SOUND VOYAGE レコード& CD

Review: Sound Voyage is a globetrotting enterprise spearheaded by Niko Schabel and Tom Wieland, which concerns itself with drawing on indigenous music from all over, fusing it with contemporary processes in a respectful, collaborative fashion. This special release brings together their "En Route To Thailand" album, included here on CD, with the 12" release of "Schattenspiel Dub". Throughout the instrumentation is rich and expressive, drawing on spiritual jazz as much as the sound of Thai folk music. Khidja also steps up for a remix of "Golden Garuda" that edges a little more electronic trickery into the tumbling, organic tones. A truly adventurous release, but also incredibly easy on the ears.

Review: Free Soul Inc. is a Munich independent record label run by Vienna based Tom Wieland aka Sound Voyage. He's also the host of Trans Europa Express Radio, in addition to his work with Les Gammas. He travels the world in search of new rhythms and sound inspirations and that is evident here - 'post-kraut exotica' for forward thinkers and a fine example of when traditional southeast Asian music meets western underground electronica. The two tracks featured here are taken from their recent long-player named En Route To Thailand and features a dub version of "Schattenspiel" on the A side - a deeply hypnotic and mystical journey. On the flip, go deep into the exotic with Romanian indie-dance duo Khidja as they inject their trademark style of psychedelia into "Golden Garuda".

Review: Niko Schabel and Tom Wieland make for a wonderful duo when it comes to explorative rock music. Between them, they have collaborated with legendary groups like Embryo, 7 Samurai and Les Gammas, but their objective as a duo is to explore the world in search of new and exciting rhythms. En Route To Thailand is their debut album under this alias, and its ten tracks must make it into the best of 2018 - and we're only in July. Slow-burning beats that hint at house music are wrapped around marvelous swarms of poly-rhythms and otherworldly sounds, some of them native to Thailand and others totally created in the minds of the two artists. It is indescribable music with the power to change styles and visions for artists beyond the 'kraut' space. Future house.