Dunddw- Flux (Self Released)

Dunddw is a new trio from the Netherlands featuring two members of Bismut and Mt. Echo. The album features 3 long tracks with difficult titles. The opening track is Flux VII Part 4. It starts slow but builds up into a heavy intense jam with some really chaotic guitar soloing and frantic drums. SOme really intense bass playing as well. The 2nd track, Flux VI- Part 1 starts with a grooving bass line and a more melodic guitar line. This is quickly thrown to the side a more crazed guitar, a bit like Nico from Sever that Spells, might play. Drums really kick it up a level as well. Some effects on the bass, take a bit out of the groove but make it more spacey.  Pretty tripped out at the end, when the bass returns to a more normal sound and the guitar riff is repeated over and over and over….  I thought it was going to end but they continue the jam with a more melodic lead line. The bass and drums just follow along as it slowly pics up speed and the bass goes mad with effects and overwhelms the sound for a bit before the guitar comes back to the front and repeats a riff over and over for a bit and ends with some spacey guitar effects. That was a long jam..  The last track, Flux VII- Part 2…   this is much slower and a more calculated guitar playing for a while with a sort of feeling of loneliness and dread..  The vibe changes as the track builds up and the guitar playing gets more wild and crazy.. The band brings the jam down with some more bass effects and guitar as the drums get slower and it all fades out….Enjoy the ride..  I guess live, they will just jam and not try to do any of these tracks…  

If you like Bismut, Seven that Spells, Kombyant Robotron.  Check these guys out… 

The album is released on Nov 25th.. Enjoy…

http://dunddw.bandcamp.com 

Pink Floyd- Animals 2018 (Pink Floyd Records)

I have been waiting for this for years to come out.  Animal has always been such a special and amazing Pink Floyd record.  It made very strong political statements about the world, which sadly have become much much worse than when Roger wrote these 45 years ago!!  I was very surprised that the deluxe edition did not include any live or studio demos of the Raving and Drooling (Sheep) and You have got to be Crazy (Dogs), which the band debuted on the Winter 74 tour and ended up abandoning and recording what you hear on Wish you were here.. I guess they did have some multitrack or studio versions).  I know live versions of these did appear on the Wish you were here Immersion box set, so no point in repeating a live version here. 

Anyway, it is a very nice package and for me, I felt I needed to hear the original first, then the new 2018 mix and then the 5.1 mix.. Otherwise how can you compare them???  I the flat high resolution transfer of the original mix sounds really great.  Maybe not quite as good as my Japanese pressing but really good.  As for the new mix, the main feeling I had was that the drums are more clear in the mid-high end but I also felt that this also made the cymbals clash a bit with the acoustic guitar on some of those parts. Anyway, they were very faithful to the original. As for the 5.1 mix, it is just more spacious.. Some things have more air and placement in the soundspace in the room. That is pretty cool. I had hoped that they would use the rear speakers a bit more but they did not..   Anyway, I for sure feel in love with album all over again…   Dog is one of the greats tracks up there with Echoes for me..

Pink Floyd

Astral Magic- Apparition's Breath (Astral020)

Not sure what number release this is this year for Astral Magic but 8 sounds about right!!  It is 40min CD featuring 11 tracks. Apparition Part 1-11. The Last American Poet, Shane Beck, provides spoken word on a number of tracks.  The music was performed primarily by Santtu but with significant contributions from long time collaborator, Jonathan Segel as well on guitar, violin and mastering. Part 2 starts off a bit like Shine on you Crazy Diamond but then it changes with a synth bass and then Shane enters in and returns at the end.. Nice guitar…  Part 3 starts quite spacey, backwards guitar and some drums-beats. Cool track. Part 4 has some great synths and there is a bit of an effect on Shane´s vocal on this one. Track 5 is the most melodic so far and besides a deep bass thump, the synths drive the track. Love the way the guitar is woven in as it slowly builds. Shane returns on track 6, which has this 80s TD like sound… Part 7 is more spaced out and trippy… Track 8 returns to a more tranquil space. Track 9 has a repeated synth and then loads of strange sounds. The vocal was a bit low on this one at the start. This is the longest track on the album at over 8 mins.  Track 10, starts with guitar, one of the rare tracks to do that and is a bit more dissonant and a very highly effected vocal. Far out… The last track ends in a pretty melodic and laid back way but still spaced out as you expect and demand in the Astral Magic universe…I think the spoken words are quite special and it is very cool and a different addition but not one I would listen to over and over again. Powerful words if you take the time and energy to really listen to what he has to say!!! Enjoy. Limited to 100 copies on CD… 

http://astralmagic.bandcamp.com