SECRET AMBROSIAN FIRE – the invocation of a new, old world. With their debut full-length album, MOSAIC explore the sacred traditions of their Thuringian homelands, reinvigorating myths and legends which are as ancient as the mountains they stem from. SECRET AMBROSIAN FIRE draws heavily on the traditional lore of the Hörselberge, a mountain chain situated in the most mystical of all German regions. Legend has it that this is the place where purgatory is located and where Mother Hulda leads the wild hunt through stormy winter nights. To the initiated, the weeds and flowers growing in these mountains can even be the key to the otherworld. MOSAIC use this fiery, flowery lore to forge an aural bond between this world and the world of our forebears, while at the same time transitioning into a wholly new phase of their creative endeavours. MOSAIC feed the SECRET AMBROSIAN FIRE with their love of poetry, weaving their own interpretations of works by poets such as Georg Trakl, Else Lasker-Schüler and Paul Celan, as well as more regionally known artists like  Hanns Cibulka, into their songs. Widely known for their daring, shapeshifting approach to creating music, MOSAIC now go a step further to create an album that is ultimately uncompromising. Reduced song structures leave space for the atmosphere to unfold, and every single song is allowed to bloom in its unique manner. MOSAIC invited several highly distinguished guest artists to contribute to and make their own mark on this inimitable record. SECRET AMBROSIAN FIRE is an offering of experimental ambient soundscapes, traditional motifs and bewitching incantations, shaken by eruptions of masterfullly crafted black metal. To put it into one word: SECRET AMBROSIAN FIRE is SUPREME THURINGIAN FOLKLORE. All music was mixed and mastered at Klangschmiede Studio E by Markus Stock (Empyrium, Sun of the Sleepless).

What was available to unknown hard rocking dreamers like Umbra in Denver in 1971-72? Weekend gigs. Nothing but weekend gigs. But there was an upside to that: bands like Umbra could mix original material in with covers, and make enough money to survive. Or in the case of Umbra, to make enough money to build a home studio, where they recorded ads to promote their upcoming shows-and eventually, laid down the eight tracks on this disc. Everything was recorded by bouncing tracks back and forth between two-track and four-track reel-to-reel tape recorders. Spacey intros and weird effects were created by recording guitar licks, then re-recording them played backwards at double speed. What sounds like a flute was the result of blowing over the top of a 14" goose neck (believe it or not). The resulting tracks are hard edged and heavy, verging on acid rock at times. Makes sense, as Umbra was a power trio most of their too-brief existence. Yet the songs (heavy though they are) have a deft touch. There are weird effects, space rock elements, plenty of melody, and a refreshing category-free approach to writing songs that makes Umbra's music exciting to hear. Our Lion LP edition comes with an 8-page LP-sized color booklet, with lyrics, photos, plus interesting and funny things that can only happen to musicians, and did to Umbra. The CD edition comes with a sixteen-page color booklet containing the same material. We know that band bios can be sterile and boring or can move to the opposite spectrum, rife with grandiose embellishment. Umbra's story is neither. Instead, it is the story is the story of a band from the early 1970's who recorded what they wanted to record: heavy, heavy music from the start of the "American Comedown Era" (as we've seen it described by friends for their Brown Acid series of compilations). Umbra's story is also that of a band whose music, terrific though it is, has never to this point been released out into the wide world. Prepare yourselves to be surprised-and we hope as impressed as we are-by what Umbra had to offer.

Once upon a time, when the music business was more music than business (but only just), there was a band that created a quintessential dose of New York sixties psychedelia: one perfect album, loaded with fuzz guitar riffs of the greatest ferocity, heavy swirling organ, pulsating drums, and intense vocals. That band was Odyssey. It is true that their album, "Setting Forth," did not take them from support slots in their native Long Island to the major label heights of other local bands like Vanilla Fudge. That could be because there were only a few copies made, and they came in a plain white jacket. Yet it is that same Odyssey "Setting Forth" album that is one of the greatest guitar-heavy psychedelic records in the world, and as a result is one of the most sought after and rare (expensive) LPs of the era. The last original vinyl copy to hit the open market was back in 2005, it s that rare. Now Setting Forth is available on vinyl again for the for the first time in a decade, ready for true psych fans to devour. This is truly one of the cornerstones of underground psychedelic music, recorded in 1969 and released as we have said in a minuscule private edition. It is an album that jumps right out of the speakers at you, from it s opening blasts of 'In-a-gadda-da-vida fuzz guitar riffs, right to the very end. Color insert has a suitably kaleidoscopic band history by Odyssey leader Vinny Kusy, as well as rare photos from his own archive. One of the most important psychedelic rarities ever pressed on wax back on wax. One of the absolute best American psychedelic LPs of the 1960 s, and one of the rarest! Includes a color insert with rare photos, and kaleidoscopic band history by Odyssey leader Vinny Kusy.

Coloride, originally a Herts based 90’s Mod/Indie band are back with a bang! Sometimes brash, sometimes melodic, always great songs! They’ have good fun too. I must see band and a band you’ll want to collect all of their releases too.

Blackwood, Eraldo Bernocchi solo doom dub project, come back with a one sided 3 tracks EP “Of Flies”. Side B will sport a laser etching of the band logo. This time Bernocchi is guesting two female vocalists, Minipony’s Emilia Moncayo, whom voice is constantly balancing among growling and rhythmic wording, sometime bordering hip pop/dub territories, and Stefania Alos Pedretti from OVO. her vocal excursions are simply crawling under your skin. The thirds track is a Blackwood fingerprint classic where treated religious samples are transforming ceremonies in something darker. The place where dreams are devoured is more alive than ever