Month: December 2022

Raiders of Atlantis

1983 Italian sci-fi action film. 100% dumb. 100% fun

So, two Florida soldiers of fortune are sailing to a Carribean island to go party after their latest mission but they pass an oil rig that is pulling up a Russian nuclear sub and also found an ancient stone tablet which meant that someone summoned some archeologist from Machu Pichu but suddenly Atlantis pops up, causing a Tidal wave to knock down the oil rig. The mercenaries save the archeologist, and some professors then arrive on land to find Atlantean new romantic biker gangs have arrived and gone door to door slaughtering everyone. It’s also got a pretty damn good Italo-disco soundtrack.

Directed by Ruggero Deodato, the man who gave us Cannibal Holocaust, the violence levels are high and the logic inversely low. It’s a caffinated blend of Mad Max, Rambo, Indiana Jones and 1979’s The Visitor. For all its minefield of plot holes and nonsense, you’d have to have a stick up your butt the size of a highland caber to not enjoy this. The fun factor is off the charts. Certified trash but knows it and knows how to have a good time.

review of SANTAKA – NO RIVERS HERE

A beautiful bed of warm bass supports an exploring stream of electronics and jazziness here. Imagine a nocturnal jam between Cluster and late period Talk Talk remixed by Adrian Sherwood as the score for some 70s crime flick. I know that sounds unlikely, nay unbelievable but that is what seems to be wafting from my speakers and enveloping my room. It makes perfect sense that this is a collaboration between two seasoned pros, one from the world of out there jazz and the other from the world of out there club music. A meeting of envelope-pushers you might say and this is neither of those things, but some utterly twisted chimera, spliced from them and gouged into something new.

If you like fresh music that puts you in a similar headstate then this one will take you there. It’s deep, enchanting, unique and exceptional.

Trevor Beales – Fireside Stories

Everyone loves a tale of lost genius that it can be all too seductive when a press release comes along promising such. Add in a dash of Hebden Bridge then wrap it up in the contemporary photographs of Charlie Meecham and the omens were so strong that anything other than a revelation would be a severe disappointment.

Thankfully it delivers on the promise and the vinyl is already on its second pressing before I’d even written my review. You’ve got the intimate ambience of a guy taping his stuff in an attic but then given the modern mastering by Andrew Liles. What he’s done with cassette recordings from the early 70s is nothing short of miraculous.

He really could play that guitar and sing with a full heart but the most surprising part is how his original compositions sound like they’ve stepped out of some classic songbook. You could imagine John Renbourn covering these songs with a cheery aside about “old classics”

Trevor Beales died suddenly at the age of 33 in 1987. Its taken all this time for his music to reach us but it’s found its time and it’s place.

Tokio Ono – Individuals

This is one of those albums that you need for stress emergencies. It’s the first album I’ve heard that’s made me think of 16 bit CD-Rom game soundtracks as it does Tangerine Dream.

There’s a beautiful sense of melody matched to a big, wide sound. The percussion is spacious, and the mood is very special. It’s hard not to imagine myself on an alien beach, having a wonderful time.

What we have here is someone who’s gift for composition is as great as his skill at production. Someone who can paint the walls with his music and make you feel like you’re somewhere else.