A Compendium Of Experimental Music Made In Portugal Vol.2

When a I was a teenager, Rafael Toral was already a reference to me, mainly because his work was music in its purest form. So, please check Rafael’s Synth Solo, and then let me know what you think…

Han is a side project run by two seasoned players of the portuguese improvised music and electronics scene, that is, Emídio Buchinho and Vítor Joaquim. With multiple and curious releases, no extensive presentation is required for these folks. To make things even better, they paired up with the elusive and misterious Nuno Canavarro (yes, the Plux Quba and Mr. Wollogallu guy!) for this incredible Lament… What a treat!

Tózé Ferreira was in the same ball park as Canavarro’s: his oeuvre was sparse (only one record released until recently), but ultimately fascinating… Gladly, the second coming of the artist is allowing us to enjoy his very special form of contemporary music… And 1915.2 is such a fine example of it…

When I first met Jorge Mantas (a.k.a. The Beautiful Schizophonic), many years ago, I noticed we was wearing a jacket that had the words “Andrew Mackenzie” stitched on the back, and also that he was an avid Marcel Proust reader. Is this relevant? Maybe not… But Un Climat Harmonique Particulier, is, without a doubt, an outstanding and meaningful drone.

Long time ago in a radio station far, far away, José Moura had a show named Major Eléctrico. The playlist was, usually, pretty strange; but, in spite of that, it was one my favourite broadcasts. At the time, he was also doing some hardcore/glitchy experiments under the alias Discmen. Galactus Is Galactus Suite is a blast from the past and it sounds like the Silver Surfer’s nemesis to me…  And that’s a pretty good calling card in my comic book.

Imagine that Frank Zappa met the Alan Parson’s Project, the Animal Collective, Cosmic Disco and Tribalism… Well, you needn’t use your imagination anymore, you just have to listen to Gala Drop‘s music. Parson is really, really out there!!!

I came across with Parpar‘s work while working in a record’s fair. They played an explosive gig there, which reminded me a lot of Zach Hill’s fierce drumming and Colin Stetson’s mean riffing. I immediately thought to myself: “I have to release these guys!”. COVCOV, and that is that!

A quick footnote about the title of the compilation:

As famous as the Northern Wind or Mistral, Sirocco is a Mediterranean wind that blows from the Sahara Desert, and is widely responsible for huge and cinematic sand storms, and also for a strange phenomenon called “blood rain”, due to the red sand that eventually mixes with the falling rain. I’ve also heard that “Life is in the blood“, so let the wind blow!

Without any further delay,  Wasser Bassin proudly presents: Rafael Toral, Han, Tózé Ferreira, The Beautiful Schizophonic, Discmen, Gala Drop and Parpar: a random selection of tracks from the 2000’s till the present day.

Second volume… Others will follow!

WB 014 – V/A – Sirocco: A Compendium Of Experimental Music Made In Portugal Vol.2 – LP

A1 – Rafael Toral – Synth Solo

A2 – Han (Nuno Canavarro, Emídio Buchinho, Vítor Joaquim) – Lament

A3 – Tózé Ferreira – 1915.2

A4 – The Beautiful Schizophonic – Un Climat Harmonique Particulier

B1 – Discmen – Galactus Is Galactus Suite

B2 – Gala Drop – Parson

B3 – Parpar – COVCOV

Release Date: 24/11/2020

Wasser Bassin

Additional information

Listen Here: WB 014 - V/A - Sirocco: A Compendium Of Experimental Music Made In Portugal Vol.2