Goat - Stonegoat/Dreambuilding 7" single

2013, Rocket Recordings, LAUNCH058

A: Stonegoat
AA: Dreambuilding

I've been meaning to write about Goat, the Swedish tribal voodoo hippie world funk collective, since the conception of this blog. Their album World Music released in 2012 has to be one of the most original records I've encountered in many years, whilst an album's worth of remixes of "Run For Your Mama" spread over two 12" Record Store Day 2013 releases are also worthy of their own blog item. However, for this particular blog post, I am going to focus on Goat's brand new, hot-off-the-press, double A-side single Stonegoat/Dreambuilding. For the serious collector there are actually three distinct pressings of this single, as it has already been released by Stranded Records in Sweden on 12" white vinyl, and by Sub-Pop Records in the USA on 7" black vinyl. The releases also differ in that the Swedish and USA editions both have "Dreambuilding" on Side 1 and "Stonegoat" on side 2, but the UK release has reversed this.

My copy is the UK release from Rocket Recordings (distributed by Cargo Records), and is a 7" single on green vinyl... which was weird because the press releases I've seen for this record said it was going to be pressed onto purple vinyl (which would have been a better match for the sleeve artwork). I couldn't tell you whether this was a last minute colour change, or if purple vinyl copies also exist. [EDIT: according to the Rocket Recordings blog, there were 200 copies pressed on white vinyl and 800 on purple vinyl. No mention is made of green vinyl.]

But never mind the packaging, what's the music like? Those familiar with World Music would have some idea what to expect. Plenty of tribal-style percussion and drumming, frenzied half-chanted/half-sung female vocals, and some glorious fuzz guitar. "Stonegoat" is a slice of tribal psychedelia informed by Led Zeppelin, with a 1960s fuzztone rhythm guitar overlaid with with an insistent guitar/bass riff before Goat's priestesses chime in with a semi-deranged vocal delivery. And - as if all that fuzz guitar wasn't already enough - in kicks a seriously fuzzed-out guitar solo, and with that it's all over and done and the stylus hits the run-out grooves at the centre of the record.

"Dreambuilding" is swiftly propelled along by an urgent harmonised wah-wahed guitar riff over an articulate fuzz bass, punctuated by the priestesses' almost-childlike vocals and a myriad of crazed percussion. The whole thing feels like a highly agitated voodoo ritual ceremony, the culmination of which is another blissed-out guitar solo. Once again the song is over far too quickly, with the listener being left feeling they are the survivor of a unexpected hurricane which has just passed overhead, and clinging to the wreckage of their auditory senses.

Currently available from Cargo Records. The other editions I mentioned may still be available.

Wind - Sleep 10" EP

2012, Jansen plateproducksjon, JANSEN 020

A: Throwing Stones
B: Cathedral

I took a chance on this record after having read a review by Julian Cope on his website in November 2012. I love reading Cope's reviews, if I can understand them with his various obscure references, although on a few occasions I have searched online for music he has reviewed and found it to be, quite frankly, unlistenable. But I was intrigued enough by his review of this record by Norwegian trio Wind to track down a copy, which I ended up ordering online from Shiny Beast. It was a little costly, but when I received the record and was first able to listen to it properly on 10" white vinyl (record label Jansen plateproduksjon seem to favour white vinyl for some reason) I decided it was such a good record that it was worth the price.

The EP contains just two pieces - one extended track on each side - having a total playing time of around 20 minutes (which is why I am referring to it as an EP rather than a single). The songs are two slices of melancholy psychedelia, perhaps mixed in with a dose of ambience. These are very atmospheric recordings, at times it seems hard to believe it's just three guys creating this gorgeous blanket of sounds with a standard set of instruments: drums, bass, guitar and synth. The music is never over-stated or in your face, rather it is mesmerizing and sensitive.

Without wanting to sound patronising, I was quite surprised to find out how young these guys are (check out their photo here to see what I mean) because their music is so mature and thoughtful.

The cover, by the way, features a photograph of one of Dutch artist Theo Jansen's incredible wind machines, or Strandbeests, as he calls them.

Permanent Clear Light - Higher Than The Sun

2012, Regal Crabomophone/Fruits De Mer Records, Winkle 7

A: Higher Than The Sun
B: Afterwards

If you're one of the few vinyl junkies that does not already know about Fruits De Mer Records may I suggest that you check them out soonest? FdM specialise in psychedelia, progressive rock, krautrock, R&B, acid-rock, spacerock - and - more importantly they make these releases available exclusively on limited edition vinyl. Many fans of the label are subscribers and buy every release. Nearly all releases sell out quickly, with earlier records from the label sometimes turning up on eBay and changing hands for quite staggering prices.

Most FdM releases are cover versions, that is to say reinterpreations of classic songs by modern artists and a few other legendary and semi-legendary acts such as The Pretty Things and The Bevis Frond. However, a handful of original songs have been released on FDM's Regal Crabomophone imprint.

Released in the latter part of 2012, "Higher Than The Sun" is an original song from Finland's finest psychedelic three-piece, Permanent Clear Light. The song lives up to its title and delivers magnificently to lift the listener higher than the sun as best it can without assistance from substances. It is the perfect psyche record, laid back and dreamy with swirling synths and a cosmic guitar solo. On the B-side of the disc the band tackle Van Der Graff Generator's "Afterwards" and manage to put their own stamp on the song quite nicely.

I also should mention the sumptuous packaging of this single, which goes to illustrate the care and attention to detail that FdM put into its releases. The record sleeve is like a mini-album cover rather than the usual single "bag" (as the industry refer to them). It is printed on high quality board stock, and even has a spine printed with the artist, title and record label details, just like you'd expect on an LP record. The artwork on the cover in this instance is a 3D image of the sun courtesy of NASA and a pair of red/blue lensed 3D glasses is included with the record inside the sleeve, along with a fold out poster of the 3D cover art. The record itself sits in an inner sleeve (nice to have one of those on a single!) and is pressed on coloured vinyl. My copy is a bright yellow/orange colour, but I know that a translucent lilac was also available. I think I prefer the colour of the copy that I have; it fits in better with the artwork and theme of the record's title track. But whatever... I told you it was a sumptuous package.

I believe that FdM quite remarkably still have a few copies left of this single. If you like psyche music, I can't recommend it heartily enough, so get yourself over to the FdM website and order yourself a copy.

Permanent Clear Light, by the way, have just released their debut album, "Beyond These Things". At the moment it is available on CD and as a download, but I am holding out on buying a copy so far as I have heard whispers from PCL guitarist Markku Helin that a vinyl edition may be in the pipeline. The album includes a version of the song on the single reviewed here, the album version being titled "Higher than the Sun - Astral Travel" so I'm hoping it's an extended version with added psychedlic elements!