THOUGHT BUBBLE – UNIVERSE ZERO
(CD/DL from https://bubble.bandcamp.com/)

TRACE IMPRINT – THE GOOD EARTH
(Various formats, soon to be available from https://traceimprint.bandcamp.com/)

Late July, and an old man’s fancy clings desperately to the idea of summer. By which of course I mean the stubbornly elusive sort that lasts for days, if not weeks on end, and not just the occasional pleasant morning before the next Atlantic front billows in. Frankly I’m disappointed that a new government, elected on a ‘change’ agenda, hasn’t made this its number one priority.

But I digress. What we have here are two releases that in different ways evoke the spirit of summer and the sights, sounds and smells of the season (that’s festivals and like-minded gatherings to you and I).

Thought Bubble are Nick Raybould and Chris Cordwell, formerly of Glowpeople who were mentioned frequently and fondly whenever they graced us with material to review. But where each well-received Glowpeople release could with practice be reasonably anticipated stylistically, Thought Bubble seem to evolve and wrong-foot the listener with successive releases. This time the blighters have thrown in a real-life vocalist. Peter Gelf. Then there are the neo-psychedelic techno beats, both prominent and varied, while simultaneously often nuanced. ‘No Hiding’ is a groove-some little number that nods the head and taps the foot. So far so Thought Bubble.  ‘The Angel in the Loft’ and ‘Their Own Scars’ are more reflective, the instrumentation markedly more restrained and are a case of less is more, both haunting and atmospheric. Both tracks also serve as introductions to Gelf, the latter more upbeat and layered in vocal harmony. What they reveal is a capable Scott Walker style croon that could slide into MOR if not for the mildly unsettling, dystopian soundtrack.  ‘Six Stones’ pitches somewhere between turn of the 80s Bowie and Peter Gabriel while the distinctly 80s production values propel the slow burning ‘I Wish You Free’. ‘Entropy’ returns us to more familiar cosmic territory, albeit with that haunting strain of Bowie/Gabriel in the vocal mix.  ‘Crystal’, though, is the outstanding thing here. A lengthy exploration of time and space, not to mention textures and rhythm that would be equally at home on a Gilles Peterson playlist as on Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone. But is it Terrascopean, you may find yourself asking? Well as we know, the Church of St Philip-in-the-Field is so broad few can see the west wall with the naked eye. So yes, is the answer to that one. Having boldly embraced the human voice, a little less of it - and a slightly dirtier mix - might possibly have worked better for me. However, so much of Universe Zero lands squarely in the sonic solar plexus, and full for marks for ambition and for having the nerve to mix it up.

‘Over production’ isn’t something you could level at Trace Imprint’s The Good Earth. The creative brainchild of Bodmin-based Jon Chinn, these ravings on the moor reveal more than a tantalising glimpse of slender rustic ankle and indeed seem possessed of an ancient pagan muscle memory, albeit harder edged and more up-tempo than the fund raiser Trace Imprint vs The Other Folk (see April reviews). Possessing the homely production quality underpinning many a Rumble and Review, it ought, therefore, endear itself to us indentured types here in the servant quarters at Terrascope Towers. And it does, being strikingly reminiscent at times of superior lo-fi Julian Cope demos in terms of structure, delivery and imagery. ‘Out of My Tree’ is affirmatively upbeat, featuring one-hand ‘Farfisa’ organ, killer guitar runs and Drude phrasings, and is a sliver of pop genius.  Chinn’s soft West Midland tones are particularly prominent on the narrative tracks, such as the percussive and frankly gripping ‘The Silver Veil’ and zonked psychedelic folk reverie of ‘The Cuckoo’. Best of all, though, is the catchy as mumps and exquisitely concocted and arranged ‘The Unconquered Sun’.  The conceptual homage to Chinn’s formative home and upbringing in Studley (collectively bundles as ‘The Maypole Dances’) comprises Side 2. It’s ambitiously good fun and might have been even more so had he gone with his ruse that it was an undiscovered album from the 1960s. Like the first segment, it’s always intriguing and frequently inspired, although it needs perhaps a little more effort to work your way in. It also features good mate of the Terrascope Adam Geoffrey Cole on horn, bells and flutes. Oh, and his dog gets in on the act, which should hopefully keep him in Butcher’s tripe for a while. That’s the dog, not Adam.

(Ian Fraser)

TRISTAN PERICH, ENSEMBLE 0 – OPEN SYMMETRY

(LP, Digital on Erased Tapes)

Electronic composer Tristan Perich returns with this collaboration with the French group Ensemble 0 in another entirely unique production.  If you’re not familiar with his music, as a review, Perich’s signature music source is one-bit electronics.  What is or are one-bit electronics?  It’s about as simple an electronic sound as you can get, a small circuit in a device about the size of your hand that plays a single tone.  Perich programs large numbers of them together to create pulses, beats and melodies.  To add a human element, he often combines organic instruments to the compositions, bringing a degree of warmth to the sterile beeps and bloops.

We reviewed his previous album in 2020, Drift Multiply, in which he scored 50 one-bit electronic devices with 50 violins.  His style confounds music labelers, and he is often categorized as classical, but that’s more on the Philip Glass or Steve Reich end of the spectrum than the distant Beethoven or Mozart end.  In any event, I recall thinking Drift Multiply was one of the most psychedelic records I’d ever heard, due to its rampant effects on the mind and the imagination.  And Open Symmetry isn’t far behind it in that vein.

Perich partnered 50 one-bit elements with the 50 violinists for Drift Multiply, and this time he pares the partnership down to 20 electronic elements and Ensemble 0, which consists of three vibraphones played by Stéphane Garin, Alexandre Babel, and Julien Garin.  (Stéphane Garin spearheaded the project when he approached Perich about commissioning the work several years ago).  The vibraphones sound like little bells and complement Perich’s electronics very well.  Per Perich’s style, the music starts off simply, he slowly builds up the complexity, and by midway or just past midway through the album, the composition has completely unfolded its wings, and you are hypnotized, fully transfixed in its melodic patterns for the duration.

Also per his style, the seven tracks are simply titled “Open Symmetry:  Section 1,” “Open Symmetry:  Section 2,” etc.  The tracks are all crossfaded very smoothly, and due to only subtle differences between them which only become evident later in the tracks, you probably won’t notice the transitions between tracks unless you’re looking at your player when they happen.

As with his other works, once Perich gets fully going, which happens somewhere around “Open Symmetry:  Section 4,” the results are truly mesmerizing, and set the imagination running wild.  The patterns remind me of watching large flocks of birds or schools of colorful tropical fish, as they soar, swim, dip and dive, and change directions all at once.  A manmade comparison would programmed swarms of drones you may have seen in nighttime shows.  The nearly ten minute finale, “Open Symmetry:  Section 7,” concludes in a stunning, swirling, dizzying descent down a black hole.  (Or, for another perspective, the wife, listening as I was writing this review, said it was making her somnambulantly crash her head on the keyboard of her laptop whilst trying to get some work done.)

The composition dates back to 2019.  Ensemble 0 has been performing it live, and they and Perich are only now getting around to recording it, but it was worth the wait.  I highly recommend Open Symmetry.  Enjoy the trip, and if you like it, I encourage you to seek out Drift Multiply, which has a fuller sound thanks to the 50 violins and more electronic effects, not playing favorites, mind you.

(Mark Feingold)

PINHDAR – A SPARKLE ON THE DARK WATER LP

19^TH DREAM Of DR. SARDONICUS FESTIVAL OF PSYCHEDELIA Double Vinyl LP

LONDON UNDERGROUND - LIVE AT THE 19^TH DREAM OF DR.SARDONICUS FESTIVAL 2023 LP

(Fruits de Mer Records) www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

Three new releases from the Fruits de Mer record label for August. First up is a new album by Italian duo Pinhdar, comprising of Cecelia Miradoli and Max Tarenzi, who together create music that is not (I think it is fair to say) what one would normally consider to be typical of the Fruits de Mer oeuvre, creating a kind of dream pop/ trip-hop kind of fare.

This is the second album from them, following on from 'Parallel', which was produced by Howie B and released on the Friends Of The Fish label in 2021. This new album has its genesis in Italy and was finished in the city of Bath, where accompanied by drummer Alessandro Baris they collaborated with Bruno Ellingham, known for his work with Massive Attack, Portishead, New Order and Everything But The Girl amongst others.

Musically to my ears I detect a slightly glossier, more electronic early Cure and vocally a good reference would perhaps be with Kate Bush. The band came to attention of the label through critic and biographer Kris Needs, who recommended them to label owner Keith Jones. It starts with a moody ‘In The Woods’ and is followed by ‘Cold River’, which is where I detected the early Cure reference, both early highlights on what is quite an immersive album, a real gothic art rock record which demands repeated listens.

Other highlights for me were the flickering rhythms of ‘Murders Of A Dying God’, the hushed, sepia tinted tones of ‘Solanin’, the lovely melodies leaking out from ‘Frozen Roses’ and the frosty melodies of the we will meet again album closer ‘At The Gates Of Dawn’.

The 19^th Dream Of Dr. Sardonicus double album, features ten bands that appeared at the 19^th dream festival in Cardigan, Wales in 2023. Proceedings kick off with Italian prog rock band London Underground who perform a great, sprawling, instrumental keyboard centered epic entitled ‘Tropic Of Capricorn’ also of note on this song is the Allan Holdsworth style guitar by Alberto Capelli. This is followed by the slow build spacey instrumental delight that is ‘Dust Storm On Mars’ by Spectral Stream. Sendelica perform a majestic lengthy ten minute cover of the Eddie Hazel / Funkadelic  classic ‘Maggot Brain’.

Hanford Flyover perform a great, slightly bonkers off piste classic ‘Space Tractor’ before things slow down for Sendelica keyboardist Colin Consterdine appearing as Consterdine who delivers a fine, dreamy ‘Sepia’. Pindhar play one of the highlights from their debut album ‘Atoms And Dust’. Up next is McDowell & Westaway who deliver a groovy ‘Black Tar Acid’, great stuff indeed.

Next up is a fine, rocking instrumental ‘Ice Lock Up Stones (edit)’, from the Dark Zen Kollectiv, this song when played at the festival ran to over an hour in length, here appearing in truncated form of about seven minutes but you get a taste of where they are at. A wonderful ‘Venus In Furs’ by the Cary Grace band is worth the price of admission, she and the band were on fine form and they do a great job here. The record ends with Canterbury band Spygenius who round off proceedings with a folky, acoustic ‘Cafe Emery Hill’.

London Underground serve up their entire set from the Dr. Sardonicus festival of 2023, with six tracks of classic, instrumental psych progressive rock. They have been around now for quite a while and have seen multiple line-up changes, having formed originally to pay homage to the classic British rhythm and blues music of bands such as Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and Brian Auger & The Trinity. The band went down a storm at the festival and Keith thought it right that the set was set out for posterity and put out on vinyl.

They deliver six songs beginning with a rollicking rendition of one of their classic songs ‘Billy Silver’, the band showing their instrumental prowess to great effect, they then launch into ‘Fanfare’ a sixties flavoured mod rocker. The pace quickens with Honey Drops an extended Hammond heavy workout; all three of these songs were on the brilliant double album put out by Fruits de Mer in 2019. We now deviate from that record for ‘13 (Death March)’ and Bumpin’ On Sunset’, both glorious jazz rock instrumentals of the first order, it’s really hard to keep your feet still through these album highlights, phew! This quite frankly brilliant record ends with a fairly frenetic, ten minute epic ‘What I Say’. 

All three of these records are due to be released on the 13^th August.

(Andrew Young)

COMMUNICANT – HARBOR SONG

(LP, CD, Digital on Bandcamp)

Communicant, the LA band headed by songwriter and performer Dylan Gardner, delivers this not-too-difficult second album our way.  We loved their 2021 debut Sun Goes Out; while Harbor Song has many of the sonic hallmarks from its predecessor, it’s also a departure.  Sun Goes Out was a tasty psychedelic pop confection, but Harbor Song is more baroque pop.  Sun Goes Out had tracks of varying moods, styles and tempos, while Harbor Song is more monochromatic.  It’s a work of deep melancholia.

Dylan Gardner’s songs are so sorrowful; many of the first few tracks are about longing and love lost.  I thought at first it was a breakup record.  It may still be partly that, but there are other topics that come through in later songs, all of them despairing, from pandemic-instilled loneliness to wartime pain.

The production, by Gardner himself, is lush and full, with many tracks scored with rich strings by Ted Case, and some with beautiful Mellotron, such as the poignant “Annabella.”  Many are piano ballads, with Gardner’s playing sensitive and delicate.  Gardner’s somber vocals have a sleepy-sad quality that have the effect of making them more endearing.  It’s almost as if he’s on the precipice of fading away in the mist from a deep sense of heartbreak.

Highlights are everywhere.  This is a complete album, just like its predecessor.  Going down the track list, virtually everything is of high quality, especially on Side One.  From the beauty and lost love of opener “The Day” to “Open Your Window” borrowing the swooping strings from The Turtles’ “You Showed Me” to the feelings of disconnection from the world in “Drift,” the list goes on.  The record is so dreamy there’s even a song called “Dream State,” complete with excellent mirage-like effects.  “Controller” breaks the cycle of sad, slow songs by being more uptempo and rocking, but that’s to move to another stage of grief – anger.

It's difficult to choose, but my favorite track is probably the aforementioned “Annabella.”  Ironically the only song on the album not written by Dylan Gardner, it easily could’ve been, as it fits right in the moody pocket of the rest.  It’s a charming, wistful song, about pining for a long-lost love, and fortunately this one’s got a happy ending.

Harbor Song is a beautiful album.  Sonically, it’s thick and abundant.  The record comes close to being too much of one thing, especially with most of the songs being the same downtempo, and it wouldn’t surprise me if some listeners feel it needs more variation.  But I like melancholic songs, so I’ve no problem with it at all.  When you’re going through something heavy, expressing yourself through music, whether writing, performing or listening, is cathartic and cleansing.  The songs are certainly gorgeous, and Dylan Gardner’s writing talent is impeccable.  Give it a spin.

(Mark Feingold)

KODAX STROPHES/MARTYN BATES - CHRIST IN THE HOUSE OF MARTH AND MARY

Available on Hive-Arc Recordings

Terrastock IV (Seattle) performer and long-time friend of the Terrascope Martyn Bates has a long career dating back over 45 years from his migraine-inducing antagonistic experimental noise recordings (as, naturally, Migraine Inducers) to his Eyeless In Gaza collaboration with Peter Becker, a lengthy solo career, numerous collaborative efforts (Twelve Thousand Days, Sorry For Laughing, et. al.), and recently Kodax Strophes, a home to unleash the more atmospheric, cinematic, ambient side of his brain that reflects back upon and reincorporates elements from his 1980 debut Eyeless In Gaza EP “Kodak Ghosts Run Amok.” Naturally, a shelf-sagging discography abounds; the adventurous and curious can start here. His fourth release under the Kodax Strophes moniker may be his most personal yet, its hallucinatory dreamlike imagery and obvious spiritual overtones serving as a musical brain dump and journey through the unconscious bits of brain tags rattling around inside his head transformed into musical notes.

     Opening with the short ‘Signal’ Bates fondly recalls lying in bed listening to radio signals, much like the mysterious recordings of shortwave numbers stations gathered on The Conet Project which to this listener is worth further investigation to set the mood, as it were. ‘Test Transmission 2/Call Sign’ and ‘Untitled 1970’ seem to reinforce this comparison. ‘Little Cat Spirits’ finds our protagonist scanning the radio dial until something catches his attention. In this case it’s a gentle acoustic strum with distorted interference interrupting our revelry. Bates provides disembodied vocal inflections which drift in and out periodically as the “station” drifts in and out of focus. A familiar experience we’ve all encountered I’m sure.

     If SETI were searching for extra-terrestrial intelligence beaming from outer space it might pick up the interstellar noise from ‘Prescient’ segueing into Bates’s operatic arias and treated echoing vocal pyrotechnics over what sounds like a koto or other Eastern stringed instrument. The contrast between soothing vocals and distortion - musical space dust perhaps - is rather frightening.

     ‘The Good Luck Book’ is closer to an actual “song” with lyrics seemingly plucked out of the aether that surrounds us but on closer inspection seem like prophetic pronouncements from some long lost book of the Bible (although Revelations seems an inspiration with lyrics referring to the Big Bang and the light and energy which may just be appearing to us billions of years after it was created: “when the world was new - colours were as fortune, set in signs inside of me - and that’s all that I saw - when that world was born….”)

     An eerie take on Pete Seeger’s ‘Where Have All The Flowers Gone’ (abbreviated as ‘Flowers’) presents an industrial wasteland ravaged by mankind but refocusing on the fleeting impermanence of time as expressed in terms of long-gone lights from distant stars and galaxies that may not even exist anymore, or radio waves dispersed into outer space centuries ago just reaching us today. Another space exploration is experienced with the electronic whirls and whooshes of ‘It Doesn’t Matter Where It’s Solstice When You’re In The Room’ which recalls Ligetti’s ‘Atmosphères’ from Kubrick’s “Star Gate” sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

     Returning (although we never really left) to the ethereal nature of the time/space continuum, Bates includes John McCormack’s 1941 timeless (pun intended) recording of Amy Woodforde-Finden and Violet Nicolson’s evergreen ‘Kashmiri Love Song’ which in this context again reminds of Kubrick’s use of Henry Hall’s ‘Home’ and particularly Ray Noble’s ‘Midnight, The Stars And You’ in The Shining to twist the narrative’s timeline. Bates uses McCormack’s recording and ‘Cadair Idris’ (a reworking of one of Benjamin Britten’s Friday Afternoons pieces) to similar effect: music may exist eternally in time and space, occasionally dropping in to our present path to revisit and remember the past.

     ‘Kodaxcoda’ brings everything full circle with internal reprises of melodies from earlier tracks (e.g., ‘Untitled 1970’) and the age-old pastime of spinning that radio dial to find something to listen to. When you hear a song has it always been in the air waiting for you to discover it…bring it into your consciousness? Do multiple, simultaneous universes exist with that song in each of them? Is every song ever recorded and played on the radio still playing in one or more of those universes (or all of them simultaneously?) Once again, Bates instructs and intrigues while he entertains and we’re all the better for sharing his timeline.

(Jeff Penczak)