Polska Radio One, Russia

Facebook
Samples
VK (like a Russian Facebook)

Polska Radio One - Cosmos Inside. 2014 Trail Records (USA CD); 2014 Clostridium (Germany LP)
Polska Radio One - Cold Sun. 2016 Opium Eyes (CD)

----Cosmos Inside

Polska Radio One are a fantastic new band from Yekaterinburg, in Central Russia, relatively not far from Kazakhstan. Though thousands of miles away, Polska Radio One clearly have their musical hearts tuned into the late 80s and early 90s UK scene - specifically the Festival Psych and Neo-Psych sounds of the era. Exactly, more at the point where modern bands were emulating the cosmic psychedelic sounds of Pink Floyd and their 60s brethren, rather than the actual 60s sound itself. That is - the concentrate version! And perhaps we're all the better for the focus applied.

At the start I was reminded of Soma, then Sun Dial at their most psychedelic (Other Way Out), and onto the most trippy post festival sounds of the Ship of Fools. Wonderful echoplex'd guitar, ancient organ, phased vocals, and just a general otherworldly atmosphere that is at once disorienting and yet exhilarating. Another great new band on the best space rock specialist label today: Trail Records of New York City.

Last update: August 29, 2016

Comments

Anglagard, Sweden

News: According to the band's website from October 8th: "The band has gone into songwriting mode after several concerts in North America (which happened to include full renditions of "Hybris"). In related news, Jonas, Johan and Erik have apparently started a side project with Thomas Johnson playing some sort of progressive jazz music. In terms of website news, the recent DVD releases have finally been added to the discography." Great - add a distraction there. These guys are hilarious. Probably by 2024 we can expect a new album then...

Facebook Website Samples
Location: Stockholm

Overview: Probably the foremost contemporary post 1990 band to capture and recreate all that was great about the early 1970s original progressive rock movement.

UMR notes

Quaterna Requiem, Brazil

News: Quaterna Réquiem are very active on the live front in their home country of Brazil. No word on a new album though.

Facebook Samples
Location: Rio de Janeiro

Overview: Quaterna Réquiem were one of the first bands of the late 1980s/early 90s progressive rock renaissance to review the works of the Mediterranean bands such as Quella Vecchia Locanda and Gotic, rather than the standard English "Big 3" of Genesis, Yes, and ELP.

UMR notes

Lumerians, USA

News: Lumerians are very active playing live and touring. There's talk of a new album, but nothing since Transmissions From Telos Vol III from 2014 (which came after IV...) - an album I haven't heard yet myself.
Samples Facebook
Location: Oakland, California

Overview: Lumerians' rhythms are pure Krautrock motorik, straight from the Can and Neu! school. The dreamy vocals recall Barrett era Floyd, or perhaps more to the point, the early 90s neo psych of Sun Dial

UMR notes

Astrakan, England

News: In 2016, Astrakan released their 3rd album Hidden Agenda. I haven't heard it to date. Otherwise not much to report here.

Website Samples Facebook
Location: London

Overview: Astrakan are a fine band operating between Canterbury and jazzier forms of rock. Comets and Monsters adds an avant prog edge.

UMR notes

The Cosmic Dead, Scotland

News: The Cosmic Dead are a very active band, playing live shows throughout 2016 and 2017. They also have numerous albums, their latest being Psych Is Dead from April of this year. I've only heard The Exalted King (2013) to date.

Facebook Website Samples
Location: Glasgow

Overview: The Cosmic Dead are a Scottish quarter whose raison d'etre is improvised space rock

UMR notes

Hidria Spacefolk, Finland

News: 2017 sees Hidria Spacefolk get back into action after taking some time off. They've played some live shows and seem to be blowing the cobwebs off. No word yet on a new album.

Website Samples Facebook
Location: Lohja (west of Helsinki on the way to Turku)

Overview: Hidria Spacefolk are one of the very few bands to take the Ozric Tentacles space rock via Hillage formula, and actually take it further by adding more instrumentation, putting together more complex compositions and rocking harder than Ed Wynne and crew (that’s no small feat right there).

UMR notes

El Circulo de Willis, Spain

News: El Circulo de Willis are active and playing live shows in their native Spain. No word on a new album. I've only heard the latest from 2015 called Retales, but I was mightily impressed with the music and will certainly explore their back catalog as opportunity affords.

Facebook Samples Website
Location: Madrid

Overview: El Circulo de Willis play an exciting instrumental progressive music driven by flute and guitar, with some sax, synthesizer, and metal touches. Like a blend of Ozric Tentacles, Naikaku, and Dream Machine with a bit of Kong thrown in.

Ayahuasca Dark Trip, Peru

News: Ayahuasca Dark Trip have released their latest opus in September entitled Upaya. It's download only so far, but there's talk of a vinyl issue.

Facebook Samples
Website
Location: Lima

Overview: Ayahuasca Dark Trip are a psychedelic ambient band from Peru that use guitars and soft vocals to achieve a hypnotic affect.

UMR notes

Scherzoo, France

News: According to a September post on Facebook: "Scherzoo was in the studio in August to record the eight titles of their 4th album, and everything went great! The album is currently in the mix." I never did hear the 3rd album, being somewhat spooked by the second one. Certainly a band I continue to follow however and welcome any chance I can to hear them.

Website Facebook Samples
Location: Lyon

Overview: Scherzoo's sound is somewhere between avant prog and Zeuhl, whereas Thollot's solo works scratch the avant angle and add in some Heldon like electronic rock.

UMR notes

Flor de Loto, Peru

News: Flor de Loto is a very active group in Peru. I've lost touch with them after Imperio de Cristal, but they've released 2 more studio and 1 live album since that time. It appears I have some catching up to do.

Facebook Samples
Location: Lima

Overview: Flor de Loto are very much a modern band, but one with two feet in the past. One foot goes to the heady days of the early 1970s that produced the progressive rock scene. The other "feet" goes way back to the indigenous tribes, and their musical traditions and folklore. Recently (2017) I was in Lima for business, and Flor de Loto are a known group by folks I met at a craft beer tavern! In addition to that, the wall art is very similar to their album covers. I'm not sure if it's the same artist, or they follow a similar local style.

UMR notes

Bands Under the Radar

Search This Blog