before, but this time the Floydian feel is to the fore, and indeed the last track is an improvisation of what appears to me to be a bass-line from Atom Heart Mother. Excellent. Here's the Sula Bassana website - youll notice a certain circularity here!
There were MP3 downloads on both the Weltraumstaunen and Sula Bassana sites, but there have been issues that mean theyve been withdrawn for the moment. I'd post small samples myself, but they don't really do the music justice.
Liquid Visions. From The Cube (2004) is Dave with another group of guys (who I can't find credited). This time the influences are from another part of the early 70s. Anyone who liked the guitar-driven Man/Nektar European development of the early Quicksilver/West Coast sound should love this to bits, though theres something there for Wishbone Ash fans and the track Ebola Monster sounds like a classic early Black Sabbath riff!
Theres a MP3 thats escaped the chop here, but thats not really very representative of the above album.
Where to get them? Well, in the UK The Freak Emporium has the best coverage, but Ive also used Greatest Hits (in Germany), and CDExpress (in The Netherlands). Stoner Records (in the US) also stock some of them, though I've not used them myself. Vinyl versions are available for some the above too.
I have to say that all of the above have, over the last few weeks, brought huge grins to my face. Yes, they wear their influences on their sleeves, but to me they manage to blend them in such a way that you never feel as though youre listening to mere pastiches of the originals. Neither are the effects over-done - phasing is used (but never over-used) to great effect.