The Cult of Free Love/Magic Seas – 12” EP

Magic Love Records: 25/10/2019

Waaaaay back in November 2016 Canned Static reviewed The Cult of Free Love’s ‘Love Revolution’. A psychedelic revolution in sound that still resonate three years down the line. The current Cult activity sees them swimming in, or rather with, the Magic Seas for this joint (excuse the pun) EP release of more electronic psychedelia loveliness.

The Cult of Free Love

With two tracks each it really is Love & Magic (should that be magic love): The Cult of Free Love’s two contributions feel hypnotic, sending subliminal trance inducing vibes down your spine. This is a polar shift from their Love Revolution in so far as what I was expecting. I half expected them to rock out more like a Moon Duo but the shift is much more electronic, a nod more minimal and way cooler than the two moonies. It feels like an outsiders inside your head, an out of the box experience and a good one at that. You don’t need a flotation tank to trip out to this… feel the love.

Magic Seas

I’m feelin’ the spirit of 67 resonating over the Magic Seas, it’s an ocean of sound with dreamy indie guitars n all, this is different from the Cult but equally as cool. The two Prudence brothers, James and John are from Chelmsford, but their two track contribution sounds like it’s from LA. It oozes atmosphere and space with lovely shimmering verbs floating off in the distance… go with the flow.

The Cult of Free Love/Magic Seas combined release turns on, tunes in and drops out on the 26th of October 2019 on 12″ Vinyl (Magic Love Records). Pre-Order here

 

 

 

 

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The Waltones – You’ve Gotta Hand It to Em

The Very Best of the Waltones (2007)

I gotta admit that I missed these guys first time round accidentally discovering them recently via Apple Music. Randomly browsing obscure 80’s indie scene, looking at familiar (to me) bands such as Pop Will Eat Itself & Band of Holy Joy I dropped on this re-release.

‘You’ve Gotta hand it to Em’ is a 2007 compilation, re-release of all the Waltons recordings from their short run from 1984 to 1990 via Cherry Red. During this time they broke through into the indie singles charts several times before renaming to Candlestick Park and finally calling it a day in 1991. Guitarist Mark Colin’s went on to greater success with the Charlatans.

History lesson over, task in hand. I’m here writing this for no other reason than to tell you this band were truly brilliant. Not the best musicians or the best vocals nor the slickest songs around. There’s something really appealing about the whole sound. I guess it’s the cast of that early Manchester scene they came from. Working class lads with everyday issues that we, from the same mould relate to. The jangly 60’s rebirth that leaves an after thought ringing around your ears.

I can’t stop playing this at the moment and the real stand out track has to be ‘She Looked Right Through Me’. Doing my little bit of research I’ve also discovered that The Waltones have very recently reformed and are out there doing the odd live gig. Go check em out and maybe you’ll get the chance to see a little bit of 80’s indie scene history live.

Spotify Link

Maasai – Maasaï

Casting way back to the 2nd of November 2015 saw the birth of Canned Static music blog with our very first review from Canadian rapper SHAM (check out SHAM – Fast Life Cafe). The lyrical wizardry of SHAM first came to my attention with the Illmatic influenced Street Tape. Other releases include Chains of Freedom & LOST. Since the 2015 release of LOST we literally did loose sight and sound of SHAM the man until now.

June 2019, enter Maasai, an electronic experimental Hip Hop duo from Montreal featuring Emmanuel Dusautoir (Drums) & SHAM (Vocals).

Freaking wow, this is very different from what I expected. It has all the hallmarks of a ‘Fast Life Cafe’ but with so much more edge. It’s a musical roller coaster that crashes and explodes but keeps going, you’re on for the ride and don’t wanna get off. It’s dark and light, good & bad ass.

Opening with ‘I woke Up’, a minimal experimental rap with sparse bass, “I woke up in the morning in a bag of roaches, I know death approaches”, “I just wanna blow my mind”. Sets out the feel of the entire album, rebellious, abstract and out there in head space.

‘Astro Trip’ hits a tribal feel with a subtle swelling bass drone (another thing I’m diggin with this album… the subtle bits in the backdrop), its originality is rife and I just wanna keep it spinning. The spirit of Maasai is here, the tribal feel is just brilliant. ‘Lion’ follows in the same spirit, the African Maasai tribe would dance to this in their PJ’s, I love it and can’t get enough

Maasaï the album & band need to be seriously checked out. Real just got more real, go and grab this fantastic release over on Bandcamp, it’s a steal at a mere $5, also if you are in the Montreal area look out for these guys live.

Steam or Download Maasai on BandCamp