Zorch - Ouroboros (1975, U.K.) Psychedelic/Electronic

This album is one with a great many reference points. In some ways it is stylistically similar to electronic kraut bands such as Ashra, Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk (on Electro Flow in particular). On top of that there is a real British prog rock sophistication to the music as well, the first two songs are what I would imagine Gong or Hawkwind would sound like with just synthesizers and no live instruments or vocals. It should be noted too that there are some deep cosmic ambiences here which sound uncanilly like some modern ambient electronic music so these guys were well and truly stepping out of the shadows of the German giants. Then we have the minimal synth sounds that are quite similar to groups such as Irsol although perhaps a little less busy. Anyway whatever you want to call it or whoever you want to compare it to, it's still fantastic, relaxing electronic music that is well worth a listen.

Track Listing:

1. Mother Earth
2. Electro Flow
3. Elohim 1
4. Elohim 2
5. Elohim 3
6. Elohim 4

Download here: (Zorch - Ouroboros, 192kbps)

Anamanaguchi - Dawn Metropolis (2009, U.S.A) Chiptune

Anamanaguchi are quite a phenomenal band and nothing I've heard really comes close to their sound. NES music is one of my favourite things, to me the image I have in my head is a bunch of crazy Japanese musical geniuses sporting composition majors, very limited resources, a very narrow frame to work within and a head full of caffeine. The result was some of the most inventive and inspiring music ever composed. Cut to about 20 years later and Anamanaguchi are using the NES hardware not to emulate or bastardise the NES music they love, rather to add something unique to the same body of work. The music is overblown, fast exceptionally well composed NES music supported and enhanced by live guitars and drums. The result is pretty much a perfect combination. The inbuilt NES syntheszers play parts that would be far too cheesy and complicated for guitars while the shoegazing guitars fill in the gaps and lay the bed for the music to flow on. Finally the drums add the final element of realism transcending this music to something completely unique and inspired. Not quite sure who I'd recommend this too, some people that I thought would like it didn't and some I thought wouldn't ended up loving it dearly, at any rate I strongly recommend this release to the adventurous listener.

Footnote: These guys are the real deal and have created a website with psychedelic NES-like video clips for each song, this is definitely worthwhile: http://www.dawnmetropolis.com/

Also given this release is very new and these guys are a legitimate independent band I would feel like a bit of a dick if I didn't add a link to their website where you can buy the album:
http://anamanaguchi.com/

Given they already have the songs on the internet I'm sure they don't mind me uploading the album for your enjoyment though.

Tracklisting:

1		Blackout City
2		Jetpack Blues, Sunset Hues
3		Dawn Metropolis
4		Danger Mountain
5		Overarrow
6		Temoest, Teamwork, Triumph (At Sea)
7		Mermaid

Download here: Anamanaguchi - 2009 - Dawn Metropolis (V0).rar [47.57MiB]

Colour Haze - Colour Haze (2005, Germany) Stoner Rock

One of the finest purveyors of stoner rock I've heard. These German lads display obvious kyuss worship (a good thing) with the added intricacy of prog rock that one would expect from an adeventurous teutonic rock band - even indulging in a glorious 22 minute epic! There is a striking similarity between the overall tone of this record and that of kyuss' blues for the red sun record. I think it's largely due to the major scale jamming and hopeful yet huge feel. And yet despite this acoustic guitars and fragile clean guitar lines are also quite at home here too and there is no apparent or obvious distinction between one or the other. There is really quite a fantastic use of dynamics. It's clear these guys have taken a bunch of great influences from 70's psychedelic music and and 90's stoner rock and made something completely original yet strangely familiar. Strongly recommended to any fan of psych or stoner grooves.

Track Listing:

1 Mountain 6:37
2 Tao Nr. 43 5:26
3 Did Êl It 2:18
4 Love 9:20
5 Solitude 3:45
6 Peace, Brothers & Sisters! 22:11
7 Flowers 7:18

Download here: Colour Haze - 2004 - self titled - (Elektrohasch EH003).rar [98.23MiB]

Heldon - Interface (1978, France) Psychedelic/Electronic

This is France's answer to krautrock, melding the rhythmic aesthetic of French Zeuhl with the electronic experimentation and guitar jams of German Kraut. There are two flavours on this album. The first features juicy fat sequenced bass synthesizer parts repeated over and over with steady drums and furious guitar wailing, the execution of this is perfect and amounts to far more than the sum of its parts. The second part is more focussed on dual synthesizer battles with jamming in the background. The way these two approaches compliment each other really makes this album something special.

1 Les Soucoupes Volantes Vertes (2:26)
Jet Girl (9:49)
2.1 Part I: In New-York Or Paris, Equivalent
2.2 Part II: In South Bronx
3 Le Retour Des Soucoupes Volantes (2:21)
4 Bal-A-Fou (7:22)
5 Le Fils Des Soucoupes Volantes (Vertes) (1:47)
6 Interface—Live [Part 1] (6:19)
7 Interface—Live [Part 2] (2:04)
8 Interface (19:02)

Download Here: Heldon - VI Interface 1978 - V0.rar [106.33MiB]