New limited edition LP from Father Yod’s legendary psychedelic messengers, their first album in 33 years, on a new subsidiary of The No-Neck Blues Band’s Sound at One label dedicated to releasing music “specifically oriented towards the elevation of consciousness”. The recordings comes from a Ya Ho Wha reunion gig that took place in San Francisco in November 2007 and it feels every bit as ‘out’ and ominously cultic as the unit’s ‘classic’ recordings. The whole set has a heavy ritual air with improvised blats of guitar and drums bracketing some clanking percussive string drones and an atmosphere that feels as dopey and devotional as Penetration or Yod Ship. Hand silk-screened edition of 500 copies with a full colour fold-out poster insert designed by Arik Moonhawk Roper.

Massive limited edition LP on NNCK’s imprint documenting a series of recordings from this ambitious American/European big band that unites Dave Nuss of The No-Neck Blues Band with Spencer Clark and James Ferraro of The Skaters alongside Jan Anderzen of Kemialliset Ystavat, Jonna from Kuupuu, Stellar Om Source, Mik Quantius from Embryo and Tiitus Petajaniemi and Jari Koho of Uton/Keijo. The whole entourage toured through Europe in the spring of 2007 and this LP collects the best of the jams. Three long tracks and one fragment, including two pieces recorded at VPRO Radio. The sound takes off from the kind of free goof blueprint of The Godz, with a lots of percussion and odd rhythmic dunting while The Skaters work lush keyboard parts and a wall of ululating vocal drone deep into the backdrop. Quantius supplies vocals that are somewhere between Don Van Vliet and Alan Bishop and the whole thing proceeds into this kind of weird ethno-zone where fragmented world rhythms and sounds are twisted to dark, psychotropic ends. But the real gravy is the side long fourth track, the most convincing update of the monochord bass/drum confusion of Skip Spence’s “Grey/Afro” ever improvised in real time, combining sublime vocal highs with a hypnotic bottom end. Highly recommended.