Secret Saucer, USA

News: Secret Saucer have just released their 7th album The Reset. It appears to be LP only at the current time (and released in Germany). I've lost track of Secret Saucer, as I haven't heard anything from them since Tri-Angle Waves in 2009. Band is still active as of Oct 10, 2018.

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Location: The band usually just state that are from Ohio, but if I recall right they are from near Cleveland in the northeast part.

Overview: Secret Saucer could best be described as a space rock jam band. Similar to Oresund Space Collective and  others of its ilk.

UMR notes

Humus, Mexico

News: Humus is still kicking around, and playing live shows in their native Mexico. I haven't heard any of their output since 1999's Whispering Galleries. The scan above represents their 2014 comeback album Wheel of Malarkey, and I believe they have more than that, at least online. I need to get on the stick here.

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Location: Mexico City

Overview: Humus started as a rather primitive space rock group, and evolved into something highly complex, while never losing their fierce psychedelic edge. In the end, they combine two of my favorite styles: Space rock and Canterbury fusion. Like a meeting between Sensations' Fix and National Health. A brilliant band in my estimation.

UMR Notes

Deluge Grander, USA

News: Deluge Grander have announced that their 4th album will be released in November, and is titled Oceanarium.

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Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Overview: Deluge Grander is a group created by the ever creative mind of Dan Britton, formerly of Cerebus Effect. This is Britton's vehicle for old fashioned over-the-top 1970s American school of complex proggy prog ala Cathedral, Mirthrandir, Pentwater, and Yezda Urfa.

UMR notes

Kotebel, Spain

News: Kotebel have released their 7th album, entitled Cosmology, back in July. It apparently brings back the flute, which can only be considered a good thing. No updates since May 2018 (last check: Oct 10, 2018)

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Location: Madrid

Overview: Kotebel were formed by Venezuelan keyboardist Carlos Plaza in 1999, and now could arguably be considered the premier symphonic progressive rock group from Spain. And one of the top groups for all of Europe actually. The band's origins were far less lofty in scope, starting out primarily as a solo vehicle for Plaza. Eventually more ensemble members were added. By the time of Fragments of Light (Sensations' Fix anyone?), there is clearly a sense that there is true synergy within the band, and many more ideas are brought forth with increasing complexity.

UMR Notes

Arcane, England

News: Well look at this. I was cleaning up some older posts, figuring this one would get archived, and look who's back in action? Well it's not like Lawler ever went away, but he's back to issuing honest to goodness CDs again! Hooray. More on that below. In any case, Moon represents Arcane's 5th proper release and came out in April of 2017. In addition, he/they have just released a live CD called E-Day 2017, so that counts as 6 now. I need to investigate further apparently...

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Location: Lancashire area

Overview: Arcane is an extension of one Paul Lawler, and are one of many UK collectives/artists playing in the retro Tangerine Dream mode. Of the titles I heard, which are only the first 2, they are certainly in the top tier within the genre. Arcane started by screwing around with some backstory of being a mysterious lost German band. It was tongue in cheek for sure, but probably unnecessary as well. If you're a fan of bands like Radio Massacre International, AirSculpture, and Free System Projekt album, then Arcane is yet another group to add to your list.

UMR notes

I preserved some notes (below) that I put down about this "download/CD-R" only business. Perhaps I was a bit pissy, but dammit it's time to get serious here folks. Nice to see that my words are often echoed by others.

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For those that know me, or have read the FAQ on my sister CD Reissue Wish List, I refuse to buy downloads. Why would I buy something that is a worthless asset? Keep pressing the CDs or LPs guys, or your customer base will completely dwindle to a handful of people that pay for crappy sound quality with no physical product to own and display. Some offer them as CD-R's as well. Once again, an inferior worthless format. Either do it right, or don't bother at all. This customer is perfectly willing to stop buying new music if that's all the options I'm given. I'm not alone in these thoughts. I hope the small vendors/labels are paying attention here. The majors can do whatever they want - it's not likely I'll find what I'm looking for there anyway.

Here's a comment I received from a reader named Mike way back when (2011): "Not ... alone ... at all. It's actually pretty amazing how much trouble one has to go through to get a lot of this modern sequencer music, at least on this side of the Atlantic.

And take RMI for an example. Fairly tough to get before they signed to Cuneiform and Wayside started carrying everything. And now Wayside's showing "Last few copies" on Emissaries.

So anyone want to start a label? :D"