Sommor Spain Vinyl & CDs

Review: Spanish funk-rock group Barrabas formed in the 70s and had big success through that decade and the next. Drummer and producer Fernando Arbex lead the band and fomented a fusion of Latin rock and jazz-funk initially, before moving into a more disco orientated sound later on. Power was the band's second album and it came in 1973 with country-tinged tunes such as 'Boogie Rock', high speed funk workouts like 'Keep On Moving' and then more jazzy library sounds such as 'The Horse.' The second half of the album touches on busy dance floor funk like 'Casanova' and more stripped back and deep cuts like 'Children.'

Review: This concept album is a sonic odyssey into the depths of an acid trip, capturing a multitude of states of consciousness and profound internal emotions. It's a rich experience, best appreciated in different mind states and with full presence. The album is rooted in psychedelic/space tock and Krautrock, with touches of psych folk and electronic elements. It features acoustic guitar, delicate flute, harp-like instruments, bells, and assorted percussion, creating a lush and textured soundscape. The music is mostly instrumental, peppered with occasional vocals and spoken word, reminiscent of early Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream and Popol Vuh. The standout track 'Silence' exemplifies the album's excellence, though all tracks are commendable. The album delivers a dark, atmospheric, and hypnotic sound. Percussion, flute, organ, guitars, and early electronics create proto-industrial sound collages that captivate the listener. DOM, consisting of Gabor and Laszlo Baksay, Rainer Puzalowski, and Hans-Georg Stopka, evolved from the beat/psychedelic band Set Mind. Regulars at Dusseldorf's underground clubs like Creamcheese, they shared the stage with early Kraftwerk and Can, cementing their place in the Krautrock pantheon. This mostly looked over album is a great find for those into progressive rock music.

Review: Originally released as a private press in 1978 (but sounding more akin to 1970), this is a terrific example of British hard rock/heavy prog in the same vein as Wishbone Ash or Thin Lizzy, dominated by killer twin guitar attacks. With roots in the West Yorkshire pub rock scene and led by ace guitar player Duncan McFarlane, Luigi Ana Da Boys recorded their first album, Feeling The Ceiling, at a local studio in Leeds. 1000 copies were self-released in a plain white sleeve with a single-sided credits insert, as the band didn't have the money for a picture sleeve. One of those copies ended up with John Peel, who raved about the band and played a couple of songs on his Radio 1 show.