Cosmic Cheese

Kwan Jai & Kawn Jit Sripajaan - Advice Column for Love Troubles

2010-02-19T01:46:00.000-08:00

Piero Umiliani - Hard Times & Chaser

2009-11-19T18:08:00.000-08:00

Hard Times (1974)

One of my favorite 1970s Italian Soundtracks. This song sounds like it could have been an outtake from David Axelrod's Seriously Deep, also released the same year as this hot-steaming-bubbler. Umiliani, a rather prolific Italian soundtrack composer, produced the music for most of Luigi Scattini's erotic-milky dangler-detective movies; Il Corpo was the final, fantastically sleazy film in Scattini's erotic trilogy. Short, spares, playful guitar solos, a bassline that would make Miles Davis grunt and a deeply slick Gene Hackman-esque working class-downtown-man-string arrangement (2:08) adequately prepares me for hard times in my near future aka not having enough money to buy a double gin & tonic tonight.

Chaser (1974)

Also from Il Corpo: Music for women who cheat on their man.

Can - A Spectacle

2009-11-03T00:42:00.000-08:00

Can - A Spectacle (1979)

A late, late Can jam. I had no idea that even after "Soon After Babaluma" they created music for planets to have sex to.

Q-Tip recently put this track to werk:

Thanks to Jonathan for hippin' me to this.

Airto Moreira - Uri, Peasant Dance & Return to Forever

2009-11-03T00:02:00.000-08:00

Airto Moreira - Uri (1971)

Airto Moreira -Peasant Dance (1974)

Airto Moreira - Return to Forever (1972)

A crunchy percussion orgy from Brazil's most talented extraneous shell and maraca shaker. As legend has it, Airto's peppery voice and cuica playing is said to penetrate directly into the Eye in the Sky, while simulatneously reaching the depths of the underworld; reaching even the most loathsome and malignant of castaways.

Hubert Eaves - Painful Pleasure

2009-10-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

Hubert Eaves - Painful Pleasure (1976)

This track is just glossy enough to make me slip on the Arsenio pants and holleur "watch out neoahh" to high waisted girls; yet creamy enough to savor in my monitors. Jerhi Curl vibez w/ Mtume, Reggie Lucas and Howard King.

George Duke - My Soul

2009-10-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

George Duke - My Soul (1972)

Pull yr girlfriend out of the closet and deflate her on your carpeted dance floor.

Keith Jarrett - Clavichord Improvisations

2009-10-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

From "Book of Ways"

Henri Texier - Kan ar Labour

2009-09-30T01:49:00.001-07:00

Henri Texier - Kan ar Labour (1979)

A fantastic folky-jazz tune from his last solo/multi-tracked album from the late 70s.

Soft Machine - Live on French TV (Out-Bloody-Rageous)

2009-09-19T02:30:00.000-07:00

Lynn Dobson rarely played with Soft Machine. I believe he only recorded on "Third" although he could have done other studio work with them in the early 70s. The groove that Hugh Hopper and Mike Ratledge ride-out is only 24 bars on the original recording of "Out-Bloody-Rageous" but is here extended into six minutes, allowing Lynn Dobson to play a wonderful extended solo.

Keith Jarrett - Mortage On My Soul (Wah-Wah)

2009-09-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Mortage On My Soul (1972)

This track demonstrates that Mr. Jarrett can rip it on a soprano sax (1st solo) while playing over one of the hardest bass lines Charlie Haden ever recorded.

Le Orme - Evasione Totale

2009-09-01T03:25:00.000-07:00

Evasione Totale (1971)

Before they got noodly and a tad too sugary.

Spectre - Arkham

2009-08-11T15:02:00.000-07:00

Spectre - Arkham

Space colony takeover music

The Esso Trinidad Steel Band - I Want You Back

2009-08-11T14:55:00.000-07:00

I Want You Back

A great steel drum cover of the Berry Gordy and Alphonso Mizell classic

Chris Rae & Frank McDonald - Night Moves

2009-06-27T16:45:00.000-07:00

HOARD

RIP Hugh Hopper

2009-06-10T04:27:00.000-07:00

One of the finest electric bassist to ever play. I was immediately attracted to his simple and poignant bass playing. I think it was "Kings and Queens as well as "Drop" and "As If" from Soft Machine 5 that most acquainted me with his style. Unlike a lot of musicians, he's able to say a lot while playing few notes. His groovy-ness was unlike many of the other bassists who played fusion in the early to mid-70s: no slapping and no ostentatious presentation. Aside from being a superb bassist, he was one of the few people who experimented with tape-delay manipulation. Around the same time as Steve Reich and Terry Riley, Hugh Hopper, (who seems to get little recognition for manipulating live samples via reel-to-reel tapes) made sound scultpures that can be heard on Soft Machine's seminal album, "Third," along with his first solo release, "1984"

Hugh Hopper - Hopper-tunity Box (1976)
A medieval march song from his second solo album. Includes Gary Windo and Elton Dean

Soft Machine - Kings and Queens (written by Hugh Hopper)
from "4"

Alan Gowen & Hugh Hopper - Morning Order (1982)
A beautiful blend of cascading synths and robust electric bass, from their album "Two Rainbows Daily"

Aleke Kanonu - N'Gwode & Mother's Day

2009-06-07T05:05:00.000-07:00

N'Gwode (1980)
An extremely rare afro-beat/funk album featuring Wilbur Bascomb on bass. Before recording his self-titled album, Aleke performed with Stanley Cowell and recorded on his '75 Strata-East release, "Regeneration." No other information seems to be obtainable about his musical output or his current location - his one and only album release; all the tracks are heat.

Mother's Day (1980)
A beautiful and sparse percussion track with pidgin mutterings and lush piano chords.

Marva Broome (Art Ensemble of Chicago) - Mystifying Mama

2009-05-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

Marva Broome/Art Ensemble of Chicago - Mystifying Mama (1972)

7 inch release - it currently sells for a ridiculous amount of money.

The Discotheque pt. 2

2009-05-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

Alex - Flying High (1977)

Alex is the name of Norwegian disco princess, Alexandra Sandoy. I came across her music upon noticing that jazz drummer, Jon Christensen was listed playing on several tracks off her self-titled album. As an ECM record freak, I was a bit shocked to see Keith Jarrett's drummer boy playing percussion on disco tracks and thought that perhaps it was a different Jon Christensen - it sounds like it could possibly be a common name in Norway, but for that one other person that might care, my own dutiful research confirms that it really is him. I can't say that I ride for most of the album, although you have to commend Norway for trying to make disco heat in the icy tundra, a sly persuasive move to simultaneously get hundreds of toe heads under the disco ball. Glamour!

The Limit - She's So Divine (1 982)

Fortunately, the guitar rift and synth solo heavily outweigh the cliche chorus.

Karisma - Got You Dancing (Instrumental) 1976

Funky, funky, funky, damn, and Karisma only released one single. If anyone knows more music they released or side projects they had, please inform me! Apparently, it has been released and re-released on several great record labels including SAM and Patrick Adams P&P records throughout the 70s and 80s. I've never heard it in a mix, on a compilation or played live, that is, until I stoarted makin people poarty with it. Fresh.

William Sheller - Introit

2009-05-08T03:38:00.000-07:00

Introit (1972)

Apocalyptic opera voices , window shattering strings, Carol Kaye era David Axelrod basslines, twangy sounding Jean Claude Vannier guitars, slow Sahara dessert drum breaks...murderin music.

Dan the Automator ripped this track for "Deltron 3030" peep:

Jan Garberak - Beast of Kommodo & Afric Pepperbird

2009-05-01T03:40:00.000-07:00

Beast of Kommodo

Afric Pepperbird

An early release for the Norwegian saxophonist on his home label, the mega-jazz fortress ECM. "Afric Pepperbird" was released in 1971 and at this point in history ECM had not yet slipped into the slick, polished, and atmospheric gloss that tends to be the sound of most of their contemporary releases. Terje Rypdal, who released several Miles fusion influenced records in the early to mid 70s along with Jon Christensen stand as a testament to the period when ECM had the jazz balls to release raw music. The icy Norwegian sound that established Garberak as a saxophone stylist is not present on these early recordings. Instead, Coltrane's influence, which most young saxophonist echo, is greatly heard on both this recording and "Sart," the Quartet's other album released in the same year. The unappreciated bassist Arlid Andersen sounds like a funky tractor or something - meaty, greasy, yet magnificently smooth. He lays down dirty lines that would make even David Sanborn crack his neck and Rza tweek.

Chick Corea Killin' It

2009-04-28T04:30:00.000-07:00

"Spiritual" Music pt. 1

2009-04-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

Part 2

Yatha Sidhra - Meditation Mass (1972)

Spiritual Blessing

Pharoah Sanders - Elevation (1973)

Spark from the Infinite (Part 2)

Terry Riley - No Man's Land (1985)

Gol-e Gandom

Lloyd Miller - Oriental Jazz (1965)

"Spiritual" is used here in the loosest sense. Although, for many people spiritual music simply means recording flutes, tablas, sarods and dangling bells. I don't see how those instruments are in anyway spiritual, if we mean spiritual beyond the fashionable Westernized fast-food version of spiritual, as meaning Oriental. But for this post, that's exactly what I aim for.

Ikenga Superstars of Africa - Greedy Man

2009-03-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

Greedy Man

Led by Vincent Okoroego, the Ikengas were a fairly popular "highlife guitar" group from Nigeria. Like many African groups in the 70s and 80s, they created upbeat, bouncy music to enliven the spirits of attracted customers at market stalls throughout Nigeria - Africa's form of market commercialism. Broken and "pidgin" English sharply cut into the groove and the soft, smooth Congolian guitar rift sounds like the source of Paul Simon's imperialistic replication of African music during the 80s.

MPB pt. 1

2009-03-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

Nega

Farinha Do Desprezo

Toc

Letta Mbulu - Mahlalela & Melodi

2009-03-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

Mahlalela
Melodi

From her 1970 release, "Letta"
White people, cleanse yourselves in the waters of primordial neck-crackin music

Pharoah Sanders - Pharoah

2009-03-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

Harvest Time

Pharoah Sanders 1977 album released on the obscure label, India Navigation is by far his rarest and perhaps most beautiful album. "Harvest Time" fills up the first side of the record and contains some of Sanders most lyrical and forward tenor sax playing. Bathing in the atmosphere of lush chords from Tisziji Munoz's echoing electric guitar, Pharoah arises from the waters and glides on top of Munoz's motifs, caressing the majestic soundspace with lovely interpentrating soliloquies that bounce back and forth with bassist Steve Neil (sounding like Dave Holland) to then travel off into the cosmos to make love with some funky godhead residing inbetween Sirius and Torgious.

Gruppo Di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza - The Feedback & Seguita

2009-02-28T11:20:00.000-08:00

The Feedback

Seguita

Gruppo Di Improvvisazione was Ennio Morricone's jazz/avant-garde/classical group throughout the 60s and early 70s. The group's style changed in the early 70s from Stockhausen-esque possessive soundscapes to dry drum breaks with screaching trumpets and guitars. "The feed-back" is considered highly as an Italian avant-garde classic. 'The feedback' showcases Ennio Morricone sounding off a flat trumpet that fits perfectly with the cold and cacophonous intermingling of instruments. "Seguita" is from 'Gli Occhi Freddi Della Paura' (Cold Eyes of Fear) a dramatic action movie Morricone soundtracked in 1971. The song spawns images of tall, dark men in black suits running through damp streets and narrow alleys. I haven't seen the movie so perhaps my mental image isn't too far from Morricone's theatrical intention.

La Kabala - El Cumbanchero & Miami Beach

2009-02-25T17:45:00.000-08:00

El Cumbanchero

Miami Beach

La Kabala was a funk group from Peru who performed early Santana-style music, but with more sincerity, swing, and with better keyboards. This record is pretty rare

Jean Cohen-Solal - Concerto Cyliq

2009-02-22T02:31:00.000-08:00

Concerto Cyliq

A theme song for alien visitations
Apprehending knife fights in Paris
and secretly yappin diamonds from a rich Parisian

The Bayan Mongol Variety Group - Bayan Mongol

2009-02-18T22:24:00.000-08:00

Bayan Mongol

Thanks to Waxidermy for informing the world about this track. It's a Mongolian rock record! When was the last time you thought about Mongolia? Ghengis Khan? Maybe you have an image of Julia Roberts riding horses in the lush countryside, like I do? I dunno. When I played this for a friend he asked, "Mongolia? What? is that a country?" Supposedly this was released in 1981 but recorded sometime in the late 60's, it certainly sounds like it. I'm not sure what the rest of the album sounds like, simply because it's nearly impossible to find and nobody has posted any other tracks from it. Hopefully they will in the future and then I can post them for you. "Mongolian psych-funk" ooooooohhhhhhhhh, get steamy.

San Ul Lim - It was probably late summer

2009-02-18T22:10:00.000-08:00

It was probably late summer

S. Korean psychedelic rock that makes dudes drop turds with ease

Ronnie Von - Voce De Azul

2009-02-16T19:51:00.001-08:00

Voce De Azul

Ronnie Von is still a huge star in Brazil. Known now for his work on reality T.V. shows and other commercial work. In the late 60's he released several great psychedelic albums. Prior to his psych-sound, he recorded mostly Beatles covers and some other cheesy stuff. The four albums released from 1967-70 are largely considered classics in the genre, fortunately he was able to have a period of success making great music.

Phirpo y sus Caribes - Feliz Porque Regreso A Casa (Happy Cause I'm Going Home)

2009-02-15T04:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Cause I'm Going Home

Caetano Veloso - Nine out of Ten & It's a Long Way

2009-02-14T05:36:00.000-08:00

Nine out of Ten

It's a Long Way

"Nine out of ten movie stars make me cry. I'm alive. Know that one day I must die. I'm alive."

I usually attempt to post rarer songs, but hopefully these will get a pass!
Caetano Veloso as many know, is a huge musical figure in Brazil. Along with Gilberto Gil, he pioneered the Tropicalia movement that fused psychdelic-rock with samba and bossa nova elements. For most Brazilians, posting this song is probably the equivalent of an American posting a Bob Dylan song, considering he's called the, "Bob Dylan of Brazil."

"Transa" was the album that made him largely recognized after the Tropicalia explosion.
It was the first album he made upon his return home from exile in England, hence the title. This album has a bittersweet appeal - sparse arrangements, beautiful melodies and mournful lyrics. It contains very little residue from his early recordings that were full of heavy percussion, fast rhythms and aggressive political lyrics. His political opinions can still be heard, similar to his self-titled (Irene) album recorded a year prior while in prison. His political opinions continue to to be hidden, or perhaps exposed, through metaphor such as "The Empty Boat"and the leading track from Transa, "You Don't Know Me." His tone is somber and distant. Veloso's hostility is held within poetic imagery and passive aggressive lyrics that seem to both stifle his lyrical expression and yet vividly reveal his position as a musician censored by the Brazilian government, the object of his subdued verbal attacks. He celebrates his country and mourns for it, but he knows better than to suggest any ideas for how it should change. Although Veloso didn't record in English before he was exiled, he did record several songs in English while in England. "Transa" is the album that represents his acceptance back into his own country, a return unto his family, friends and fans, so its curious that he chose to record most of the album in English. It must have been a way for him to continue pinching the tits of the Brazilian government .

Os Brazoes/Lula Cortes E Ze Ramalho/Satwa

2009-02-12T00:37:00.000-08:00

Tao Longe De Mim

Fuzzy sunshine from Os Brazoes (1969)

Trilha De Sim (1975)

Satwa

An acid folk project from Lula Cortes recorded around the same time as he was making music with Ze Ramalho

Ersen - Done Sevdigim

2009-02-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

Done Sevdigim (1974 Turkish Psych)

Dude has serious swagger

Blue Phantom - Equilibrium, Compression & Distillation

2009-02-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

Equilibrium

Compression

Distillation

Tasty stuff from a band that did a lot in 1971 and very little after. It's a popular record for psych nerds to collect and the first two pressing (Italian and British) sell for about $100-200. The music is somewhere between Ennio Morricone-style Italian soundtrack music and traditional fuzzed out psych-garage music - fuzzy soundtrack music? The songs that I posted have the most cinematic stylings from the album, some of the other songs sound like they were made with a psych rock-cookie cutter that was collectively shared within Europe in the early 70s. Not a good look. Fortunately most of the album is good looking. Like a young Burt Reynolds.

Sabu Martinez - Nus & Afro Temple

2009-02-01T00:41:00.000-08:00

Nus
From Winds & Skins 1978

Afro Temple
From "Afro Temple" 1973

DON'T SLEEP MY SALMON

Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta & River

2009-01-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

Streets of Calcutta
(Every car door i open and walk out of, every time i shake a man's hand, every time i drive a convertible car through the tunnels of Europe, this song plays in my miiiiiind)

The River
(for my reflective posture mode)

Famous album from India's sitar-funk king

Arica - River & Rock

2009-01-29T11:35:00.000-08:00

River

Rock

Arica was a meditation group from New York City who recorded two albums of improvisational music. The first self-titled album was released in 1971 and the second called "Heaven" which the two tracks posted above are from, was released in 1972. I've read that they were pretty serious practitioners of several mystical traditions. It wasn't just a bunch of ritzy people trying to pay for enlightenment. I'm not sure how music related into their religious practice, if it was an aspect of their rituals, an integral element of their practice, or if it was an extra circular activity outside of their religious domain.

Arik Einstein - Dark, dark

2009-01-27T09:15:00.000-08:00

Dark, dark

A beautifully arranged song from the popular Israeli musician's rarer early release, "Capricorn."

Hailu Mergia and The Walias - Yemiasleks Fikir & Musical Slit

2009-01-26T20:02:00.000-08:00

Yemiasleks Fikir

Musical Slit

Stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupid Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare.

Not like I own an original copy or anything, but still.

1970s Ethiopian Jazz w/ Mulatu Astatke

Bobby Hutcherson - Ntu

2009-01-26T19:41:00.000-08:00

Ntu

Word up to Simon Steezhoard for playing this for me.
I've never really gotten into most of Bobby Hutcherson's albums. Perhaps because he tended to play with jazz musicians I had little interest in. He played a lot with Harold Budd in the late 60s and early 70s, in a time of tremendous momentum that motivated jazz in directions that were once seen as outside the parameters and inaccessible to jazz musicians - Bobby Hutcherson chose to play with Harold Budd. Eeeek, I dunno, its kind of like neglecting to submit to a Coperinican view of the universe and instead withdraw from its fresh and profound insights and stick with the old world-view, the traditional one propagated by the Church. That probably reads as geek-drama-jazz-nerd shit, but still, much of Bobby Hutcherson's stuff has kind of that "10 years ago" vibe. It wasn't until the mid 70s that Hutcherson found a groove, Montara, the album after "Linger Lane" has some great moments.

Jon Hassel - Dream Theory

2009-01-26T19:28:00.000-08:00

Dream Theory

If sea creatures ever have a dance party that unites all the underwater Beings. I hope the Dolphins play this so they can show the Swordfish how the Molluscs jive the Tuna Fish.

William Onyeabor - Better Change Your Mind

2009-01-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Better Change Your Mind

"America do you ever think this world is yours? Russia you ever think this world is yours? You China you ever think this world is yours? And you Cuba do you ever think this world is yours?"

Some Ghanian moog funk from the late 70s.

Tony Williams - There Comes a Time

2009-01-21T00:11:00.000-08:00

There Comes a Time

The end of my high school years and the beginning of my college ones consisted of listening to a lot of post-Miles Davis influenced jazz fusion. Along with a heap of friends, we would regularly and enthusiastically chat about records released thirty-five to forty years prior, as if they were newly reviewed pitchfork media albums. The musicians who no loner play in the jazz/rock style that we adore had little bearing on our affection for the sounds they produced in the late 60s through the early 80s. A close friend introduced me to this Tony Williams track that was compiled on his "Best of..." cd. It wasn't until a year or two ago that I finally listened to the original release entitled, "Ego." A bit shocked, that we jazz nerds listened to the first and second Lifetime records but never placed "Ego" on the turntable or mentioned it in conversation. Although critics seem to regard "Ego" as trite and aesthetically indistinguishable from other jazz-fusion rock records in early 70s, "Ego" which isn't an entirely interesting listen, is buoyed by "There Comes a Time"- the closet thing i've heard to a blisteringly funky love ballad. Tony Williams, who sings on the song, sounds like an earnest and perhaps unqualified second string background singer - expressing honesty, sincerity, and an unpretentious evocation of charity and love.

Kim Jung Mi - Toward the Sunlight

2009-01-19T20:10:00.000-08:00

Toward the Sunlight

I believe this is a somewhat common record in South Korea but it's rare to come by in the U.S. I've been recently listening to a lot of Korean-pysch rock/folk music from the 70s...and this has been one of my favorite tracks that i've come across during my lonely nights of Korean psych research and record digging : (

Enjoy the beautiful song

A.K. Frimpong - Kyenkyen Bi Adi Mawu

2009-01-17T08:43:00.000-08:00

Kyenkyen Bi Adi Mawu

Ghanian Psych-Afro beat burner alert!

I had read that most Ghanian's know of this song - it was a popular political anthem of sorts in the 60s/70s. What can Americans say about their popular political songs of the 60s? Don McLean's American Pie? John Lennon's Give Peace a Chance? - Smut. When it comes to cultural songs that re-present an era or movement or whatever America can't hold a turd to anyone else.

I don't believe this has even been on a compilation. I guess Gilles Peterson missed this on his paid trips to Africa.
Peep the price: Popsike

MRR-ADM (MHE)

2009-01-13T15:19:00.000-08:00

MRR-ADM - A1

MHE - 007

MRR-ADM A3

These sample based musicians are from San Diego and they KILL it. Their music sounds live - I bet many question if they even use samples, although as far as I know (I spoke to Adam from the group a couple of years ago) the music is completely created with samples- using obscure records and heavy drums to form cinematic head-nodding tunes.

Originally signed to L.A/Orange County's Sound in Color label, they are now working on a full length on Stones Throws subsidiary Now-Again records. The first track is from their 10 inch record that is selling upwards to $100 after pressing a limited amount some months back. Originally called MHE (Machines Have Emotions) they changed their name due to confusion with other people supposedly claiming to be in their group. The second track is from their limited 7 inch released a few years ago. The third song is the third track from their newest release. Their sound is grimey, minimal and infectious - sample-based hip-hop psych instrumentals. They also have an awesome website: www.dirtydrums.com

The Discotheque pt. 1

2009-01-06T02:43:00.000-08:00

Japanese Pop Joint

My friend Nick hipped me to a mix of rare Japanese funk songs. The entire mix was lovely but this song stuck out most. It's on some foreign-high-school-love-affair vibe. I could see a Japanese version Zach Morris bumping this in his '84 Camero - sunglasses on, windows down, feelin ace that things are solid with Kelly. Ghey, i know. Supposedly the singer is speaking about feeling nervous around a girl he likes and is to chicken to talk to her.' For some odd reason they use the famous Yes horn stab sample towards the end of the song, i dunno, it seems unnecessary but some how it seems to add lovingly to the songs existential narrative. A parody on its own divisive song structure. If you're ever in Denton, Texas you might possibly see the Sun Club playing this melancholy pop song along with other disco joints in one of the various glossy clubs around town. I've yet to track down the artist or album - mysterious cheeseball.

Asha Puthli - Space Talk

Asha Puthli is an Indian singer who not long before releasing this single was recording with jazz legend Ornette Coleman on his 'Science Fiction' album. She made a successful transition from free-jazz vocalist to disco diva. This song was her swan song and was played out most famously by Larry Levan at the Paradise Garage in the mid-late 70s.

Pam Todd - Let's Get Together

Another Patrick Adams produced sure shot. The man made only incredible disco throughout the 70s, separating himself from a lot of the mediocre crud that attempted to follow suit. His signature squiggly synths aren't noticeable in this song like they are in most of the other songs he produced during that time period. Mr. Chinn from Rong Music made a fantastic edit: here

Brian Bennett - Name of the Game

2009-01-04T23:22:00.001-08:00

Name of the Game

If you ever drive on the L.A. freeways then you would know that they can completely mess with your conception of time. I've never had a single phenomenon (i.e. driving a single stretch of highway) be completely stretched and warped like the activity of driving in L.A. A two mile stretch can take anywhere from two minutes to two hours to drive. Of course traffic is the deciding factor. But even at midnight on a weekday cars flood the roads and it takes more time than one may suspect to drive only a couple of miles.

I recall one night driving on the 10 at three o' clock in the morning from Santa Monica to Downtown L.A. (around the 110 interchange) about a fifteen mile drive that usually takes two or more hours during rush hour and at least forty-five minutes when it isn't rush hour. In the middle of the second play of Bennett's "Name of the Game" I arrived in downtown, in about seven minutes. The feeling was like suddenly finishing a 200 page book in five minutes when it usually takes several hours --a feeling of transporting around time, rather than as a classical object traveling through it. It was a clear experience of relativity and recognition of the mind's mechanical attempt to structure experience wholly by the static and classical notion of time.

I honestly don't know what "library" album the "Name of the Game" was released on. He recorded for Burton music, KPM and many other library outfits throughout Europe in the 70s and 80s. Its been released on different compilations and has one of the funkiest synth-bass lines I've ever heard.

Dig it.

Harumi - Hunters of Heaven & Hello

2009-01-04T22:35:00.000-08:00

Hunters of Heaven

Hello

A psychedelic outing from the Japanese musician who traveled to America in the mid 60's and released this album with the help of producer Tom Wilson. The album contains many great fuzzed out moments but the two tracks that most stand out: "Hunters of Heaven" which contains a funky violin rift sampled by Diplo fame on "Florida" before he started making b-more, house, and oversaturating the house/electro music market with bland remixes. And "Hello" a psych burner sampled by Edan...if i remember correctly on "Beauty and the Beat." But I think the most memorable moment on Harumi's self-titled album is the 25 minute "Twice Told Tales Of The Pomegranate Forest" which contains a koto with warped efx and several San Francisco cats talking about their mystical experience - I presume with help of LSD since it was the 'dope' drug of the late 60's. Although, they could have been students of Gurdjieff, Swedenborg, Suzuki, or the Upanishads. But I somehow doubt it.

Tune in, Turn On, Drop Harumi funk bombs

Silhouettes - Lunar Vision

2009-01-04T21:55:00.000-08:00

Lunar Vision

I remember playing this in my car for a friend of mine who grunted and screamed all the way through. "Ohhhhhh shiiiiit, AHHHHHH" it certainly deserves the reaction. When I first heard this, another friend played it for me, and I pictured some obscure tribe in the jungles of Brazil with rusty analog gear to be responsible for this gem. But it's actually a group of five ghosts from L.A. "Lunar Vision" is as far as I know from their only album "Conversations with The Silhouettes" released in 1968. Most of the other tracks on the album have a west coast cocktail lounge vibe. Like a psyched out version of Sinatra - ehhhhhhh. This track is by far the album's best moment.