Dzyan

CD Edition. 2010 release. Their debut LP from 1972. In November 1971 Dzyan 'nailed' an exclusively recording contract with the Aronda label. The band recorded their debut album in February 1972. Making an exploration in long space-rock improvisations relied on jazz grooves and weird elektro-acoustic sounds, creatively blended elements of different styles from Zappaesque jazz - flashes of Zappa's Hot Rats to facets of "Court" King Crimson, full-blown early fusion ala Nucleus, Magma and Soft Machine influences and even some Van Der Graaf Generator-styled prog-rock, mixed with ethnic mystical elements, some experimental cosmic moments, punctuated by strange gothic songs, into something quite unique.

Compositions are brightly showing the technical 'skills' of the musicians, vocals are great, with a very wide range and sometimes 'multi-tracked' for harmonies, or backed by sax and the addition of almost early Chicago horns in places; there are awesome bass lines, fine guitar works, and remarkable sax solos, also the rhythm section, drums and acoustic percussion are obvious notably, as well as the expressive, dynamic drumming. From the minimalist ‘outer-spaced’ synth drones with shades of eerie trances and spherical haunting sounds that open “Emptiness”, to the very vocal "Bud Awakes" (where the group shows an excellence sense of harmony), the ethnic-sounding and weird psych-pop "The Wisdom", mixed with gothic ceremonious ambience, bits of gregorian and orthodox melodic textures and irregular jazz-rock-type meters, lysergic – hypnotic – incantations to end it, an excursion into other worlds, to the bouncy jazz rhythm of the excellent "Fohat's Work", which definitely have some early "Magma" zeuhl elements especially with the vocals.