CD Review: M.A.K.U. Soundsystem's 'Mezcla'

M.A.K.U. Soundsystem
Mezcla
Glitterbeat

The New York-based, Colombian-infused musical adventures of M.A.K.U. Soundsystem are eloquently showcased on their latest album, Mezcla. The steady, Latin-beat is full of funky percussive sounds, Spanish vocals, and an Afro-beat-meets-Klezmer influence likely absorbed from their New York home and Colombian heritage. The result is a frenzied, funkified, and psychedelic romp through the Central American jungles and the subways of New York City. The music brings in a certain amount of jazzy elements, electronic undertones, and a vibrant rhythm section to electrify the music for an unforgettable forty-three-minutes. The tracks and vocals represent a high-energy product that is danceable, thought-provoking, and lyrically-strong. All in all, nine tracks round out the album. The positives are marked with indelible beats, catchy rhythms and melodies, and a hint of nostalgic elements encompassing Afro-beat, psychedelic rock, funk, jazz, dance, and electronica. Fans of Latin-beat, Afro-beat, cumbia, and related genres will not want to miss Mezcla. ~ Matthew Forss

Single Review: Hard Proof's Cassingle Release of "Soul Thing" and "Lake Tana"

Hard Proof
"Soul Thing" and "Lake Tana"

Hard Proof is a Texas-based, Afro-beat collective that will be releasing a new 'cassingle' during Cassette Store Day on September 27, 2014. The release will be digital and as a physical cassette. The instrumental tracks are lively, upbeat, and full of Afro-beat grooves that are funky, psychedelic, and jazzy. Both tunes are headed by guitars, horns, keys, drums, and sax. The result is a groovy mix of Afro-beat melodies that are produced with the aid of a ten-piece line-up. The two-song release is only nine-and-a-half-minutes long, but it seems to linger on much longer than that. In the end, we are left with a groovy medley of lush Afro-beat melodies and rhythms that bring to life jazz and funk sensibilities for a generation thirsty for diverse sounds. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Tapebenders' 'Chasing Ghosts'

Tapebenders
Chasing Ghosts
Self-Release

The Milwaukee-based psychedelic rock group, Tapebenders (formerly Elusive Parallelograms), releases an anthology of music previously released on earlier LPs and EPs. The rock music contains a bit of electronica that includes showers of metallic sparks and dreamy sequences that are varied and very deliberate. The concise playing style brings to life the progressive pop side of the music without venturing too far away from psychedelic or rock genres. The gritty "60 MPH" is an instrumental rock gem with vocals resembling Blink 182 and rock riffs not too far away from a punk vein. "Nuclear Man" is another fine electronic tune with big guitars, drums, and keyboards with vocals that are playful and adventurous. The sounds reverberate with spacey electronics and spacious licks. "Absolution" is a rock anthem with fuzzy guitars and psychedelic noises that include a bit of progressive and experimental music that is jingly, memorable, and cinematic. The entire thirteen-track release provides a great picture of what Tapebenders can do. Think of Fractal Cat meets Blink 182 with The Devlins close behind. 5 Stars (out of 5) ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Sonido Gallo Negro's 'Sendero Mistico'

Sonido Gallo Negro
Sendero Mistico
Glitterbeat

Mexico's engaging and psych-inducing ensemble, Sonido Gallo Negro, brings the sounds of the 1970's alive with cumbia-infused beats, boogaloo, chicha, huayno, and other styles in an action-packed, Farfisa organ-soaked delight of musical exploration in a contemporary context. The mostly instrumental tunes are littered with psych references that contain electric guitars, flowing rhythms, indigenous percussion, and electronic samples. The head-bobbing music is ripe with cumiba sounds and instrumental riffs that strike the soul with such a powerful chord that nothing is impossible for these guys. This is psych-funk music at its best. Fans of Turkey's Hayvanlar Alemi will find similarities with Sonido's music. Overall, Sendero Mistico is a wild journey with danceable rhythms and great melodies that transcend a defined description. However, everyone will find happiness in the tunes of Sonido Gallo Negro. Get your psych-on today! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Various Artists' 'Herb Records 2013'

Various Artists
Herb Records 2013
Herb Records

Psychedelic beat-masters at Herb Records brings us a thrilling compilation of funk, groove, and down-tempo dance music with several top artists. You will hear Hydrophonics, Congo Sanchez, Groove Status, and a few featured artists, such as Gil Scott Herron, Das Beats, Jeremy Schon, and J. Robert Opeenheimer. The funky, groove-laden beats are hip, psych-infused, and dance-rich. The sensual vibes and laid-back tones are thought-provoking and modern. As a mostly instrumental collection, the vocals are few-and far-between, but that does not diminish their intensity. The label's founder has ties to Thievery Corporation, which is something that only adds to the multi-faceted recording. Most of the tunes are dance-friendly and trip-hop-heavy without the need for loud and aimless dance beats. Anyone with a knack for down-tempo, trip-hop, and psych-funk-dance music will love Herb. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Fractal Cat's 'The Eye In The Dawn'

Fractal Cat
The Eye In The Dawn
Self-Release

Fractal Cat is a Baltimore-based band that uses psychedelic melodies and rock structures with angelic male vocals to create a spacious, trippy, and rocked-out recording of pure musical pleasure. The poetic lyrics and extended rock outros are characteristics of jam music from the 1960’s and 70’s. However, you better shed your bell-bottoms and corduroy, because these guys are here in the present era. The real charm of the music is the vocal arrangements by Keith Jones and Miles Gannett. There are groovy bass lines, synth embellishments, sparkling harp sounds, and ambulating guitars. “Home” contains soft and loud moments, but the vocals are never over-used or beyond the natural vocal ranges. The end of the song contains a wicked bass, guitar, and percussion outro. “Foxfire” is an up-tempo song with more electric guitar spunk than the previous track. “Some Angel” opens with a dreamy harp and acoustic guitar that melds into a percussion-rich, folksy ballad seemingly coming out of the 1970’s pop scene. The short song is one of the best songs composed in any genre or era—bar none. The harp medley mid-song is a great homage to throwback folk music. “Autumnal Days” contains a beautiful instrumental set-up with choppy guitars, great horn sounds, and a jaunty rhythm with vocals akin to The Gufs. In a similar manner, “Little By Little” contains great guitar riffs, vocals, and more structured chorus with guitar work resembling Oasis. The psychedelic blurbs and electronic tonal qualities are evident on “Nightshade” and “The Calling.” These two tracks could be slightly influenced by the electronic band, Air. At any rate, fans of contemporary psychedelic rock and pop with some electronic and folk wanderings should check out Fractal Cat today! Get Fractal(led)—I did! ~ Matthew Forss  

CD Review: Baba ZuLa's 'Gecekondu'

Baba ZuLa

Gecekondu

Doublemoon

The Turkish beat group features traditional stringed instruments and percussion to form a kind of Turk-beat music that is not like techno or dance. Essentially, the music contains a modern tone with traditional instruments. Gecekondu is translated as "slums." Vocalists Murat Ertel and Elena Hristova add some Turkish flair to the repertoire without compromising the pace or beat of the music. There are some similarities to Latin American cumbia music, psychedelia, and North African guitar blues. Gecekondu's wide-reaching comparisons are necessary given the fact the music draws upon several influences directly or indirectly. The music beats are similar to India's bhangra on a lighter scale. However, fusion is a small part of Gecekondu. "Temptation" incorporates English lyrics with a Middle Eastern and Indian melody. Track 10 is a more refined and modernized track with a dub-beat and all the crazy, Turkish percussion one can muster. In fact, it almost borders on Balkan madness! Anyway, Baba ZuLa is a talented group that puts Turkey on the map. Dance your way to Ankara today! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Akale Wube Reinvents Ethiopia's Golden Era

Akale Wube

Akale Wube

Mosaic Music

After borrowing the name of the group from a song by saxophonist Getatchew Mekurya, the France-based quintet Akale Wube reinvents the golden age of Ethiopia's musical legends. Inspired by the Ethiopiques Series from Buda Musique, Akale Wube puts a modernized spin on songs by Alemayehu Eshete, Mulatu Astatqe, Tsehaytu Beraki, Shewalul Menguistu, and Teshome Sissay. The opening track "Ayalqem Tedengo [Intro]" includes a short flute solo before diving into a four-minute instrumental groove on the next track with the same name. One of the few tracks composed by the group, "Jawa Jawa" is a psychedelic-funk journey that sounds amazingly reminiscent of any song from the US/Cambodia group, Dengue Fever. The reggae-groove of "Kokob/Metche Dershe", funky-groove of "Nestanet", psych-chill of "Nebyat", to the sunnier "Bazay", and the fusion of "Ragale" display only a small fraction of the music produced in the 1970's throughout the horn of Africa. Akale Wube's efforts are well-received and they do the music justice without reverting to super-dubbed dance beats. Vocals are absent throughout. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Angola's Soundtrack: The Sound of Luanda 1965-1976 - Released Dec. 7, 2010

Various Artists

Angola Soundtrack: The Unique Sound of Luanda [1965-1976]

Analog Africa

The largely under-represented music of Angola's past, and present for that matter, is popularized thanks to the folks at Analog Africa. Angola Soundtrack... is the anthem for Angola's Afro-Caribbean musical traditions of the 1960's and 70's. Interestingly, the rhythmic guitar music and percussion are unlike most traditional African songs. In this case, the Caribbean and Latin influences far outweigh any traditional African sounds. Still purely African, the music is lively and carnival-esque, with a dash of psychedelic guitars, merengue rhythms, and semba music. Over fifteen different musicians from the era are featured on the album and a special 2-LP gatefold sleeve edition. Crisp, clear sounds and Latin grooves cement Angolan music in the annals of African music history. An invaluable and historic recording. The liner notes are heavily detailed and describe the music and musicians over forty-pages. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Nigeria's Tirogo

Tirogo

Float

Normal Records

Tirogo was a 1970's Afro-psych-funk group from Nigeria. First recorded in 1977, the songs of Float feature the best in psychedelic-guitar music to come out of West Africa. Rock guitar, lounge beats, and funky organ sounds emanate from all of the tracks. As an added bonus, an interview with bassist, percussionist, and vocalist Wilfred Ekanem is included in the liner notes. Float soars with Heavenly Afro-rock beats, swirling organ sounds, and groovy English vocals. The swaying sounds of Afro-funk are particularly noticeable on "Gypsy Girl" and "Let's Feed The Nation". The band members include Wilfred Ekanem, Elvy Akhionbare (lead guitar, percussion), Wilfred Iwang (drums, vocals, percussion), Fumi Onabolu (keyboards, percussion), and Godwin Debogie (conga, percussion, vocals). Anyone with a passionate interest in 70's Afro-funk and psychedelic music should seek out the groovy sounds of Float. Float doesn't sink! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Witch's 'Introduction' Is Not So Scary

Witch

Introduction

Normal Records

Witch was a psych-rock music group from Zambia. Their songs from the first record in 1973 are released here. The psychedelic-driven songs contain equal parts of funk, blues, and folk. However, Introduction is a window into the Zambian rock music movement of the 1970's. The classic tunes are sung in English, but the underground tone is purely African. The tongue-and-cheek title track that introduces the band members and instruments with a guitar-fuzz rhythm and English vocals. "Feeling High" is a languid tune with a familiar blues rhythm. The bass-heavy "No Time" is a funky, guitar-driven song with an upbeat tempo and classic vocals. Nine tracks in all 'introduce' listeners to rare gems of Zambian rock music. Fans of funkadelic, Afro-rock music on dusty LP's from the 1970's will find Witch to be a perfect accompaniment in a fine music collection. Don't let the name scare you from enjoying the best re-issued Afro-psych-funk to come out of Zambia. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: The Psychedelic Aliens Have Landed

The Psychedelic Aliens

Psycho African Beat

Academy LP's

Ghana's psychedelic-funk bands of the 1960's and 70's were influenced not only by other West African bands, but American rock and soul acts, too. The Psychedelic Aliens formed in 1968 and released only three short records over the next four years. So-named for the diverse ethnic composition of the group, The Psychedelic Aliens embodied an Afro-psyche-funk sound with touches of rock and soul for an outstanding album of historical proportions. The entire album contains only eight tracks, but this is attributed to the band's few recordings. The music does not disappoint. Anyone with an interest in African music from the 1960's-70's should obtain Psycho African Beat. After all, The Psychedelic Aliens have landed and their music doesn't sound so 'alien' to any of us. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Roots of Chicha 2

Various Artists

The Roots of Chicha 2

Barbes Records

The psychedelic music of Peruvian slums is showcased from the recordings of the 1960's through early 1980's on The Roots of Chicha 2. Chicha is not only a musical movement, but a fermented beverage indigenous to South America. Chicha is the Peruvian equivalent of cumbia music that incorporates European instruments, South American beats, and West African styles. The result is a Latin-driven, trance-inducing musical mixture of psychedelic proportions. It is not quite salsa, bolero, merengue...or anything else you've heard before! It features eleven bands including Los Wemblers, Chacalon, Manzanita, Grupo Celeste, Ranil, and more. In essence, the cultural acceptance, or lack thereof, remained remarkably similar to the situation of rai music's social unacceptance in North African society. The 'underground' sound of chicha is refreshing, unique, and enjoyable. Find your Roots of Chicha today! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Calcutta's 1978 Bharat Karki & Party

Bharat Karki & Party

International Music

E.M. Records

Recorded in Calcutta, India in 1978, International Music is essentially a thrilling psychedelic funk-fest with trippy rhythms, acid-jazz horns, and spy-film-themed instrumental tracks. A mixture of instrumental sounds traverses numerous melodies and rhythms, but maintains a strong Indian funk fusion inherent in many of the psychedelic releases of the 1970's throughout South Asia. Bharat Karki is joined by other artists, including Khoka, Benu Chatterjee, Bimal Biswas, and numerous others. If anything, International Music is so-called for it's global reach or acceptance throughout the world, instead of signifying a musical work with numerous instruments, mixed genres, and various vocals. In fact, vocals are virtually non-existent and only add to the instrumental beats. Perhaps the only drawback on this release is the length (under 25 minutes). At any rate, International Music is 25 minutes of pure groovy gold and definitely belongs in a collection of Indian psychedelic music. Also available on LP. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Chile's Chico Trujillo

Chico Trujillo

Chico De Oro

Barbes Records

Chico Trujillo is Chile's cumbia innovators, but their musical expertise and repertoire extends beyond Chile's borders and engulfs the South American continent. The Spanish lyrics and upbeat party atmosphere of the instruments - both brass and percussion - highlight Chico De Oro's strengths. The music is definitely influenced by Latin music, but it also envelopes bits of Southeast Asian funk, psychedelic, afro-beat, gypsy, and tejano music. Keep in mind Chico De Oro is not a fusion album, but an album of innovative cumbia music. In short, the music is very energetic with a refined, uptempo rhythm. Chico Trujillo is the party music for your birthday celebration, or world music party! If you are into other Latin American Barbes recordings and cumbia music in general, then you will love Chico Trujillo's Chico De Oro. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Ersatzmusika...Songs Memorable

Ersatzmusika

Songs Unrecantable

Asphalt-Tango

The slightly psychedelic, avant-garde, post-Soviet roots music of Ersatzmusika is more uncategorizable than unrecantable. The rather languid English vocals possess a slightly Russio-Germanic undertone, as the band members are Russian-born, but sought refuge in Germany. Some of the songs are energetic, while others are more subdued with hints of Gypsy, folk, and pop leanings. Yet, the entire album contains a darker musical tone that amazingly does not disengage listeners, but make them lean in. The instruments used are fairly usual, including guitar, drums, bass, cello, synthesizer and harmonica. Of course, it's a matter of how they are used in order to understand how the music of Ersatzmusika came to be. The slower, instrumental moments remind one of a downbeat or trip hop band like Zero 7 or Air. Despite unsuccessful categorization, Songs Unrecantable is still one of my favorite albums of 2009...bar none.~ Matthew Forss