edgar froese RIP

The sad news of Edgar Froese's death in January seemed to slip by quite unnoticed, sorry to say by us anyway. The founder, supremo and only constant member of Tangerine Dream died suddenly of a pulmonary embolism in Vienna on the 20th.
Froese was one of the renowned names of the late 60's and early 70's. Tangerine Dreams 1973 album 'Atem' was named as Album of the Year by British DJ John Peel and heard regularly on his night shows in the UK and which consequently led to them being one of Virgins Records early signings. Under Froese's direction the Tangerine Dream career path eventually produced an eye watering 100 plus albums, a number few artists can ever have reached in their lives.

'Phaedra', the second album and first for Virgin Records was a UK top 20 album hit and one of the first commercial albums to feature sequencers which came to define not only the band's own sound but a new era in music, not only for the record company, but what could be heard as the beginnings of Krautrock, also helped define the Berlin School of electronic music, and in later years what was to become new-age and electronic dance.
They were one of the first real world recognised names pioneering the use of the Moog synth and various electronic instruments, and Froese one of the few people who've have had such an influence on one particular genre of music and the many musicians who followed. (Steven Wilson, stated that Tangerine Dream was one of his influences to make his music, and often cites Zeit as his all-time favourite album).
"Since the 90s, Tangerine Dream have also recorded cover versions of Jimi Hendrix' Purple Haze (first on 220 Volt Live) and The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby, Back in the U.S.S.R., Tomorrow Never Knows, and Norwegian Wood. (The band name inspired by the line "tangerine trees and marmalade skies" from The Beatles' track "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".
WIKI ARTICLE).
All being prominent influences on the young Edgar Froese at the very start of his life in music and of which his legacy goes on to this day.
Here is "Zeit" (1972 ) and 16 minutes of another world.
So long Edgar.

turn on, tune in, to 'the united states of america'

Esoteric Records have recently put out a re-release of one of the 60's real cult obscurities. This short lived band, if that's what you could call them in the conventional sense, were better known here in the UK for a track on a CBS sampler "Rock Machine Turns You On" from 1968. The track "I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar" by the equally oddly named 'The United States of America'.

The only album they ever released, and subsequently failed to sell, was the self titled "The United States of America" has now steadily gained wider recognition over the years and acknowledgement for it's importance in the left field world of psychedelic and avant garde rock of the 60's. That and the highly collectable price that always goes with these rarities. An original and even rarer copy in it's plain manilla sleeve which wrapped the cover preferred by CBS (pic below) is now hundreds of dollars as most owners of the album at the time tore that off to get at the record inside.
And if today's 68,000 YouTube hits on one of their songs had been transferred to sales at the time the story might have been different. As it was this group of like minded musicians and vocalist Dorothy Moskowitz very soon found they were rather more of unlike minds and they folded after a failed attempt to tour and promote their debut album. The gigs had a rough start with equipment failures due to the amount of gear, there were all ready power plays in the band for leadership and to top that lot off they were all busted for Mary Jane during the tour.
The performances they did actually produce were best described as more performance art than all out rock.
But what this lot did leave behind is something of a unique experience in music of the day.

"...at a time when there was a receptive audience for “underground music” which combined musical experimentalism with radical social and/or political lyrics – other examples, in their very different ways, including the Velvet Underground (who shared a common background in the New York experimental music scene; according to Moskowitz, Nico at one point tried to join the USA), Frank Zappa (whom Byrd considered a niche-marketer "subsumed in a self-referential loop", Love's Forever Changes, Country Joe and the Fish, and Jefferson Airplane".
WIKI ARTICLE

This album is completely uncompromising. You'll lock into the goings on in one track and then find yourself thrown in a collage of distortion, hard rock, avant garde electronic the next. One minute marching bands colliding with fuzz keyboards and delicate singing. And unusually for the day not an electric guitar in sight apart from the fretless bass.

Here's a short track called "The Garden of Earthly Delights" and possibly the most conventional in terms of psychedelic rock on the record. Below that is the full album.
The remastered re-release on Esoteric (part of Cherry Red Records) has extra tracks and various printed ephemera. Get it from here

craig padilla and 'sonar'

Fruits De Mer are building the electronic music section of their label very nicely. Another high quality recording, this time a double album 'Sonar' by Craig Padilla.
Padilla has been evolving this his electronic symphonies for some years now. You'll recognise the sound instantly. This clip has that compelling "Rainbow in Curved Air" Terry Riley vibe and the modernist electronic composers of the 70's influece. It'll be those vintage synths that do it everytime.

'Sonar' is a compilation of recordings by Craig Padilla from 1996 onwards, none of which have appeared on CD or vinyl before. Although they span nearly 20 years of recordings, Craig and I selected them to provide a consistent feel across four sides of listening -- music influenced by the kosmische sounds of the 70s, but fed through 21st century equipment. Immerse yourself.

And it's not difficult to immerse yourself in this clip from 'Sonar'. And below that the Tubular Bell like 'Velvet Moon'
All the order details are here

imogen heap's magic hands

This looks like good fun. Imogen Heap has a Kickstarter campaign underway for the funding of her rather excellent musical 'Mi.Mu' gloves. No need for musical training here the gloves work by movement and flex or gesture of the hand, a bit like a super theremin.
Here's Imogen demonstrating the operation at her home/studio. Very nice thank you.

And below that Imogen at her day job singing "Rollin' And Tumblin'" with the equally magic hands of Jeff Beck who doesn't really need such devices when creating sonic sounds. From the explosive 2001 Beck album 'You've Had It Coming'

a minibus of pimps

Looking through the decades at the various music projects of John Paul Jones you have to conclude it must make him one of the most prolific musicians and artists there's been and in many forms of music. Just over the last decade he's been seen featuring in some of rocks most colourful bands. Guesting on a several festival appearances with Seasick Steve where his playing only intensified Steve's charecteristic blues. Shortly before that teaming up with 'Them Crooked Vultures' where his presence alongside Josh Homme brought out some of Homme's strongest work in songwriting and performance. There's been Foo Fighter engagements. Peter Gabriel stuff too.
You might say John Paul Jones has a very positive effect on those he works with.

Of course there's been years of experience during the halcyon days of Led Zeppelin, but you add that to all the other work he's produced and no one can say that Jones is a one trick bass player. Compare his musical diversity and output for example with his Zeppelin buddy Jimmy Page. It really doesn't compare.
And although they similarly both began as session players in the 60's Jones also arranged as well as recorded with a mighty lineup of artists. It's enough for now just to say that it was Jones' string arrangement on the Stones' "She's a Rainbow" on the 'Their Satanic Majesties Request ' psychedelic album that might come as a surprise for some not aware of how far Jones' influence has been. There were many other artists he worked with during that decade.

His latest project is also proof for a man fast approaching his seventies he's picking music that is still both challenging and diverse for himself as well as the listener.

Minibus Pimps is a duo featuring John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin's legendary multi-instrumentalist), and prolific electronic musician, improviser and producer Helge Sten (Deathprod, Supersilent), which has existed since its first performance in 2011. This unique and unconventional UK/Norwegian collaboration is named after a track discovered on a compilation of Chinese experimental music (a street recording of people who work the crowd to fill taxis in Beijing).

So how does that work then? Well one listen to this piece from their latest recordings 'Cloud To Ground' reveals that Jones and Sten will be unlikely to enter the billboard top 100 with this new creation. Think they care? They do not. They are going to stick a sonic lightning bolt in your ear and then move that minbus of pimps on. Because that is what John Paul Jones does. Be prepared pop-pickers.
The album comes as an LP (180 gr black vinyl) and CD inserted, with cover art made by Are Mokkelbost. It is also available for download at Itunes and other download-outlets.

the electronic fantasy of klaus johann grobe

'Krautrock' is just not a good enough description for Klaus Johann Grobe. This Zurich duo have a crazy oblique way of describing their music, or is it that stupid translator again...
"Synthesizers, drums and bass cannot try to say what many do not understand".
But good sound is good sound and these guys don't need to spell it out. We get it.
"Koordinaten" (that's "Coordinates") is a remarkable piece of European electronica with all it's inherited sounds and the addition of some fantastic vocals. The video they've had produced for this track from their self titled EP is a stunning piece of high quality montage made by their friend and video artist David Elsener. Very few projects are so thrilling or so beautifully coordinated (as it were). Just do some more guys.
"Everything is Klaus Johann Grobe. Everything is Duo. Everything is modern. And everything is today."
You bet Klaus JG. And they've got loads more stuff on Soundcloud. Get it here.

here comes the sun flare

Mind blowing NASA video of the recent two powerful X-class solar flares erupting off the upper left side of the sun with a soundtrack by German ambient composer Lars Leonhard.

boards of canada

After an 8 year silence 90s electronic duo 'Boards of Canada' have resumed work with the release of a new album 'Tomorrow’s Harvest' on June 10th .
If you find the clip below confusing yet have an inquiring mind you might like to visit their website to learn about the Record Store Day Incident > here, where you will be further challenged and enlightened by Hint 1 ------ / ------ / ------ / 936557 / ------ / ------, and other inventive game play.
The static at the beginning is intentional.

kraftwerk

A tribute to Kraftwerk the godfathers of electronic music, and the Tour De France that made history today by finishing in Paris with Bradley Wiggins the first UK rider to ever win the yellow jersey.
OK so it's only sport, but we got bikes in The Garage too. Make sure you have.