Category: psychedelic rock

Golden Cup – Vagabond (2012)

“Three tracks of hazy, stoned drifting psychedelia. The opening track takes up the entirety of side one, a slow-burning improvised trance-like piece with Can-style rhythms, wibbly synths and guitars building up to a frenzied finale. Reminicent of all manner of drugged out early ‘70s kraut-jams there’s an oddly Celtic feel to it. Track two is completely different, opening with a heavily echoed bongo-like sound there is fluttering flute and birdsong. Track three is similar with tribal-ish percussion, droney sitars and wandering psych guitars and a drifting, hazy almost underwater vibe. A three track stormer of semi-improvised, tripped out celestial psych-drone to while away these hazy summer evenings.”

Bandcamp

Mushroom – Cream of Mushroom (1998)

“Never make the same album twice – this seems to be the band’s motto up to now. So their huge musical output is basically derived from improvisational sessions comprising a thrilling blend of styles in total. Where acid psych folk is the fundament, they often combine this with jazzy respectively canterbury moments reminiscent to Gong/Daevid Allen and Miles Davis. Mostly provided with a trippy atmosphere the albums can be considered as really special. The rich instrumentation includes diverse ethno percussion instruments. Due to the band’s experimental attitude they are even sometimes classified as a krautrock outfit.”

Het Droste Effect – Het Droste Effect (2011)

“Het Droste Effect from Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Tracks ranging from repetitive robotrock to calm ambient to psychedelic kraut and space rock, infused with field recordings and special guests on bass, moog, vibraphonette, saxophone and monotron. Inspired by many great bands from the past and the present, Hermann (guitar/engineer) & Thompson (drums/percussion) set out to create a sound of their own. Het Droste Effect go on to have a jazz-inspired jam that fuses influences from the extended freestyle freeform funtimes of bands like the Grateful Dead.”

Bandcamp

Psycho – Live at Viljandi (1976)

“Psycho plays an important role in Estonian prog, and was one of the most aggressive and innovative bands of the day. During its heyday of 1976-77, the band played an aggressive form of instrumental prog with a lot of improvisation, much like the Wetton-era of King Crimson. Many of the tracks were as ambitious as the aforementioned prog kings, such as the ethnically-influenced odd-time wonder “Raja 21/8” and many others. No other Estonian band matched these guys in their improv prowess; rather, not many bands around Europe during those days managed that feat either.”

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