Back from Berlin

I've just got back home from one of the best weekends i've ever had. We flew out to Berlin saturday morning and got back monday morning. Danced all night Saturday at the club and peddalled around Berlin for hours on the Sunday, met some great people and saw the city in full. We also were asked to play Heaven by a friend of ours which turned out to be one of my favourite gigs we've ever played and here is a song that can try and show you how good this weekend actually was..



Not much is known about these guys other than they are comprised of the core members of Can - Schmidt, Karoli, Leibzeit and Czukay and this single was recorded for a strange political satire film called Agilok & Blubbo on vogue records, this is all second hand information but i think it's all pretty reliable. The boring shit aside there is something so endearing about this single, the other side is so obviously the origins of Can and the other for me is one of those songs. I find it hard to describe but when you hear something like this you feel completely isolated from the world, just sitting in my room bit of a gloomy day watching the camberwell traffic move two and throw, this record is every bit of happiness for me, it's insane, beautiful and so full of life, the transition between a beautiful young frau's hypnotic vocal and the 2 seconds of frantic sound make this song just that little bit better than everything ever (for now). My favourite music has that transition between chaos and beauty, something my old man and i always used to talk about, it's the tension and character given to a song when it isn't always rosie, you discover there are dark sides to this blooming meadow which has grown in front of your eyes, there is more than what meets the eye. Even though this song presents 2 seconds of what i would call chaos for perhaps need of a better word it only suggests not tells, it suggests the darker side which makes listening to it that much more interesting. Songs like Le Diable by Shusha and The Machine is Bored With Love have that same unbelievable transition and contrast, good and evil. How a chord change can suggest millions of different things. I don't know whether i want to go outside or sit inside and play this on repeat because this record gives you that feeling, the feeling to want to go out and discover everything you haven't yet, find people to share this music with personally, play it to everyone who's interested. This may all sound cheesy as stilton and you probably have no interest in how this record makes me feel but i think it's important i put this on this blog because it sums up for me like every post i put up times and experiences i have that i value and Berlin was abso-fucking-lutely one of them. Enjoy!

Intricate Blend

Intricate Blend - Insane



As sad as it may sound for the last couple of nights i've been cutting my computer music collection in half as shuffle manages 9 times out of 10 to play me some absolute wallop i've uploaded. I mean some of the songs that come up don't even have the right to be considered music let alone be put on a compilation. Although, something good has come out of it, have a listen to this record..

Jaanejaan dhundhta phir raha

From the film Jawani Diwani R.D Burman and Kishore Kumar play Jaanejaan dhundhta phir raha which is for me one of the most beautiful things I've heard in a very long time. I've had yet another of those moments, sitting back head in hands at what was blaring out of the speakers. To some, Bollywood soundtrack music strikes no chord and i think jars a lot of people but to others, it's one of the most exciting, passionate, creative forms of music that has ever existed. Whether you're into Bollywood sounds or not i would seriously recommend giving this record a chance. It has a charm that i haven't heard matched, sure there is some beautiful stuff some brilliant experimental funked out psychy stuff but for me, this record has everything i ever want on any record. Almost Billy Strange strings with the trademark rolling Burman beat, the vocals leave me breathless, the arrangement is fucking beautiful, it's a complete song, you forget bits exist until they come in again sounding better than you remembered them. When he returns to the original vocal line, it hits you so hard. Big wow. Perhaps this song doesn't do much for you but for me it is everything i've ever wanted.. Enjoy...



And here is the brilliant video, couldn't publish this post without having the video!By the way i WILL be ripping off that delayed flute.

Neil Krug And Joni Harbeck's PULP

I originally stumbled across these images whilst i was looking for a picture for the post beneath this one for Tamikrest. I wanted a completely unrelated photo to the band that sort of reflected how i heard them in an image. So as i was a bit drained and feeling lazy i wrote (of all things) 'Desert Psychedelia' into google images and this is what turned up. Absolutely stunning! Like stills from a Jadorowsky film or something. Shot with old polaroid film the photographers Neil Krug And Joni Harbeck are releasing a high end coffee table art book entitled 'PULP art book and prints'.

These images are so beautiful, if the prints weren't so expensive i'd buy the ones i've posted. To accompany these images i've decided to have some serious far out psychedelia from Pure Jade Green, a record i'm about to have pressed up onto acetate. Have a listen and see if you can see my logic for choosing it. Fucking incredible record! Ride on, into the sun.



















I'm getting them all!

The Psychedelic Sounds Of Mali

Tamikrest, from Northern Mali are being dubbed as ‘the spiritual sons of Tinariwen’. They are maybe a bit inspired by Tinariwen but in my opinion, shit all over them. I do usually hate it when bands with so much behind them are explained and twinned with other bands through marriages and one night stands or bands romping together creating bastard sons. I suppose it is a good way of describing someones music because of it's simple 'to the point' and easy to grasp style but i don't think it gives the band you're describing any where near enough credit, especially when they write songs like this.

The first and only Tamikrest track i've heard 'Adagh' brings to light colors, shapes and feelings you rarely see or experience on most modern records. The entire sound of the record is so rich and layered that it's like the music (i imagine) you'd hear in your dreams after swallowing your last drop of Iowaska. But shit, these guys are 18 and 19 years old! This is what the desert must do to you. Far out psychedelic sorcery of the purest kind, their backwards guitar drones and vocals have a real mysticism. It is the sound i've been chasing since i was given Damon's Song of A gypsy LP when i was 15 for my birthday. It has this Spiritual, loner, dark, hypnotic, almost occult tripped out psychedelic sound. But like most music i love, i haven't the foggiest on whether it's even close to any of the above because i have no idea what Tamikrest are actually saying, which always reminds me of a brilliant bit in the 'Shawshank Redemption' when he says:

"i had no idea to this day what those two italian ladies were singing about, truth is, i don't want to know, some things are better left unsaid. I like to think they were singing about something so beautiful it can't be expressed in words and makes your heart ache because of it".

it's exactly how i feel about listening to Serge, Morricone with Vocals, Francoise and thousands of other weird and wonderful foreign records that give you that feeling. 'Adagh' has that i think.

And one final thing before i actually let you listen to the record. Toureg musicians are the coolest looking mother fuckers on the entire face of the earth!

S.C.U.M Signals: PARIS

Our third offering unto you of our latest Signal. Paris for me was a really strange one, we walked for hours looking for a late night drinking den in Montmarte the night before and had absolutely no luck whatsoever. We woke up a bit knackered and we went on the hunt for flea markets and antique shops, we managed to find a brilliant place around the corner which in the door sat a propellar for a heinkel and a bit deeper in there was a whole box and shelf full of brilliant victorian theatre costumes. By the time Tom and I got back to the studio Huw had written this piano line. Enjoy!

La Route De Salina

Christophe - La Route De Salina OST





Speechless, just bought the 45 of this. So beautiful. No words to describe, so powerful. THE DRUMS AT THE END WITH THE VOCAL AND THE DISCORDANT HARMONICA/SAXO SOUNDING THING!!!!!!!! FUCCCCKKKKKKKINNNGGGG HELLLLL. I can't believe it. What a record.

A Minute To Pray A Second To Die

I was in rough trade yesterday and the kid behind the counter stuck this on. Flesh Eaters are one of those bands i always always see written places, so familiar with the name but never heard any of it. I was so happy to hear it because i was in rough trade looking for something like this. I'd of never of known to pick it out and would of had to of lived without it. Sooo, I asked him what it was as soon as it came on. Here is some info on them http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flesh_Eaters_(band), see what you think..



If you're into this then here is the download link via the Mfdownloads website:

http://www.mediafire.com/?ndyzjezinut

International Psych Mix #1

For the first in the series we have Swedens own Jens Lundstrom. An international psych and freakish new wave mix just for you...



http://www.laplanetesauvage.com/soundfiles/10march/TrueSoundsOfLove.mp3

01 ALAN DELL blue sound of love (France)
02 WAITESSES clones (Usa)
03 MOTHER SUNDAY midnight graveyard (Switzerland)
04 HOLGER MUNZER sing little bird (Germany)
05 THE OUTCASTS winds escape (Usa)
06 CHAQUITO the good the bad and the ugly (Uk)
07 JASON CREST black mass (Uk)
08 LOS SEARFINS lucy go home (Uruguay)
09 INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS skeletons (Usa)
10 MEMBERS BLUES BAND p s elic (Sweden)
11 BJÖRN FAMNE vampire (Sweden)
12 EDDY LOUISS baby chorus (France)
13 LOAD CONTROL words of wisdom (Belgium)
14 JIMMY AND THE MUSTANGS ruins of time (Usa)
15 PORTER WAGONER the rubber room (Usa)

Bag Of Spiders

Slumber Party



Slumber Party are a brilliant band, Played to me by a friend years ago, i always forget about Slumber Party, then they crop up somewhere and i realise how fucking good they are. I'm in that mood today so i'm going to rough trade to pre order a few singles and see if i can find anything worth buying. Here are three tracks from Psychedelicate.

Bag Of Spiders


Never Again


I'm Not Sad


This whole album is amazing, here is a download link via the take the pills blogspot

http://takethepills.blogspot.com/2009/02/slumber-party-psychedelicate.html

My New House #3

Here i am at my third place of residence. Here it is, forever at the right temperature and always in this beautiful summer night light. Anywhere but a flat in camberwell at the moment.

Basically, it's not worth describing this place without music to accompany it. Who else could provide the soundtrack other than Ennio Morricone. My favourite record of all time, technically not a record but a c.d my mum had when i was little. Ennio Morricone singles collection. If i could i'd invite you all round to this marvellous place and listen to this in it's entirety i really would, just so i could see your reactions as you heard this music. This c.d is the soundtrack to my life, in every situation.

Sunshine in france in a little caravan in the middle of nowhere my mum playing this so loud out of the double doors, lying down in ruskin park, headphones on watching the ducks and the over enthusiastic tennis players, falling asleep with your girlfriend after a long night forgetting you have GCSE's the next day or listening to this music with your old man at christmas. But now, overlooking what i imagine to be an american town in somehwere like colorado, martini in hand, dapper as steve mc queen in the thomas crown affair beautiful woman by my side this on in the background. (get real).



I will not stop until i have every single one of these incredible tracks on record. These songs will follow me forever and hopefully if you don't already know and love these records they will you to. Like most of the best records on the planet they create the feeling of extreme happiness and following close behind, the inevitable feeling of intense sadness with a change of key or beat of the drum. I hope this post doesn't come across as soppy but more as an introduction to music that has no definate place, music that lives above everything although soundtracks to films and written around an idea they unlike a lot of the films prevail and are pieces of the most gut wrenching, heart pounding beautiful music that has ever existed and stands alone, able to create thousands of different atmospheres and scenarios in your head that even the original scenes the songs are featured in are just one of the many things this music could be set to. I once saw on the sky arts channel, morricone playing i think one of these songs in Venice, it was pretty tacky the videos that accompanied them but one of the women he had come on stage and sing with him was unforgettable. Dressed in what i remember, a red gown with the biggest fucking sleeves you've ever seen, arms outstretched belting out the most beautiful chanting chorus, i was pretty absorbed until my grandad said " how the fuck does she wipe her arse in that".

La Moglie Piu' Bella


L'Assoluto Naturale


Sambravi Desiderare


Sauna


Plume Di Cristallo


Violenza In Attesa


Come Un Miracolo


Lei Se Ne Muore


Come Guiletta & Romeo


Let me know what you think...

Le Stelle Di Mario Schifano

Hello everyone. This week i have for you a record that will turn you inside out. A record a fellow freak unleashed on me and my old man recently.

Le Stelle di Mario Schifano's Dedicato a.. a record with a story that your everyday oddball psych lp doesn't. This record depending on how fucked up you like your sounds will have no mercy on you and your flower friends. The first side is out and out screaming, shouting, fire breathing psychedelia. Almost like This Heats peel sessions in the beginning few minutes and in others what i imagine would have happened had The Dirty Filthy Mud's 45 'Forest Of Black' been unedited and left to fry for another grueling 15 minutes. YES, THIS IS EVIL MUSIC! Avant Garde acid fuckery! Deep down in some Turin basement this arrogant fuzz freak artist was conducting this shit! MONSTER! Keep with this song no matter how strange the beginning is, i wasn't joking when i said this was fire breathing. Put it on and do what it says in the title, let it become a soundtrack for your thoughts, don't concentrate on it like you would a normal song, let it creep in and out of your conciousness, read a book or do as the title says..

Le Ultime Parole di Brandimante, dall'Orlando Furioso, Ospite Peter Hatman e Fine (da Ascoltarsi con TV accesa, Senza Volume)
And that translates to “The Last Words of Brandimarte, as taken from Orlando Furioso, with guest Peter Hartman; which should be listened to with the TV On, but the Sound Off”. Genius!



In my opinion the other side has nothing on the first in it's tyrannic style but in it's own right it has a really cool sound, sort of like a lost tropicalia lp in places, maybe a tad conventional but these are the two i really like on the second side.

Molto Alto




Intervallo


See the tropicalia reference? The rest of the lp is pretty good too if you liked that.

Check out stelle di mario schifano on Julian Copes Head heritage, the guy has everything, you think you've found something and he's already on it! Brilliant blog. The story behind Schifano is excellent. Anyone that fucks over Jagger is a star in my books!

Heads up to Paul Drummond for this one!

My New House #2

This week i've moved here, in fact i've bought several properties by the same architect (artist).

“Charles Harper painted homes designed by Rudy Hermes as photomontage backdrops to introduce the 1960 Fords in November 1959's Ford Times magazine... ‘the ultimate in prefabrication since it has no footings or foundation.’”—Dwell.





I decided to have the one and only cosmic spaceman Bruno Leys head up this post. His eerie sounds and funked up rhythms illustrate more or less my new houses in my head, it's the only place to be when listening to these songs. Only problem was I didn't know whether to dedicate a blog post to Bruno Leys or to Rudy Hermes, i think they both pretty much compliment each other perfectly!

Maintenant Je Suis En Voyou


Hallucinations


And a download for one of the best canadian psych numbers http://www.divshare.com/download/10676691-4a9

Track Of The Week #5

Bikini Kill - New Radio



By far one of the coolest fucking songs ever written.

Into My Mind

Death Valley Sleepers



A discovery past over by a friend that came as a bit of a suprise. I could try and describe it but i think it'd be a bit pointless, not sure about one or two of the songs on the myspace but i'd seriously reccomend checking this guy out. Not the most original sound but Into My Mind ticks all the right boxes, brilliant vocals and a great song to tempt the sun to come out and shine.

Into My Mind - Free Download

http://cowbell.fm/track/169499-death-valley-sleepers-into-my-mind

His Myspace

http://www.myspace.com/tobiaswinberg

Cheers Yvonne