Sula Bassana and Friends: Spaced Out
Sulatron Records (ST CD-R 003)
Here’s over two hours’ worth of more or less spontaneous, cosmic live improvisation from freakWEEKnoEND Festival for you. Sula Bassana alias Dave Schmidt asked some friends for example from the band Zone Six to jam with him on top of backing loops and programmed beats that he had made, and the result is a double CD-R full of electronic, very psychedelic and ambient music. The gig included two guitarists and there is also for example a lot of flute and human voice, and on a couple of tracks, also djembe. This is a really nice 2CD-R release that takes the listener somewhere in the twilight zone of consciousness. The album begins in a very tranquil style with the over 20-minute-long “Echoflow” and the next number “PeaceNoPeace” that also includes some flute is pretty much in the same vein. Perhaps the wildest track on the album is “Strange Forest” that has powerful djembe work and sort of tribal feel. The programmed drums are more evident on the 23-minute-long jam version of Sula Bassana’s “Pollenflug” track that finishes the first disc and takes you in a strong trance state. “Oh Schön” starts the second disc again in a pretty peaceful way, although there are also some sequences and minimal programmed drums on board. Mystical stuff! The longest track on the album is “Floating Circle” that lasts for almost 43 minutes. Phew! The great, Manuel Göttsching styled delay guitar opens the track with some low frequency synthesizer sounds. Little by little the track grows, but later on the band is in a very relaxed mood again. Time doesn’t really exist during this one. This is a limited edition of 100 copies and the price is 13€ per copy.
19.12.06 by Dj Astro at Psychotropic Zone

Sula Bassana and Friends- Spaced Out (Sulatron Records stcdr002)
From Aural Innovations #35 (January 2007)
This is a pretty cool double CD-R limited to 100 copies that was recorded live from the soundboard very late at night from the FreakWEEKnoEnd Festival on August 17th, 2006. 6 pieces of music featuring synthesizer, djembe, two guitars with loads of effects and delay, drum machine, some vocals and jews harp. CD ones starts with the 20 minute Echoflow, which is a very slow building spaced out drone with cool delay guitars before the drum machine begins and some really nice flute as well. the 18 minute Spaced… Peacenopeace is next and begins with spacey synths and guitars before the drum machine comes in and again some nice flute. The band freaks out a bit more at the end. Still these first two tracks are pretty tripped out ambient psychedelia. Strange Forest is the shortest track at 121⁄2 minutes. This track features two djembe players and the way the guitar is played reminds me very much of CAN. Very tribal and tripped. Pollenflug Jam runs 23 minutes and ends the first CD. Again, we have the drum machine but also the djembe players to keep the groove more uptempo with one guitar playing a very stoned CAN like riff and the other really spacey guitar. Throw in some flute, synth sounds and strange chanting and you have for a really stoned time.
On to CD 2: It begins with Oh Schön. This track has the drum machine and a quite repetitive guitar riff. The vocal chanting comes in as the synths get more and more intense and the spaced out guitar kicks in as well. I am sure the people in the tent were tripping. The CD ends with the quite far out 43 minute Floating Circle! This track features the flute again and is a more smooth psychedelic journey. Must have been a cool show. Remember, 13€ and only 100 copies, order your trip now!
Scott Heller

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