Back in stock: Psych/Garage Rock

Review: In the forty-two years since the release of Ege Bamyasi, no-one has done as much to blend the spheres of experimental rock music and the avant-garde than Can, whilst also maintaining a hip-shaking primal pulse and delivering a radiant wash of kaleidoscopic sound that defies classification. Ege Bamyasi still stands as one of their crowning achievements, and one whose spooky reverberations have made their presence felt throughout a mighty chunk of the rock and dance music of the decades that have followed. An otherworldly masterclass for the ages.

Review: Wewantsounds have got a first-ever reissue of Meiko Kaji's Hajiki Uta album with original artwork and new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha who actually spoke to the artist for the occasion. Film fans will recognise 'Urami Bushi' which was the theme song for the Female Prisoner Scorpion series which was used in Kill Bill Vol 2, while 'Onna No Jumon' was also the theme song for Female Prisoner Scorpion - Jailhouse 41 film. The rest of the record features atmospheric moments and sombre singing over slow-burning grooves, some funkier sounds like 'Hitori Kaze' and plenty of innovative sounds in between.

Review: Opa's Back Home was first reocrded in 1975 but not released until 1996; it was the fourth and final album by the esteemed Uruguayan fusion band, whose preferred admixture was usually some melted pot of funk and samba, making for an impressive heuristic building on their intuitive recalling of their mutual upbringing in South America. Mysteriously (for reasons unknown to the band), Opa's debut was shelved and remained so until the mid-1990s. But the story goes that it was recorded after renowned label producer and owner Larry Rosen heard the band playing in a Brooklyn nightclub; with this in mind, Back Home makes for an ironic title, since the sonic turn expressed by the band is not one of homesickness, but rather that of an immersion in New York's metamorphous music scene ('Brooklynville' has an instant proto-hip-hop vibe, if not for its original urban field recording, then certainly for its bulbous broken funk twang). Now reissued on vinyl and CD via Far Out, you won't want to miss this round trip.

Review: Paul Osborne, the mastermind behind Project Gemini, delivers a majestic body of work that seamlessly blends folk rock, psych soundtracks, and hazy cinematic funk. Colours & Light exudes a growing confidence and ease, reflecting Osborne's maturation as an artist. With a more layered and diverse sound, the album shines brightly with Osborne's global influences and collaborations with other musicians. The album's theme, developed through introspective lyrics inspired by insomnia, relationships, and the human condition, is expertly woven into a mesmerizing soundscape. From acid folk to psych-funk, the album incorporates elements from various cultures and scenes, resulting in a kaleidoscopic sonic experience. Overall, Colours & Light is a testament to Project Gemini's artistic growth and ability to create a rich and immersive musical journey that resonates deeply with audiences.

Review: We really have a soft spot for the Four Flies late out of Italy. Their mix of world, Latin, library, jazz and plenty of other cultured in-between sounds always brings a smile to our face and dancers to our dance floors. This new 7" takes the form of a second single to be taken from Psyche's (aka Naples collective Marcello Giannini, Andrea De Fazio and Paolo Petrella) debut long player which is due in May. It's a compelling cut that offers a rich exploration of rhythm and the movements of an imaginary ritual dance. Synths and drums, guitar and bass and percussion all interplay delightfully.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Rail Band are one of the most legendary bands in Malian musical history, and like all great legends their greatest moment was fleeting. This incredibly heavy, soulful and hard-grooving record was released in 1973, when the official orchestra of the Malian State Railway decided to enter the studio and lay down their potent blend of Western funk and surf, Mande tradition and Afro-Cuban percussion. The band was led by trumpet and sax player Tidiani Kone and Djelimady Tounkara on guitar, but in the iteration captured on this album they also featured future stars Salif Keita and Mory Kante on vocals. Shortly after, Keita and Kante eloped to embark on hugely successful solo careers, but for a brief moment in 1973 one of the greatest African guitar bands of all time created a perfect storm of West African storytelling and smoking hot grooves.

Review: Berlin-based Saturns Drive is a project by New Zealand-born DJ and producer Elfy, and is one that takes its cues from a world of early sci-fi, exotica and library music, as well as coming on thick with cosmic disco synthesizers, Italo grooves and lush arps. His latest outing 'Next Stop Nebula' also brings in slide guitars and retro digital synth sounds over the top of rhythms that owe a debt to the 90s. It's a fresh and new sound that makes for expansive, immersive listening and transports you to an imagery, sun-kissed world where gentle grooves like 'Next Stop Nebula' and 'Bride Of Frankenstein' await for a nice laid-back party.

Review: Estonian-based label RR Gems is on a mission to present music that carries on a rich tradition of "free form, experimental and jazz" sounds. It does that here with dynamic Helsinki sextet, Soft Power, who have a style that ranges from jazz-rock to psychedelic jazz, always with exuberant musicianship and eclectic energy. Raw Bites is another exceptional outing that challenges conventions without ever losing sight of a compelling groove in amongst the cosmic sounds and noodling melodies. Walking bass brings bluesy qualities to some tunes and others are epic sonic adventures a la Sun Ra.

Review: Top Sounds digs into the garage rock archives and has turned out some real treasure. The Syn were a short-lived but now cult outfit that, in 1967, released just two 45 rpms for the Deram label. Ever since then, fans of them and 60s rock alike, have fawned over them and collectors have paid high prices to own them. Now they can for a much more reasonable fee with this reissued 7" featuring the jaunty melodies and vocal harmonies of 'Created By Clive' and faster, harder more psyched out 'I'm Following You.'

Review: Paying tribute to the iconic SEX shop run by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren in the punk heyday, Stranger Than Paradise once again delve into the mythical selections from the store's jukebox for a second compilation. As with the first round, it's Marco Pirroni from Adam & The Ants and Siouxsie & The Banshees making these selections, capturing the sounds heard between 1974 and 1976 by the impressionable young ears who would go on to shape the punk explosion. From The Animals to Max Bigraves, Nico to Burundi Black, this is a unique portal into the build-up to a world-shaking cultural movement.

Review: Weirdo guitar visionary Frank Zappa released his acclaimed fourth LP 'Waka/Jawaka' in 1972, after the phrase appeared to him miraculously on an ouija board. A pinnacle of jazz fusion, near-classical orchestral influences and prog rock, it serves as a lesser-known sequel-ish to the generally agreed classic Hot Rats. It's also a shining example of time signature-core, with the moustached axe mage modulating all manner of tempos like it's nobody's business, also setting a high bar for what would eventually become post-rock in the process.