handwrist – The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

As we celebrate Christmas on the Julian Calendar this day, I thought it nice to share with you an album I found from a Portuguese composer called handwrist, working in the medium of psychedelic, progressive and drone rock, perhaps with lo-fi touches, basing his compositions on the aforementioned Forty Martyrs Continue Reading

Richard Dawson – The Ruby Cord

Richard Dawson’s latest album is a fascinating listen.  It mixes vocals that could fit in well with English folk, psychedelic rock, prog and AOR music, while being musically underpinned by something that could almost pass for freak folk at times, while falling back now and again on progressive rock structures.  Continue Reading

Various Artists – 紫​氣​東​來 Purple Haze From East Vol​.​1

French label WV Sorcerer Productions 巫唱片 offers a pretty amazing collection of Chinese psychedelic rock bands, some still active, some gone, but all make pretty powerful listening. From the label’s Bandcamp site: “集中國各地十個迷幻搖滾樂隊和實驗音樂人的優秀作品,曲目總時長超過兩小時,展現中國地下獨立音樂新風景,帶你徜徉於虛實之境間。 Featuring the selected works of ten psychedelic bands and experimental musicians from all over China, including veteran Continue Reading

Sula Bassana – Nostalgia

Though he have nearly 20 years under his belt with this band, I have to admit that I never heard David Schmidt’s music until this evening.  Sula Bassana’s latest release, Nostalgia, is a gloriously slow wade into space rock.  It’s heavy, sludgy, and exactly the sort of thing that I Continue Reading

Sound and Voice – That Which is Unknown

This has to be one of my favorite psychedelic folk releases since the heyday of bands like Charalambides.  Merit Medrano is an Austin-based guitarist and leader of Sound and Voice, which is, apparently, his latest musical project, implying that he’s been a busy soul for some time now.  The music Continue Reading

Peter Brötzmann / Keiji Haino Duo – The Intellect Given Birth To Here (Eternity) Is Too Young

Two of the greatest legends in free jazz and psychedelic rock, Keiji Haino and Peter Brötzmann, join forces after a long while in this four-album noise-fest.  My understanding that the vinyl pressing on Black Editions, which includes a 3-inch CD, is long sold out, which is unfortunate, but a standard Continue Reading

Steve Kilbey – Of Skins and Heart (Acoustic Sessions Vol.1)

I don’t think Steve Kilbey of The Church needs much of an introduction, but it’s been awhile since I’ve heart what he’s been up to.  This album shows him playing an acoustic set based on The Church’s second-finest album, and the recordings are of sparse, but warm and stunning quality.  Continue Reading