Browse by Label: FRACTAL (FRANCE)

Artist:	BULTEAU, MICHEL
Title:	Rinçures
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 008CD

"A brand new album by Michel Bulteau (Mahogany Brain leader, French underground 70's) + Jean François Pauvros on guitar and Ernie Brooks on bass." Bulteau dead-pans various texts over a richly detailed, post-Sonic Youth field of ambient guitar wash from Pauvros. A very impressive update on the lost French underground spirit, strange and dark, filmic. It's been a couple decades since Mahoganny Brain's Smooth Sick Lights, but this is a most acceptable follow up.

Artist:	VA
Title:	Amaterasu
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$29.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 021CD

"First volume of the Fractal Twin project (volume two is forthcoming). Amaterasu is a new themed concept Japanese compilation featuring : Mineko Itakura (Angel & Heavy Sirup), Kengo Iuchi, Makoto Kawabata (Acid Mothers Temple), Kousokuya, Jun Kuriyama (ex Ox), Miminokoto, Naoaki Miyamoto, Chie Mukai, Seiji Nagai (ex Taj Mahal Travellers), Overhang Party, Space Machine, Mitsuru Tabata (Zeni Geva, Leningrad Blues Machine), Totsuzen Danball, Atsushi Tsuyama (Acid Mothers Temple, Omoide Hatoba), Masayoshi Urabe. Liner notes by Alan Cummings. 15 unreleased long tracks."

Artist:	ILITCH
Title:	Hors Temps/Out of Time
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 024CD

"Thierry Muller -- Ilitch's head -- is the multi-instrumentalist dark experimental French composer who started his musical career with the band Arcane as an underground electronics improvisations outfit around the years 1974. Albums Periodkmintrouble 1978 & 10 suicides 1980 were Ilitch first two works followed by the Ruth pop synth project Polaroid roman photo in 1985. All three are now reissued on CD with many unreleased bonus material by Fractal Records. Well received by many critics today, Ilitch took a solid place in the French underground scene from that area and was a serious source of influence on several groups/artists such as The Legendary Pink Dots for instance. After 24 years, the third and brand new Ilitch album is now released, titled ironically Hors Temps / Out of time and was composed during the last five years. More than a gap, it's a generation of sounds in between... and Thierry Muller is at the rendez-vous : a full album in 9 electropopsonics excursions through the time with a pleiade of colored sounds (vocals, guitar, vocals, drums, percussions, farfisa, rhythmic programs, treated piano etc...). >From the mellow pop to the angry waves, Hors Temps / Out of time is a blink at the early hours and a poetic reflexion and vision on life. With the participation of the great musician poet Philippe Doray. Subtle pop power for adult entertainment. Rendez-vous Hors Temps."

Artist:	NANJO GROUP MUSICA, ASAHITO
Title:	Comtemporary Kagura-Metaphysics
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 027CD

"A work of contemporary music performed in the rock idiom by Japanese underground rock legend, Asahito Nanjo. Nanjo is active in a wide variety of rock groups, but Group Musica exits in order to pursue a more universal musical vibration. Group Musica is an ensemble that pursues the free use of every type of Western and Eastern musical instrument, is propelled by the vibrations of very subtle rhythms, and that has internalized the methodology of minimalism. The concept behind this album is transform Kagura, an ancient form of Japanese music and dance that was performed for the gods, and is to convert the ideas of 'Secret teachings' and ancient Chinese methods of divination (the I-Ching) into a metaphysics of musical vibrations. The concept of Kagura allows Group Musica to create a unique work that is an experimental symphonic composition, which nonetheless has many rich improvisatory elements. In this unique work, the symbolic/philosophical nature of ancient esotericism is incorporated as improvisation, while the I-Ching is related to avant-garde symphonics. These are then fused into a total concept. Many different musicians from various genres participate in Group Musica, but their contributions are filtered through Nanjo's musical sense and thus altered, fused and structured. It is for this reason that remain anonymous -- Group Musica exists as a total entity. Recorded in 1993 & 1994, this album is a colossal long studio works which has necessitated more than 400 overdubbings. An extraordinary adventure in sounds and the most astonishing musical project by High Rise's leader."

Artist:	KOJIMA, KEIKO
Title:	Single
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	7"
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 029EP

"'Taikoku no Kage'/'Real'. Two punkish rock'n'roll songs composed by vocalist & guitarist Keiko Kojima (ex-drummer of Tokyo's '80s female punk band Union & ex-vocalist of '90s band Move). For this recording, with the help of bassist Monaka Wada (ex-member of '80s Bachikaburi) and Mathilda Rodriguez's drummer Sumitada Koseki. A pure & straight recording (summer 2004) in the Tokyo Rockers '80s spirit, beautifully sung by a delicate and energetic Japanese sugar voice."

Artist:	ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE & THE PINK LADIES BLUES
Title:
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	CD
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 179CD

"WARNING: Acid Mothers Temple & The Pink Ladies Blues is a different group than the well-known Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO and Acid Mothers Temple & The Cosmic Inferno. This new Japanese band was created in April 2005 by Magic Aum Gigi (ex-Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO). His main works with the 'Melting Paraiso UFO' can be found on the album Absolutely Freak-Out (2001), the compilation Do Whatever You Want, Don't Do Whatever You Don't Want !! (2002), and has released his own solo album MMMM - My Metal Machine Music (2004). Acid Mothers Temple & The Pink Ladies Blues is an underground punk blues trio composed by two guitarists (Tsuchy, Magic Aum Gigi) with one drum (Mai Mai). Their first album: Acid Mothers Temple & The Pink Ladies Blues featuring the Sun Love and the Heavy Metal Thunder is a deep raw trip and a wild transgression of mother nature filtered by the occult powers! This love potion is made by thunder guitars, power drums, plus various electronics and acoustic sounds, and vocals. If reviewers have often compared the sound of Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO close to Amon Düül 2, so, Acid Mothers Temple & The Pink Ladies Blues sounds close to Amon Düül 1. A surprising and an impressive first recording in this beginning of new century that you should hear to believe it!"

Artist:	ILITCH
Title:	Lena's Life & Other Stories
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	CD
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 185CD

"New studio Ilitch 5th album, after Periodikmintrouble (1978), 10 Suicides (1980), Hors Temps-Out Of Time (2004) and Rainy House (1978-2005). In fact, Lena's Life & Other Stories can be really seen as the suite album to 10 Suicides. It's beautifully composed in short tracks, as an electronica-screaming-melodies-trip full of guitar: indeed this album shows Thierry Muller returning to his first instrument ! And Lena's Life is absolutely the ultimate 'spirit-Ilitch-sound' album which includes some of Thierry Muller's best song!"

Artist:	MAGIC AUM GIGI
Title:	Starring Keiko
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	LP
Price:	$26.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 189LP

"Magic Aum Gigi 2nd solo album after his first raga-metal-drone opus My Metal Machine Music released in 2004 on SSW label. Started since 3 years, this new project due to be released on CD by a Japanese label has finally saw a terminal issue on vinyl produced by Fractal. Starring Keiko with its pastiche cover from Ash Ra Tempel 5th album is a deep cosmic 'Chant d'Amour' concept album turned around an ensemble of 4 tracks for 4 instruments: a piece for Jew's harp, a piece for voice, a piece for synthesizer and a piece for guitar. Space music, highly repetitive. Limited numbered vinyl edition of 200 copies."

Artist:	DIZA STAR & THE PINK LADIES BLUES
Title:	Featuring Mani Neumeier
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	CD
Price:	$20.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 194CD

"Diza Star 4th, a special album (the trio + 1) featuring the unique and exceptional participation by the legendary Krautrock drummer, Mani Neumeier. An astonishing meeting between 4 psychedelic ethnic punks! The long career of the Star Neumeier, first in the '60s jazz sphere with Alexander von Schlippenbach big band Globe Unity or with Irène Schweizer, before switched for the well-known freak-out psychedelic rock experience Guru Guru, then followed by other project (Tier der Nacht etc...), collaborations, and many trips around the world (especially India, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan) revealed today -- and rare nowadays -- an extraordinary talented musician emotionally and spiritually. A motley album, from where all the 10 tracks came naturally in one day studio session, and the music range many different directions from ethnic ballads to psychedelic jam rock, from exotic ambient excursion to funny folkloric sequences, or just pure instant rock'n'roll. Various and tasty, this album is like a dessert surprise: a maelstrom of sugar in its form with its acid and salty feeling on its occasion under a deep powerful rhythmic section and leads by free (no 4 !) humour mind. NB : Track n°8, show Mani Neumeier on guitar (notable & rare). CD edition, jewel case, booklet 28 pages full color."

Artist:	DDAA
Title:	Action and Japanese Demonstration
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	CD
Price:	$25.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 333CD

"There were bands like Can in Germany, Nurse With Wound in UK, The Residents in USA, and there were Deficit Des Annees Anterieures in France. Formed in 1979 by 3 artists from the Beaux-Arts of Caen: Jean-Luc André, Sylvie Martineau-Fée, Jean-Philippe Fée; DDAA was one of the leaders of the independent, experimental, industrial '80s French scene with their highly artistic, peculiar and thoughtful vision, which is brilliantly illustrated by their own label Illusion Production (more than 40 references published). This undoubtedly makes DDAA one of the most outstanding bands of the French underground over the last thirty years! Behind this radical and utopian group are three self-taught musicians of high creativity with a surprising and rich discography, around thirty titles released under all formats: vinyl LP, singles, 10", tapes, CDs and many compilations (some deleted titles are still very collectable today). From a post-punk/avant-garde/surrealistic music made by improvisations and collages, DDAA created an odd and captivating world, somehow naive but truly emotional. Eternal travellers from the imaginary (into space and time), after they ventured in Africa (1980), in the Maracayace land (2000), in the Russia of the Tsars from the 19th century (Les Ambulants 1984) or even with the French poets from the 16th century (Ronsard 1988), DDAA went to Japan with Action and Japanese Demonstration in 1982. And they will be well inspired by the land of the rising sun, so it's no surprise to see them, the next year, on the Paris-Tokyo compilation and also in the Pascal Comelade album Detail Monochrome (1984) on the track 'Pluie Japonaise'. First full-length vinyl album (Illusion Production -- IP010) and a cornerstone in their history, Action and Japanese Demonstration is considered by many fans as one of the best DDAA works to date. A fascinating album! Ten actions and poetic demonstrations like Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e), refined and entrancing atmospheres, drawn and played by the 3 dadaïsts with synths, vocals, chorus, crazy guitars, percussions, rhythms box, flutes and noises and Bernard C and Marcel Kanche on sax. For a long time unavailable, this album is finally reissued on CD for the first time with 2 unreleased tracks from the same recording session plus 20 minutes bonus 'Musique et Bruits du Bas Pa-Tât', a collection of 7 rare tracks from 1985 originally released on tape for the very limited Jean-Luc André's comic strip titled 'Mutants du Kwantung'. This is a dark ethnic report which brings you in the primitive southern China before Jesus Christ. This CD reissue is an exact reproduction of the vinyl LP, and is packaged like the original in an heavy card sleeve hand fold plus a 16 page color booklet with all inserts, texts and unreleased pictures (DDAA live in 1979!). Remixed and remastered from the master tapes, this gem is now available again after more than 25 years. Action and Japanese Demonstration is a pure delight, a kind of improbable meeting between the famous artist Joseph Beuys and the master of the ceremony Sen No Rikyu. Splendid!"

Artist:	DIZA STAR
Title:	Blues Reason To Live
Label:	FRACTAL (FRANCE)
Format:	7"
Price:	$10.00
Catalog #:	FRAC 666EP

Three tracks, including a High Rise cover. Dedicated to Howlin' Wolf.

       "Our Legs Are Our Car, Our Legs Are Our Freedom
       We Are Living In The Ice Age
       The Disa-Ster World Is By Definition Vertical, Dizzy Sound
       An Exciting Up And Down Where Nothing Is Sure, Anytime
       Two Left Hand Guitarists, The Good And The Bad Player
       Dig Up Three Unreleased Tracks From Our Archive
       Our Electric Free Blues Music
       We Knew Well That It Should Be Released Properly
       The Blues Reason To Live
       Love Your Devil Side And Your Enemy"
        -- Diza Star

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