Roman psych experimental ethereal space rock quartet Modern Stars have arrived at their fourth studio work Termination in their best beautiful way by transporting us into their musical kingdom full of fascinating sheered tunes, assisted by universal themes with hints of religious undertones. Their debut album Silver Needles, their first of two albums released via Italian label MiaCameretta Records, was their calling card that outlined their musical trajectory releasing sounds and colours of a divine translucence mantra. Modern Stars ‘Termination’ Artwork For them, this also represents a point ..read more

When you listen to the opening tracks of albums, they should take your mind away from the usual mundane crap of everyday life and off to a euphoric place, a utopia of joy and happiness. Dreamscapes does exactly that from the first to the last note, as it is completely unyielding and uncompromising, as it slowly begins to melt your face off. Firefriend ‘Rcknrll’ Artwork Captured live at the No. 74 in Sao Paulo, which is, in their own words, ‘one of the largest, filthiest and most violent cities in the world, and this is the music we make here’ this is a one way trip to the heart of darkness. Fi ..read more

Traum (German for dream), are an Italian collective comprised of members from Zu, Fuzz Orchestra, Lento and Zeus! whose track Inner Space premiered in The Sleeping Shaman back in January. The line-up consists of Luca Ciffo  (guitar and bass), Lorenzo Stecconi (guitar), Luca T. Mai (synths and sax) and Paolo Mongardi (drums). Traum – S/T Artwork The promotional notes state that Traum ‘creates and shapes its music starting from the dream dimension’ and that the record is the result of ‘almost a month living together in an old farmhouse playing, improvising and sharing their lives and their ..read more

Paris, France, home to the newest heavy psych and space rock sensation Empty Full Space who recently attacked the airwaves with their first single, Amnesia. Taken from their debut album, From The Limbo, it delivers a cosmic voyage of swirling guitars and hypnotic rhythms across its six tracks and is set to be launched into orbit by Spain’s Spinda Records on 20th March. Empty Full Space – Photo by Maxime Garnaud About their music, the band says they, ‘carve a heady and trancy vibe out through fuzz driven overloads, ethereal vocals effects melted into long tape echo feedbacks, and synthesizer ae ..read more

I don’t think I’ve ever met a musician like Newcastle upon Tyne’s ultimate psychic space experimental drone jazz maximum guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Vest, whose ongoing collaborations and contributions to/with other bands and solo work exceed all expectations. Vest‘s insatiable desire to collaborate with a variety of different underground artists/groups from all over the world knows no bounds. This is the secret of a man who is constantly evolving musically and is always looking for new stimulating ways to play his instruments and explore every type of music even outside his own m ..read more

Sun Dial‘s latest release, Messages From The Mothership, brings me back to that unforgettable summer day of July 6th, 1991 when I first crossed paths with Gary Ramon, the mastermind behind Sun Dial. We met at his parents’ residence on Lorne Road, Walthamstow, London E17. The interview was orchestrated by Hugo Chavez Smith, a Chilean record collector, proprietor of Magic Mixture record shop (inside Balham market), and owner of Tangerine record label. Sun Dial ‘Messages From The Mothership’ Artwork It was Hugo who gave Ramon the opportunity to embark on his psychedelic journey with Sun Dial afte ..read more

Finnish experimental bass player, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Santtu Laakso, aka Astral Magic, and at times DJ Astro, has been around the underground Finnish music scene since the late ‘80s. Before he formed the psych space rock band Dark Sun (and the Rising Telephats) in 1991, with whom he recorded their first studio album Feed Your Mind, as well as various live and studio jam sessions. Santtu was also the vocalist in ’80s thrash metal band Oppression and then went on to form death doomers Exitus, so he’s well-travelled as a musician. Astral Magic ‘Experiences In Hyperspace’ Artwork ..read more

To ascertain if this album is just another jam band, I will have to do a few rituals before listening. Hypnosis is something anyone can achieve, and music hypnotizes us all on a regular basis. I personally perform self-hypnosis with some guided steps, but upon further intake of Weite’s debut release, Assemblage could easily set the tone to utter and essential relaxation. Weite ‘Assemblage’ Artwork Upon the first track, Neuland, I am loosening every ligament in my body. I am becoming one with an essence and letting go of any muscle activity. Naturally, my eyes are rolled up to the top of my hea ..read more

Italian time and space warriors Giöbia are descending back down to Terra Firma, and with them, they have their latest spellbinding opus Acid Disorder. As we’ve come to expect from this psychedelic spirit, the eight tracks on offer are coated in acid-drenched reverb that dances majestically around lush psych, kraut, and space rock tones. Giöbia – Photo by Stefano Masselli Set to be released on the 28th April through Heavy Psych Sounds, today, The Shaman is beyond ecstatic to bring you the latest single The Sweetest Nightmare, and about the track, the band comments… ‘The Sweetest Nightmare is th ..read more

I’ve been a follower of Plastic Crimewave, aka Chicago-born Steve Krakow, for quite a few years now. Krakow, apart from being one of the most eccentric and eclectic personalities of the Chicago underground avant-garde psychedelic music scene, is also renowned as a music writer for the Chicago Reader and is the editor/illustrator for the Chicago indie label Drag City fanzine Galactic Zoo Dossier (name taken from Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come). He also runs Galactic Zoo Disk, a Drag City imprint, and reissues label Galactic Zoo Archive, a Guerssen Records imprint. As a musician, he has been writi ..read more