EMBRYO – Father, Son And Holy Ghosts (United Artists – UAS 29 344 I / LP-1972)

Label: United Artists Records – UAS 29 344 I

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Germany / Released: 1972

Style: Krautrock, Fusion, Free Improvisation, Prog Rock

Recorded March 1972 at Studio 70, Munich.

Original German pressing

Design Concept [Coverideas] – Embryo

Photography By – Uta Hofmann

Engineer – Jürgen Koppers

Producer, Arranged By  – Embryo

Matrix / Runout (A Side): UAS 29 344 I A1/ Made in Germany

Matrix / Runout (B Side): UAS 29 344 I B1/ Made in Germany

A1 - The Special Trip .......................................................................................... 5:56

A2 - Nightmares .................................................................................................. 1:01

A3 - King Insano ................................................................................................. 4:50

A4 - Free ............................................................................................................. 6:25

B1 - The Sun Song ............................................................................................. 8:52

B2 - Marimbaroos ............................................................................................... 2:59

B3 - Forgotten Sea ............................................................................................. 9:18

Musicians:

Sigi Schwab – acoustic guitar [twelve-string], electric guitar, veena, bulbul tarang

Edgar Hofmann – violin, soprano saxophone

David King – bass, flute, marimba [alto-marimba], vocals

Christian Burchard – drums, percussion, marimba [marimbaphone], vibes, vocals

Everyone that is familiar with Embryo already knows the story behind this and the two ensuing albums. In the 8 months following their second album Rache, the band recorded 3 albums worth of material but their label refused most of it due to the lack of "commercial potential". Only the songs that ended up on Father Son and the Holy Ghost were deemed accessible enough. Luckily, the other material was eventually released by Brain.

During these 8 months, the band changed musicians as swiftly as they wrote material, and each of the 3 releases contains a different line-up. It's something that very much defined the sound of each album.

In search of a bassist Embryo would recruit Dave King, who would later appear in several Kraut/Jazz Rock bands, with Bunka focusing on guitar.Recordings for a new album begun already from September 71', but Embryo's label United Artists, afraid that the fresh material would be a commercial failure, refused to release it, somehow forcing the band to smoothen their style. By the dawn of 72' there was enough material for two album, but Embryo kept producing music, now having joined forces with talented guitarist Sigi Schwab with Bunka remaining behind the scenes. Eventually the album, which was to be titled ''Father, son and holy ghosts'', was along the strict lines of Embryo's label and it was eventually released in 1972.

It is quite hard to imagine what really turned off the management of United Artists, because Embryo's third effort sound no less complex than their previous releases, maybe the addition of a pair of happier or more funky tunes was enough for them to keep the whole thing rolling. Otherwise ''Father, son and holy ghosts'' sounds quite close to Embryo's previous efforts with enigmatic spaced-out experiments, lots of Ethnic tunes and a fair dose of complicated, twisting grooves with powerful, psychedelic tones. Once more the ability of the band to deliver stretched, instrumental themes with long sax solos and elaborate passages with archaic flute drives displays their talent on Ethnic Jazz/Fusion. Schwab's freaky guitar solos is a new element in Embryo's style, but generally the Germans managed again to create a diverse and interesting album, which gets the principles of Kraut/Psychedelic Rock, passes them through Ethnic filters and put it up there with the freedom of Jazz. The result is often outstanding, featuring extended instrumental exercises with only sporadic vocals, either led by the jazzy saxes, the elegant flutes or the folky violins, powering them finally into majestic experiments, full of loose solos, intense bass playing and drumming and hypnotic rhythms. They still lack the more emblimatic moments of the previous album, but nevertheless this is a very dynamic Kraut Rock album with tremendous changing moods.

Add another winner in Embryo's discography. Apparently the band was in an orgasmic inspiration with tons of material written in 1971/72, some of it ended up to be this cool release.

(Review by apps79 / Prog Reviewer)

If you find it, buy this album!

DZYAN – Electric Silence (Bacillus Rec. – BAC 2033 Ⓩ Quadro/Stereo/LP-1974-ST)

Label: Bacillus Records – BAC 2033 Ⓩ

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Quadro/Stereo / Country:Germany / Released: 1974

Style: Krautrock, Jazz-Rock, Experimental

Recorded and remixed at Dierks Studios, Stommeln, Germany, October 1974.

Design, Painting [Front Cover] – Helmut Wenske

Photography By – Dieter Weis

Engineer – Toby Robinson

Producer – Peter Hauke

Written-By – Marron, Giger, Karwatky

℗ 1974 Bellaphon Records

Manufactured and distributed by Bellaphon Germany

Matrix / Runout (Side A, runout stamped): BAC 2033 SST - BLPS 19218-A

Matrix / Runout (Side B, runout stamped): BAC 2033 SST - BLPS-19218-B-2

A1 - Back To Where We Come ............................................................................. 9:00

A2 - A Day In My Life ............................................................................................ 4:05

A3 - The Road Not Taken ..................................................................................... 5:00

B1 - Khali .............................................................................................................. 5:01

B2 - For Earthly Thinking ...................................................................................... 9:38

B3 - Electric Silence ............................................................................................. 4:40

Musicians:

Eddy Marron – guitars [acoustic, 6/12-string], sitar, baglama [zaz], tambura, mellotron, vocals

Reinhard Karwatky – electric bass, double bass, strings [super string synth.], mellotron

Peter Giger – drums, percussion

Note:

Rolf Gehlhaar (Feedback Studio, Cologne) played something called the Super String.

[Rolf Gehlhaar is incorrectly credited as Rolf Gehlhar on the cover.]

Bassist Reinhard Karwatky and drummer Peter Giger joined on quest as well.

Karwatky doubled on synthesizers and this 'Super String', an undefined electronic device invented by a protégé of Karlheinz Stockhausen. Giger added an assortment of ethnic tablas, steel drums, and tuned African woodblocks to his percussion arsenal, and was even allowed a brief, accompanied solo (with himself) in "For Earthly Thinking".

With Electric Silence, Dzyan develops the ethnic-based fusion trend that had been so thoroughly insilled in the amazing predecessor Time Machine: this line of work meets in Electric Silence its ultimate expression, as well as the last stance (sadly). One thing is clear, the trio is more robust than ever, feeling more secure individually and collectivelly to expand the sonic pallet they had been working on so far. The attentive listener can notice traces of similarity to Annexus Quam, Gila, Malesh- era Agitation Free, as well as the most exotic vibes of Yeti-era Amon Düül II. The opener gest started in a very chaotic fashion, creating a psychedelically driven restlessness based on the ad libitum aglomeration of tuned percussions, guitar and synth effects. Not being oppressive, it certainly is turbulent. While the ensemble goes gradually forming a more ordained sonic structure, things turn into a mixture of tribal atmospheres and free-jazz improvisations - all this lands into an exercise on jazz- rock with funky undertones. The marimba fade-out briefly hints at the starting point, in this way ending the track in a full circle. As the fade-out wanes, the massive shades of Arabic colors in 'A Day in My Life' give way to the sitar and tambora to indulge in a fabulous, expansive dialogue, craftilly yet subtly augmented by the contrabass. It's eas yto tell that the spirit is one of celebration, but the joy is somehow constrained. 'The Road Not Taken' is also focused on exotic tonalities and ambiences, only this time the instrumentation is mostly electric: the soaring, partially constructed moods set nuances that stand halfway between the dreamy and the mysterious. The climatic frenzy shared by the contrabass and the drumkit in order to encapsulate the minimalistic guitar phrases brings fire to the air...

The album's second half starts with 'Khali', yet another piece inspired by the colors and moods of India and the Middle East: the presence of mellotron and guitar layers adds a clear spacey edge to the whole exotic atmosphere. 'For Earthly Thinking' elaborates a musical journey that is very weird, although not shocking or obtuse. The rhythm pattern is quite catchy, full of candid pulsations; the synth adornments emulate some sort of tropical percussion; the alternation between the zaz and the lead guitar are mostly aimed at the enhancement of the rhythmic pace; the bass lines get particularly impressive at some point, and there is also a very impressive drum solo; the chaos emerging for the last section bears a strange appeal. Dzyan seems to have built the perfect bridge between Agitation Free and early 70s Weather Report. Only a few times will the listener find this level of performative refinement in the krautrock area. Perhaps I would have preferred a louder inception of sonic display for the climax, but nothing can really keep me from regarding this piece as a definite highlight. The album's last 4 ½ minutes provide a moment of relaxed meditation set on a slow, jazz-driven tempo: it's not a soft piece really, but it is clearly designed to evoke images of mental relaxation. "Electric Silence" is a must for all krautrock collectors, as well as modern fusion lovers and psychedelic rock freaks. Dzyan shines brightly among other jazz-friendly krautrock acts such as Gila, Annexus Quam, Ibliss.

(I dedicate this review to my PA friend Sinkadotentree).

Review by Cesar Inca / Prog Reviewer

If you find it, buy this album!