11 tracks: 1. vandring 2. why so lonely 3. stupoema 4. death-hymn 5. shaman 6. trial of past 7. lengsel 8. salva me 9. song 10. in mist shrouded 11. oceana

Limited to just 500 copies, this is a 1997 reissue on NumeroUno of the 1976 debut by this prog act, compared to early early Genesis & Gentle Giant, but with vocal harmonies like that of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The band's singer Bernardo Lanzetti (considered the Italian Peter Gabriel) went on to become the vocalist for P.F.M. during their 'Chocolate Kings' era. Contains seven tracks, including 'Morning Comes' and 'Comic Strips'.

Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2007.

While not as out-of-left-field revelatory and astonishing as their exalted debut, nor as darkly magnetic as their sophomore follow-up, Volume 3: Further in Time finds Afro Celt Sound System fleshed out, funky, and fiercely fresh. Now a band of 20-some-odd players, the Afro Celts push forward with unbounded energy and focus, organically driven beats, and a thoroughly joyous fusion of West African and Irish traditional music enhanced with dissonant Eastern influence, psychedelic trip-hop groove, and a monster flood of sonic waves. The resultant sound is somehow both cutting-edge futuristic and primitive in its visceral virility. Demba Barry steps up with an unexpectedly punchy African hip-hop-styled vocal on "Shadowman," "Lagan" plays out into an orchestral swan dive, and, throughout, Johnny Kalsi and Moussa Sissokho come on like gangbusters with the drums. Real World label honcho and world-music champion Peter Gabriel does a stunning turn on the eminently catchy "When You're Falling," and Robert Plant contributes a powerfully epic rock vocal on "Life Begins Again." Fine as all these moments are, the centerpiece of volume 3, where the band achieves beyond perfect synthesis, is the ecstatic groove-lock on the African acid ceilidh of "Colossus." Volume 3 is the tune-in turn-on we've been waiting for. —Paige La Grone

Hungarian Jazz Artist.

Full title - At The Cliffs of the River Rhine. Agitation Free from Berlin are well-known thanks to their albums, 'Malesch' (1972), 'Second' (1973), & 'Last' (1976). The band produced such famous musicians as Christopher Franke, who went to Tangerine Dream, & Axel Genrich, who was to join Guru Guru. They were living & rehearsing in the by now legendary Commune 1. At The Cliffs of River Rhine is a gig recorded in expert quality on 2/2/74 in Cologne. Garden of Delights. 2002.

The debut album by Agitation Free followed a somewhat different path than your average Krautrock band, veering unexpectedly toward the Middle East, specifically Egypt, in search of atmosphere and material. Underneath the dueling guitars and spacy synth work, desert rhythms and taped sounds of dusky cities percolate, adding depth and spice to the otherwise smooth, Teutonic grooves. It's a tribute to the apparent sincerity of the band that the use of these motifs does not sound at all contrived, instead integrating quite well. The delicate, intricate percussion that concludes "Ala Tul," for instance, sounds as lively as anything by Steve Reich from around the same period. Tapes of street songs emerge surprisingly and effectively toward the end of the otherwise stately march "Khan El Khalili," providing a bridge to the Terry Riley-ish organ trills that begin the title track. "Malesch," like many of the tracks, spins off into a leisurely stroll, sounding unexpectedly close to some Grateful Dead jams. Even when it picks up pace, there's an unhurried quality that fits in nicely with the Saharan undertones of the album. Malesch is a solid, even inspired recording that stands somewhat apart from the usual clichés of the genre. Fans of German progressive rock from this period will certainly want to hear and enjoy it.
Brian Olewnick AMG

Talkie Walkie comes five years after their landmark Moon Safari and Parisian mood-enhancers Air are back doing what they do best. Famously shy of ever repeating themselves, JB Dunckel and Nicolas Godin have filled in the years with the poorly received follow-up, 10,000hz Legend (even they think it strange), and an eerily effective soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's Virgin Suicides. Nice enough in their own niche way, but a far cry from what people actually wanted.

Happily, Talkie Walkie reunites us with the Air that we love: two hopelessly indulgent romantics with an ear in the past and an eye on the future. It's meltingly good stuff—a collection of cool, cosmic pop songs that dispense with notions of time and space, wallowing instead on a cloud of poignant psychedelia. With vocal duties this time taken by the boys themselves, and gorgeously fragile strings courtesy of Serge Gainsbourg collaborator, Michel Colombier, they get off to a good start. Perhaps the introduction of an outside producer, in this case Radiohead's Nigel Godrich, has forced such beautifully measured focus? Whatever, touchy-feely epics such as the heavenly "Cherry Blossom Girl" sit well next to electronic masterpieces such as "Ran," whose enveloping tracked vocals recall the 10cc classic "I'm Not in Love." —Paul Tierney

9 Tracks: 1. Kivitetty Saatana 2. Vasaraasialainen 3. Pelko Antaa Siivet 4. Hamarapuolella 5. Astiatehdas 6. Vanha Lapsuudenystava 7. Olisimme Uineet Vielakin Pidemmalle 8. Lentava Mato 9. Jaa, Hyva Mieli