Only one but am still catching my breath.

Sun Ra Greatest hits. The most recent Evidence release based on the Saturn LPs.This is a total revelation to me. Think Fethcher Henderson in Outer Space! How have I missed the genius of this great man? Wondrous otherworldly jazz sound. Now all I need is a list of 50s Sci Fi movies for Christmas. God Bless Joe Mc Carthy. A word of warning...people look askance as you walk up the street singing 'Rocket Number Nine Take off For The Planet Venus'

John (The second stop is Jupiter!!)

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I miss this topic every week. Come back Joel, Tony.

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I've been on holiday for a week - I write all this stuff instead of working! Anyway I did buy some stuff…

Faust - 'The Wumme years' 5CD box set. Includes the albums 'Faust', 'So far', 'The Faust tapes', '71 minutes of Faust' and a selection of BBC sessions and unavailable stuff. If you are a Faust fan and not prepared to pay up to fifty quid a pop for the first few albums on vinyl, then this is a great place to start. Faust are probably the most avant-guard unhinged and screwed up of the Krautrock greats. Much of this is is cut together in a John Cage manner, Faust were probably the most hippy of the Krautrock acts, though the cut and shut techniques of the production takes their weirdness to another plane. If you like this stuff then this is a great collection of classic albums by a very influential band, if however you are new to Krautrock it is probably best to start with Can, early Tangerine Dream, or Neu.

Flanger - 'Midnight sound'. More groovy Ninja-Tunes stuff, sort of mellow vibraphone driven jazz crossed with drum and bass. This album is really cool, and should probably have made my best of year list. With the exception of a possibly unwise though very brave cover version of 'So what' from Miles Davis 'Kind of blue' 'Midnight Sound' comes across as a very accomplished and unique sounding album with a great feel. Unreserved recommendation for this one.

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Sun Ra Greatest hits. The most recent Evidence release based on the Saturn LPs.This is a total revelation to me.

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Is this a good place to start with Sun Ra? I am really curious as from what I have read I should like this stuff. I have always been a bit daunted as Sun Ra's output spans over 100 albums… where the hell do you start?

Tony.

As anything of this length that was made up on the spur of the moment would have there are certainly flat spots in there, but greatly outnumbered by fun, funky and spacey grooves. Top!

Pete.

To me sounds like the bands roots lie in Iggy pop, Springsteen, with some Brit pop/indie mixed in for good measure.

AMG doesnt have anything to say about them, http://allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=B312112 but i have personally found Industrial silence a good addition to this years collection.

Tarik

Amber (Autechre) Just about the best ambient album I have ever heard. Track 9 (can't remember the name) is soooo laid back.

Nannou (Aphex Twin from the Windowlicker single) is just so dinky! Clockwork.

I have now ordered lots of other stuff by both, and bought what I could locally.

If you like spacey sounds then do check out anything on FAX records especially stuff by Pete Namlock (Ambient/trippy-fairly slow but lovely), there is a shop on Berwick street, London that has a lot of FAX records stuff or Ambient Soho on the same street has a lot of spacey sounding stuff. "Banco de Gaia" another band whom I cant reccomend highly enough for a more faster side winding and mind bending triptastic extravaganza (except his latest album). Another band which is absolutely smashing is called "AZUKX" similar to Banco de Gaia, it also will send you on your astral voyage, also quite chilled out.
But for a really lovely experience you should go to Whirlygig in Kings Cross.
http://www.whirl-y-gig.org.uk/
because you can really trip out here with all the lovely psycadelic/ethnic/global music, lots of people with drums on them. Also, dont forget to take your children, as there are loads of them there(alcohal is not sold there) but you can take your own!
Hope this helps,

Imran