Rock On! Wednesday, 23 February – Popol Vuh, Ash Ra Tempel, Faust, Harmonia, Can & La Düsseldorf

Psychedelic, heavy, prog and more innovating sounds spanning the late 60s and the early 70s – Wednesday September 15th. Dan’s pick of the week: Popol Vuh (Hosianna Mantra), Ash Ra Tempel (Schwingungen), Faust (Faust IV), Harmonia (Deluxe), Can (Future Days) & La Düsseldorf (Viva).

Popol Vuh is een van de eerste Duitse Krautrock bands, die zich toelegde op elektronische- en wereldmuziek. In tegenstelling tot de vorige albums, verlaat de groep hier grotendeels de elektronische synthesizergeluiden en is het album opgebouwd rond akoestische instrumenten. Muzikaal slaat het album een brug tussen Westerse religieuze muziek en Oosterse meditatiemuziek, zoals de titel van het album ook suggereert.

Prog Archives review: “Incorporating instruments and influences from folk, classical, and both Eastern and Western musical traditions, the overall feel of the music of Hosianna Mantra has the reverent feel of an Alice or John Coltrane album. Expressing peace and cosmic connectivity in a mostly-gentle and almost ecclesiastical way with its piano, zither, acoustic guitars, and angelic female vocals, there are also buildups and releases of orgiastic frenzy (“Kyrie” and “Hosianna – Mantra”) thanks to the electric guitar and woodwinds.

Listening to Popul Vuh is, to me, more of a spiritual-meditative experience than an adventure into rock and roll or progressive rock music–especially as there are no drums and an almost chamber or stripped down church orchestral feel to the music. One feels bathed, cleansed, and absolved of Earthly dross as a benefit from listening to this music–as if you’ve gone to confession or done penance. Beautiful, uplifting music. (Not sure if it’s prog, but, here we are!)

A magical, majestic album that may be perfect in its effect if not its intent. Rated down purely for its questionable inclusion in the grungier domains of prog rock. this album might be paired up better with the ambient works of Brian Eno and/or Harold Budd.”

Wednesday Wednesday February 23rd 2022, 12:00 noon CET Brussels – 11 a.m. GMT London. Repeated: 16:00 & 20:00 hrs CET Brussels, 3 p.m. & 7 p.m. GMT London
Ends: 12 midnight CET Brussels, 11 p.m. GMT London.