A landmark set from the German prog scene – the first amazing utterance of Ash Ra Tempel, and a standard-setting album that few others could ever hope to match! The sound here builds beautifully – coming out of abstract, noisy territory, then finding shape as the record goes on – a perfect blend between the instruments and new studio modes that really help the textures and tones come to the forefront! The group features Klaus Schulze on drums and electronics, Manuel Gotsching on guitar, and Hartmut Enke on bass – and Conny Plank worked the knobs, to help the whole thing come together like magic! Each song takes up a side of the record – and titles include "Amboss" and "Traummaschine". CD

A prog rock masterpiece from Ash Ra Temple – a set that still has the group in very pschedelic, jamming, and improvisational territory – as they serve up two album-length tracks that really soar to the skies on wings of sound! The group here still features lots of great keyboards and electronics from Klaus Schulze, but on side one most of the energy comes from the core interplay between the fantastic guitars of Manuel Gottsching, bass of Harmut Enke, and drums of Schulze – players who really take their combination of instruments in very different directions than UK trios of the time! Side two definitely has some spacier moments that let the keyboards dominate a bit more, alongside cool vocals from Rosi, used in very light ways – but there's plenty of jamming too – on titles that include "Freak N Roll" and "Jenseits". CD

A groundbreaking step forward for one of the most legendary bands in the Kraut rock scene of the early 70s – a record that's still as heavy on instrumentation as their debut, but which also makes just the right use of vocals to really blow up the sound! The core of the group features all sorts of guitar, electronics, and organ from Manuel Gottsching, guitar and bass from Hartmut Enke, and drums and vibes from Wolfgang Muller – but it may well be the presence of singer John L that really opens the record up, as John uses his voice almost more like an instrument – and a moodily powerful one at that! The set's got three long tracks – "Flowers Must Die", "Look At Your Sun", and "Schwingungen". CD

The last and lean effort from the legendary Ash Ra Tempel – a set that relies heavily on vocals from female singer Rosemarie Muller, who's pictured on the cover almost as some Teutonic take on Linda Ronstadt! And oddly, there might be a bit of Cali currents in the mix – as the guitar work of Manuel Gottsching, while as weird and wild as ever, does have these occasional moments of grounding – certainly not standard rock, but these tuneful snippets from time to time that are almost a surprise next to the darker, moodier vocals of Rosi! Dieter Dierks produced, and had a nice hand in the sound – and Rosi also plays a bit of vibes and a concert harp – although the swirling sound is much more electric and spacey than you might guess from those instruments. Titles include "Interplay Of Forces", "Laughter Loving", "Bring Me Up", "Cosmic Tango", "Schizo", and "Day Dream". CD

Some of the darkest music ever recorded by this legendary German group – but maybe that's no surprise, as Timothy Leary's along for the ride – living in exile overseas, after his escape from an American prison! Leary is credited with vocals and "direction" – and whatever direction he took the group in, the proceedings resulted in some of their most experimental music – very layered, textured sounds that are heavy on guitars and electronics from Manuel Gottsching, with voices that drift through the larger mix from Leary, Michael Duwe, and guests – all in a very dreamlike, spooky sort of way! The set is divided up into the long "Space" and "Time" suites – one on each side. CD

Fantastic work from one of the grooviest singers of the 60s – the amazing Mina, a vocalist who hardly made waves on this side of the Atlantic, but who served up a wealth of wonderful material from the Italian scene at the time! You might know Mina from a few key soundtrack contributions she made over the years – her vocal range is stunning – and arrangements here are often by important forces from the Italian cinema scene – like Ennio Morricone, Piero Piccioni, Augusto Martelli, and Bruno Canforna – all of whom give Mina these full, rich backings that really match the vivid quality of her voice! But there's also groovy elements at the core, too – styles that are similar to French or British female pop of the period – especially with some of the soul currents of the latter – but shaped differently, given both Mina's style, and the Italian language and the way it comes across in song. The package is long overdue – maybe the first-ever done for the international market on Mina's music – and as with all work on Ace, the presentation is great, with very detailed notes that will teach you plenty while you enjoy the songs – a lineup that includes "Se Telefonando", "E L'Umo Per Me", "Io Sono Quel Che Sono", "No", "Citta Vuota", "Tu Farai", "Beve Amore", "Addio", "Insensatez", "Se C'E Una Cosa Che Mi Fa Impazzire", "TA Ra Ta Ta", and "La Banda". (Vocalists, Rock) CD

Four important albums from Jade Warrior – all brought together here in a single set! Floating World is the first album in Jade Warrior's mid-70s run for Island Records – and a set that marks a key shift for the group – a moment when they leaned even more heavily into their interest in global sounds, dropped most of their vocals, and used their impeccable instrumentation to take off in really amazing ways! The core duo of Tony Duhig's guitar and Jon Field's flute serve up most of the instrumentation here – and both players handle plenty of percussion too – yet there's a richness to the record that's undeniable too, which is a great testament to the way the pair make really special music together! Martha Mdenge serves up some guest vocals on the final track "Quba", the group take on the legendary "Monkey Chant" of Balinese music, and other titles include "Red Lotus", "Clouds", "Mountain Of Fruit & Flowers", "Waterfall", and "Easty". Kites is one of the most ambitious records ever from Jade Warrior – a set that expands their core sound in a wonderful way, with all sorts of great guests who really add a lot to the music! As before, the duo of Tony Duhig and Jon Field are at the core – guitar, flute, and plenty of percussion – but augmented here with all sorts of cool contributions by guests who include Fred Frith on violin, Gowan Turnball on saxes, and Jeff Westley on electric piano – plus Clodagh Simonds on a bit of vocals – all really bringing a new sort of majesty to the sort of music that the group delivered on their previous record – but without losing the sense of intimacy either. Titles include "Towards The Mountains", "Wind Song", "The Emperor", "Songs Of The Forest", "Quietly By The River Bank", and "The Last Question". Waves is a key moment in the continuing evolution of Jade Warrior – and a set that nicely moves the group from the prog styles of their roots, into leaner territory that's almost jazz-based at times! Some of the group's contemporaries were making such shifts, but usually in a way that was more heavy handed – where the lightness that Jade Warrior had on previous records really guides the music here – as they work with their core combination of keyboards, flute, guitar, and plenty of percussion – with additional work from Dave Duhig on lead guitar, Maggie Thomas on alto recorder, and Steve Winwood on moog, piano, and keyboards! There's a bit of vocals on the record from a female singer – but most of the tracks just have this gentle instrumental flowering – moving through an album-length suite that includes the tracks "Caves", "Groover", "River To The Sea", "Song Of The Last Whale", "The Sea", and "Wave Birth". Way Of The Sun is a set that's got a few sharper edges than some of the previous records by Jade Warrior – yet one that still hangs nicely in that Eastern-inspired blend of jazz and prog that made their Island Records years so great! As before, the album works as a unified whole – each track crucial to the overall feel of the set – with plenty of excellent work on flute from Jon Field, amidst more conventional guitar, keyboard, and percussion. There's some occasional nice guest moments on flugelhorn, harp, and saxes – and titles include "Sun Ra", "Dance Of The Sun", "Heaven Stone", "Moontears", "Sun Child", "Carnival", and "Death Of Ra". CD

A heady dip into the musical frontiers of the postwar years – a set that digs deep into avant classical, jazz, and other styles – all to come up with sounds that later provided inspiration for The Beatles, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, and other landmark groups at the end of the 60s! Yet the styles here aren't rock at all – and instead showcase all these changes that had taken place long before the years of psych and prog, but in different forms of music – and even a bit of spoken word, as well – as some of these selections show just how much the recorded art form could work for unusual styles of vocal presentation. The four CDs feature a wonderful range of styles that all work together somehow – with work by Pierre Schaeffer, John Cage, Ornette Coleman, Sun Ra, Cathy Berberian, John Coltrane, Gustav Holst, Arnold Schoenberg, Jack Kerouac, Ali Akbar Khan, The Goons, Dave Brubeck, Percy Grainger, Hilaire Belloc, Sabicas, Delia Derbyshire, and many others! (Classical, Rock) CD

Massively heavy sounds from A Bolha – a Brazilian group who were previously known as The Bubbles, and backed up Gal Costa during the Tropicalia years – but who work here in a fuzzy, bassy groove that's totally great – definitely an heir to the headier sounds of the UK scene at the start of the 70s! The guitars are definitely in full force here, but the basslines drive things along strongly too – echoing some of the Peruvian sounds of the time, but with a bit more Brazilian sophistication – and definitely a musical echo of lessons learned during Tropicalia, even though the set's a fully instrumental one. Organ also figures in the mix too – and titles include "Bye My Friend", "Razao De Existir", "Um Passo A Frente", "A Esfera", and "Neste Rock Forever". CD is beautifully done – with full notes in the great Lion tradition – and bonus tracks that include "Sem Nada" and "18.30 Parte 1". CD

A gem of a record from the mid 70s west coast scene – a really overlooked set from vocalist Laura Allen, recorded with a wonderfully breezy, soulful sound! Laura's got a voice that's perfect if you dig singers like Linda Lewis or Maria Muldaur, particularly the former – a bit jazzy at points, but usually focused straight ahead – but with a gentle flow that's completely seductive. Production is nicely laidback – never too studio slick – but the instrumentation's also nice and tight, and Laura plays some cool instruments on the record – a bit of clay drums, zither, and dulcimer – which bring in some folksy touches to her music, especially alongside some of the electricity in the keyboards and guitar. Most songs are originals by Laura – and titles include "Opening Up To You", "Sunny Day", "Stairway", "Promises", "Love Can Be", "Come As You Are", and "Hole In My Bucket". CD also features enough bonus tracks for a full extra album – including "Looking At You", "Sweet Lovemaker", "Looking For The Right One", "Slip & Slide", "Back Door", and "Radio". (Vocalists, Rock) CD

One of the most creative albums ever from UK composer Neil Ardley – and that's saying a lot, given the complexity of his other work! The set's got a wonderful blend of jazz arrangements and some freer passages – scored by Ardley with some of his most sensitive, most beautiful music ever – almost as if the whole thing's an extended soundtrack for a passage in time – or at least a sonic journey that's filled with some wonderful twists and turns! There's definitely some jazz/rock elements in the music, but the main focus is jazz – and Ardley has that same strong sense of large charts and forward-moving rhythms that you'd find in the best early work of Mike Westbrook, particularly his albums for Deram. Players are a very familiar, and very top-shelf batch of British musicians – including Barbara Thompson, Dick Heckstall-Smith, and Don Rendell on reeds; Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther on trumpets; Derek Wadsworth on trombone, Frank Rocotti on vibes, and Stan Tracey on both piano and celeste. Ardley plays prepared piano, and Ivor Cutler makes a great guest appearance on one track – reciting "The Dong With A Luminous Nose" – and Norma Winstone sings on "Will You Walk A Little Faster". The title track – "A Symphony Of Amaranths" – is dedicated to Duke Ellington and Gil Evans – with a feel that more than lives up to both! CD features the bonus track "National Anthem & Tango". (Jazz, Rock) CD

The third and fourth albums from Atomic Rooster – back to back in a single set! First up is Made In England – a really striking album in the career of Atomic Rooster – one that's a little bit groovier than most, and maybe a bit funky as well! The drums are great, and have plenty of soulful currents – and the Hammond, piano, and electric piano work of Vincent Crane almost seem to echo earlier UK beat group currents, but turned towards a much hipper 70s vibe – one that's followed by an equally extended range from vocalist Chris Farlowe, who seems to fold together both his mod and prog experience in the vocals! Steve Bolton brings in some tight, riffing guitar – and titles include "Time Take My Life", "Never To Lose", "Breathless", "People You Can't Trust", "All In Satan's Name", "Close Your Eyes", "Little Bit Of Inner Air", and "Stand By Me". On Nice N Greasy, Atomic Rooster definitely get a bit greasy – using some funkier elements at times, and bluesier currents at others – all at a level that really lets singer Chris Farlowe hit some of his most expressive modes! The group's got a fresh guitarist this time around, Johnny Mandala on lead – and his presence gives some of the cuts a harder rock edge than before, often taking the lead more than the keyboards of longtime member Vincent Crane, which helps shape the sound of the set. Titles include "Voodoo In You", "Save Me", "Satan's Wheel", "Can't Find A Reason", "Take One Toke", and "All Across The Country". CD set features the bonus tracks "Moods" and "What You Gonna Do". CD

A long-overdue full length album from Ace Of Cups – a really unusual female group from the Bay Area scene of the late 60s – but one who never hit the heights of their bigger San Francisco contemporaries! The girls have this really great look on the back – kind of flower power, but with a bit more charm – a quality that comes through in the music, with is often more garagey than trippy – but which also has a way of putting forth female vocals and honest ideas that might not flourish this strongly for similar groups until the post-punk years. That approach makes the whole thing a truly timeless collection of tracks – of the sort that maybe resonate more strongly today than they did back in the 60s. Titles include "Music", "Boy What You'll Do Then", "Glue", "Taste Of One", "Stones", "Looking For My Man", "Pretty Boy", "Waller Street Blues", "Catch You Later", "Simplicity", "I Wanna Testify", "Hear Every Sound", and a great version of "Afro Blue". CD

One of our favorite mixing of modes from the old school – a tremendous second album from the legendary Aksak Maboul! The record mixes arty playfulness with some rootsier elements – bits of Eastern instrumentation, jazz, improvisation, and even some post-punk elements – all in a way that makes for one of the most creative recordings of its time – a set that easily provides key inspiration for more recent genre-crossing acts like this! There's a bit of Y or Ze Records whimsy at times – but the end result is much deeper, and much more compelling– as you'd expect from a group that features Fred Frith on guitar, Chris Cutler on drums, Marc Hollander and Michel Berkmans on reeds, and Denis Van Hecke on a range of cool cellos! Each tune has a slightly different flavor, but there's still a really unified feel to the record too – one of those European projects that comes together like nothing you'd hear from the US. Titles include "Geistige Nacht", "A Modern Lesson", "Palmiers En Pots", "Inoculating Rabies", "Cinema", and "Bosses De Crosses". CD

Wonderful work from guitarist Oren Ambarchi – a little more expansive than his preceding effort on Drag City, thanks to larger group and a wider range of instrumentation, while building on what loved about it! The style is tough to pin down in the best kind of way, with strains of improvisational jazz and hypnotic minimalism, but a unique melodic drive that's as compelling as it is tough to cleanly categorize. Collaborators this time include returning Swedish jazz bassist Johan Berthling, drummer Joe Talia, a second guitarist in Julia Reidy, Sam Dunscombe on bass clarinet – and for extra otherworldly, yet melodic atmosphere is some synth by Jim O'Rourke and pedal steel by BJ Cole on a couple of tracks. The whole Shebang is a 4 part set – each track running long, to give it a nice amount of space to build up, settle down, and flow into the next – and numbered 1 to 4. (Jazz, Rock) CD

A double-length monster from Amon Duul – issued after the first incarnation of the group had disbanded, and pulled from recordings that also gave the world the legendary Psychedelic Underground record! The sounds here are often rawer and more powerful than most of the group's other music – sometimes droning with almost a Faust-like sense of noise, other times rocking but with a vibe that's almost tribal at times – thanks in part to drum parts and percussion that bring a very earthy vibe to the record! While some of the Krautrock groups of this generation were soaring to the skies, this one has Amon Duul almost romping in the dirt – on titles that include "Somnium", "Frequency", "Autonomes", "Chaoticolour", "Asynchron", and "Drum Things". CD

The amazing second album from Annexus Quam – a record that's almost as much of a jazz session as it is a Krautrock classic – given that the record is full of really long tunes that spin out plenty of solos, some of which almost verge on free improvisation in their approach! The group features wonderful work on reeds from Ove Volquartz – who blows tenor, soprano sax, and flute – and there's also this amazing trombone work from Hans Kamper, a player who seems to resonate with the music of Albert Mangelsdorff at the time – mixed with all sorts of cool contributions from Harald Klem, who plays tablas, electric zither, echo guitar, and a whole host of other unusual instruments too. Titles include "Leyenburg 1", "Dreh Dich Nicht Um", "Leyenburg 2", and "Trobluhs El E Isch". CD

Amazing sounds from the early years of the prog sounds in Germany – exactly the kind of record that shows how much farther Krautrock was stretching than psychedelia! Although the set still draws most of its energy from conventional instruments – guitars, organ, bass, and drums – it's the production of the piece that's most amazing – easily an equal partner with the instrumentation, so that the studio itself is helping author the record – with amazingly cosmic sounds that are really really tripped-out! There's a bit of vocals buried in the mix at times, but most of the energy is instrumental – on long cuts that stretch out strongly on both sides. CD