[ Hypnos Forum ]

Led Zeppelin- Eleven Years Gone.  This is an unofficial, 10-CD, 2-DVD box set (pressed CD's), of 1979 shows from Copenhagen and the Knebworth Festival in UK.  Pretty good recordings, excellent packaging. 

Tangerine Dream-Reims Cathedral 4CD box.  One set from 1974, one from 1976.  On Esoteric, UK label.  Official bootlegs.  The 1976 set sounded really good on headphones last night.  Presently the Zeppelin box is competing for my time in the Listening Department. 

Check out Alio Die's Bandcamp page.  4 new releases, 2 by Aglaia, 2 by Alio Die.  They all sound excellent to my ears!  You can order the CD's now by contacting Stefano directly.  Plus he's offering some kind of limited edition art cards for about $7.  I bought the whole ball of wax.   8)

New releases out now on Virtual and txt...

I haven't bought these but been streaming on Bandcamp. 

The two on Virtual are very mediocre and I wouldn't order the CD's.  On the other hand, the new Autumn of Communion on txt, called "Polydeuces,"  is pretty good.  It has some psytrance beats like the Ultimae label (Solar Fields, Carbon Based Lifeforms, etc.).  Very similar to CBL and Namlook in spots.  More active style than the previous long series they did. 

You would be right.

I'd recommend the Numina track Empire of Nothing from his Hypnos CD The Deception of Reality.

I see there's another Autumn of Communion coming on txt as well....

Giles Reaves--Wunjo.  Rare CD I found on eBay for a reasonable price.  Predated his Hearts of Space album Sea of Glass.  Wunjo I would consider "proto ambient" or atmospheric contemporary instrumental.  Nonetheless, it's very good indeed. 

Tangerine Dream--Cyclone.  Not highly rated by fans, but I really like this 1978 album, with Froese, Franke, and Steve Jollife.   Part of it has vocals with lyrics, which are excellent.  Live drums on here too.  It's more prog rock than their previous catalog.  The synths are excellent as usual for 70s TD.  Underrated album IMO. 

David Bowie--Ziggy.  How great is this album???  The playing and production are unbelievable, with stellar (no pun intended) songs. 

I was browsing an old thread where it was revealed Phobos loves ZZ Top.  Now that one surprised me!  Not because there's anything wrong with ZZ Top (I have about 5 of their albums myself), but it's something you wouldn't expect for some reason.  We pretty much know Forum members' musical tastes, favorite artists, etc.  Is there any style or artist that you think people would be surprised to know that you are into? 

One night, late at night, I received a text message from my half-sister asking me to "pray" for her as she was having surgery the next day.  Considering I had just talked to her a week earlier, I was shocked to hear of this surgery, as I knew nothing about it.  I immediately texted back, " Surgery for what???" 

I never received a reply, and only later found out from my mother that the surgery was for breast reduction.  My mother informed me she was probably embarrassed and didn't want to tell me what kind of surgery. 

I think I should have been given the details, as a family member, and not spring it on me the night before.  Maybe you want to be private about it, but then you tell people to "pray" for you and they're not allowed to know what it's for??? 

Can anyone back me up on my position here?  Or if not, I'd like to know why it's acceptable to do what she did. 

Here are five essential early ambient releases on the Virgin UK label, currently on rotation:

Ashra-New Age of Earth
Ashra-Correlations
Edgar Froese-Epsilon in Malaysian Pale
Steve Hillage-Rainbow Dome Musick
Edgar Froese-Aqua

Just search on YouTube for Tangerine Dream Reims Cathedral, the original unofficial bootleg is there, and I assume the tapes were improved for the official release.

Thirdsystem, if you like mid-70's TD there is a new box on Esoteric/Reactive sublabel of Cherry Red: Tangerine Dream Reim Cathedral.  2 cd's live at Reim Cathedral in France in 1974 and 2 cd's live in Germany 1976.  They are official bootlegs and supposedly two of the finest boots amongst fans.  I ordered mine last night. 

Correction to above:  never knew ENO was involved on Lodger, not Bowie

David Bowie- Lodger.  For some reason I never got this, until now.  It contains one of my alltime fave DB tracks, "Look Back in Anger."  And besides "DJ," I didn't know any of the other songs.  My first impression was this is a pretty weak album overall, a sentiment shared by many fans.  However, many repeat listens later I'm warming up to some of the other songs.  I never knew Bowie was involved on this album. 

Rush- R40 Live.  3-disc set recorded a couple years ago on 40th anniversary tour.  I would recommend this to fans based on some great versions of songs not played live much recently, or even at all:  Jacob's Ladder, Camera Eye, Cygnus X-1, Hemispheres prelude, Xanadu, Losing It (never played live previously).  My gripe with this album is the track selection.  Disc 1 is made up of almost all recent music, which bores me because I pretty much lost interest after "Power Windows" in 1985.  Disc 2 is all prime, classic era.  Disc 3 is about half old/half new.  This set could have benefited from substituting older songs for new.  Some albums were even skipped over, like Power Windows, which is just pretty dumb.  The set could have been edited down to 2 CD's.  Sound quality is quite good, if maybe bass heavy.  Another downside is Geddy Lee's vocals.  Range from fair to awful.  Mainly awful.  He just can't hit the high notes anymore, but he gets an "A" for effort for at least trying (without much success).  Interesting to note, the final track on the set is "Losing It."  I think in many respects (vocals and songwriting ability) Rush has "lost it," although they can still play as if they're in their prime. 

Tangerine Dream- Ricochet.  I think this is one of their best.  Good mix of sequencing, guitars, ambience and sound fx.   

Yes, more sad news.  Three music pioneers in their respective genres passing much too soon.  Don't normally pay attention to the "comes in threes" theory, but it is a bit eerie.

Her new CD release Sparkle is out next month.  Only 20 copies available this time, compared to 40 for the previous ones. 

Ahhh, much better...thanks

Of Hawkwind/Motorhead fame, died from an aggressive cancer, age 70.  He'd also been dealing with other health issues including heart disease (as did David Bowie) and diabetes.

I say this not as any kind of personal judgement on Lemmy or David Bowie, but this brings up the issue of the consequences of living the rock n roll lifestyle for decades.  Long term drug and alcohol use WILL affect your vital organs, as does being a heavy smoker, the most insidious drug, for 40 plus years (and this is the main culprit, IMO).  Bowie smoked almost until the end, and Lemmy as well I believe. 

More than anything, it just pisses me off and makes me sad.  :'(

Hate to say it, but this song Blackstar is awful.  And the video is creepy as f***.  What's this all about?  Looks like some occultist illuminati swearing in ceremony.  Seriously.

David Bowie--Heroes and Scary Monsters.  These are probably my two favorite because this period   corresponds to growing up in the late 70s early 80s.  I had the heroes cassette in high school and wore it out from playing it so much.  The ambient instrumentals with Eno are incredible.  The title track simply one of the most amazing rock songs ever written.  Scary Monsters is very underrated IMO.  Fashion and Ashes to ashes get all the attention, and rightfully so, but there are a number of great tracks. 

Hakobune & Dirk Serries--Obscured by Beams of Sorrow.  This album sounds like, well, Hakobune and Dirk Serries.  Pastoral, melancholic guitar drones.  Not groundbreaking, but very nice stuff, especially for fans of early Vidna, Alio Die, Aglaia, etc. The soundtrack to gardening at dusk after a light rain.   I wonder who titled the album?  Hmm, let me think...

Ok, ok...LUCIFERIAN.  Is that more clear?

PS:  Diatonis is not a newbie.  Been releasing music since the 90s.