Tryp Around The World PAUL MARTIN embarks on a whistle stop worldwide tour to bring you the best in obscure international grooves.


Apart from the occasional “Jesus”, “Lord” or “Hallelujah” peaking through the lyrics, you wouldn’t necessarily know Electric Holyland: Fuzz Drenched Jesus Rock Rarities From The 60s & 70s (Lysergic Sound Distribution LP) was a Zion


rock collection. It’s full of great riffs and guitar solos and some very nice vocal blends. All 12 cuts are taken from long gone US private press albums that only the Acid Archives could possibly know about. Although mainly recorded in the mid-70s, most cuts sound late ’60s. Only Earthen Vessel’s epic nine-minute ‘I’ve Been Walkin’’ actually is. I defy even the most hardened atheist not to air guitar to Children Of The Lamb’s ‘Decisions’. Fuzz, melody and riffs are key to this fine collection. The sleeve is itself a work of art and at just 500 numbered copies you wanna grab this quick. Praise be indeed!


Crossing the Sea of Marmara now, we find Anatolia Rocks!:A Musical Trip Through Turkey 1968-1983 (World Wide LP/CD). This compilation comes as an 18 track CD or a 13 track LP on red vinyl. I went for the wax version, which is


53 minutes long! It’s Eastern modal scale for the most part, though cuts like Nurcan Opel’s ‘Begenmez Begenmez’ and the awesome Cem Karaca Ve Apaslar’s ‘Gilgamis’ could easily be Western incidental film music.Acouple, (Erkin Koray’s ‘Turku’ and Baris Manco’s ‘Ben Bilirim’) may be familiar, the others will not be. It’s great finally to get some femme vocal numbers as well. My only minor gripe is a mismatch of sleeve track list to vinyl running order (track three, side two is not present and there is an unlisted track eight on side one). Otherwise, if you are a fan of compilations like Turkish Delights or Havarneghile, this one fits in just fine.Asecond volume is on the cards – count me in.


Still on a continental kick, we move to the Mediterranean. Apparently, Stasera Shake Volume 3 (Boss-A-Tone CD) is the final volume in this series of seriously groovy Italian dance floor movers. In my opinion it’s the strongest one of the lot. The pace is


pretty remorseless throughout. I Rogers’ ‘Cristine’ and especially Le Macchie Rosse’s ‘Luca’ start the set in a breathless, orchestrated studio pop style which put a big smile on my face at least. Patrick Sampson’s two contributions are typical of full-on studio production as well. There’s shade provided by the frivolous breeziness of Fanella, a puppet show flexi freebie from a TV mag and contributions from Fulvia and Jo & Jenny’s Group. The real joker in the pack is the six- minute psych opus that is closing track Roberto Righini’s ‘Mondo Malato’. Distributed by Misty Lane, I recommend any serious ’60s party animal to investigate immediately.


I’m still getting a tan as we move across to Spain. A delicious soundscape is to be found in Attenshion! Refleshion!: Spanish Psychedelic Grooves 1967-1976 (Hundergrum LP). A lot of these cuts come from promo-only discs designed for use in


bars and clubs rather than the public. It reminds me of the kind of music they used to play quietly in cinemas before the lights went down for the main feature. Around half of the album is comprised of instrumentals of a funky psych and orchestrated disposition – the rest is swinging vocal pop from the likes of Barbara, Tios Queridos and Juan Muro. There’s plenty of wah- wah and controlled fuzz action as on Marquez’s ‘Barahunda’ and Alan Hawkshaw keyboard wannabees aplenty also. An LP sized liner insert in both Spanish and English that gives some context to the music. It’s a good mix and is sure to fill floors wherever it’s played!


Pan Ron and Ros Serevsothea –Electric Cambodia


Grooving way down south now and I have to say I like Diggin’ Down Argentina: Nuggets From The Rioplatense Scene 1969- 1975 (Crazy Apple Boutique LP) a lot. While the 15 tracks have the bite and attack of comps like Andergraun Vibrations or Back To Peru


and the soul vocal style of Vampi Soul’s Sensacional Soul, this is not a Latin garage comp but freaky rock played by confident musicians. The only mellow title is a cover of ‘Turn Back Time’ by Kon-Tike. There’s a great vibrancy about this set with funky, biting guitars and rhythms on tracks by Dynamita, Gipsys and Los Barbaros for instance. Wooky Toky even manage to take a song written in 1924 and turn it into a freak out! The liners (in English) are useful on the groups but some context for what the Rioplatense scene actually was would have been nice. Culled from private presses and absurdly rare local 45s, you will not have heard any of these before and will be glad you have afterwards.


Staying in South America, the bulk of the 21-track collection from Peru’s second largest city, Rock En Arequipa 1969-1974 (Repsychled CD) is excellent and a welcome addition to the Back To Peru comps. Three bands are showcased over 18 great tracks: Los


Incognitos, Los Texao and Free Love System. All tracks are culled from rare 45s as far as I can tell. Two of the remaining three tracks are poorly recorded live songs by a potentially great sounding Madera Fresca and a later track (from ’82) by Opus. Stylistically, the songs range from funky prog-pop to acid-rock from Los Texao, and summery tunes and garage-pop from Free Love System and Los Incognitos. One or two are covers but most are originals. Songs are sung in both Spanish and English and liners outlining the history of the groups are in both. Nothing stands out but as a whole it’s a very pleasant listen indeed.


Back to the top of the continent now for a taste of Brazillian Guitar Fuzz Bananas (World Psychedelic Funk Classics CD/2-LP). You think the title’s nuts? Just take a look at the freaky gatefold LP cover art through the 3D glasses that come with it


and feel your wig flip! (The CD edition includes a short documentary instead). Joel Stones spent five years accruing the rare sides contained herein and, no, you won’t have heard of any of them. The set kicks off with Celio Balona’s ‘Tema De Batman’, a rant that morphs into its title. Thereafter fuzz guitars, usually heavy on the wah-wah, define and drive the rare 45s, not least by Loyce E Os Gnomes, whose two cuts, especially ‘Que E Isso?’ really do bring it to the fore. There’s not one


duffer amongst these 16 gems, all are truly priceless and the liners are great too. Hear how exceptional music was made even under the heel of a military junta and marvel.


Now we’re travelling a little further to the Far East. I have been fascinated by the kind of music collected on Dengue Fever Presents Electric Cambodia: 14 Rare Gems From Cambodia’s Past (Minky Records CD/LP) ever


since Parallel World put out their Cambodian Rocks LP over 10 years ago. Here we have some of what survived (almost entirely it seems on cassette tapes) the Khmer Rouge’s wholesale decimation of all things western during their four-year rule during ’75-79. It is essentially a showcase for two top-flight female singers, Pan Ron and Ros Sereysothea. Their music survived their country’s genocide – tragically, they did not. Marvel at the beauty of their voices intertwined with anonymously played searing rock guitar licks and pulsating percussion (check out Pan Ron’s ‘I Will Marry You’ for instance). There is some debate about the possible later overdubbing of some instruments. If so, whoever did it, did so with great respect and sensitivity for the music. The LP has 12 cuts but comes with a download code for the CD edition. Pop music as cultural identity was never as vital as this.


Finally, in an attempt to be in several places at once, I will end with a global compilation that is Owski- Urities (666 LP). True obscurities take their anonymity seriously. Hence opening cut ‘Test Press LP Track B6’ is a statement of intent.


Coupled with the conundrum of the LP’s title (a play on the compiler’s name I am told), it evokes how compilations used to be 15-20 years ago. There is no unifying theme or genre beyond obscurity! The only recognisable name is East Of Eden, whose ‘King Of Siam’ was a rare 45 on Atlantic in ’68. A lot of these tunes are British. As such, you could easily be listening to a volume of Syde Trips or Psychedelic Shlemiels. Culled from private presses and rare 45s they vary from Sweet Poison’s ‘Family Man’, a great funky psych number, to Annie Bright’s ‘Concerning Love’, a Lulu-esque femme popper. Engaging Johnny foreigners are present from Malta, Mauritius, Sweden, Argentina and Cyprus in glorious lo-fi. There’s also a liner insert. It’s an adventurous and rewarding listen that echoes from the past aurally and conceptually.


lsdsounds.com www.DJFabyo.com www.mistylane.it www.repsychled.com www.finderskeepersrecords.com


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