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Bitchin Bajas

Switched On Ra (Tape)

Label: Drag City

Format: Tape

Genre: Electronic

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*2022 stock.* To pour some out for one of their heroes, the cosmos’ own Sun Ra, Bitchin Bajas simply cut a slice of their own DNA and amplify it! Or something like that: they clearly vibe with Ra in hypno-symbiosis, setting the controls of their analog synths for the heart of Sun. Bonus mixtribute: a heartfelt doff to Queen Wendy C, sythnaut and another mother! 

Chicago three-piece Bitchin Bajas dust of their synthesizer collection to reinterpret some of Sun Ra's most memorable tunes, from 'Space is the Place' to Lanquidity'. If you've ever wanted to hear how Sun Ra might sound as severely faded psychedelic exotica - your time.

Taking influence from Wendy Carlos's literally groundbreaking 'Switched On Bach', Cooper Crain, Rob Frye and Daniel Quinlivan transform a grip of Sun Ra catalog faves into chirpy synth-rich lounge music that sounds like Plone, The Advisory Circle or Pye Corner Audio.

So 'Space is the Place' becomes a heaving chime of rubbery Moog bass, bright, resonant chords and cycling Popol Vuh rhythms. It's music that hangs in the atmosphere like blunt smoke, with a purplish-orange hue burning around the edges. 'Outer Spaceways Incorporated' introduces talkbox vocals and wiry Dr. Who synths that could have been snatched from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, while 'Lanquidity' has been transformed into an electro-lounge groover.

It would be impossible to top the originals, Bitchin Bajas don't even try - they've instead assembled a complete oddity that pays tribute to Sun Ra by being as off the wall as possible.

Details
Cat. number: DC851C
Year: 2021
Notes:

2021, Drag City Inc

All songs written by Sun Ra / Arranged by Bitchin Bajas

Bitchin Bajas are:
Cooper Crain, Rob Frye, Daniel Quinlivan

with Jayve Montgomery:
Akai 4000s on "Space Is the Place", "Lanquidity" and "Opus in Springtime"

Recorded at Labranza, Chicago on an Otari MX5050 MKIII 8-track 1/2" at 15 IPS, June 2021

Mixed at Electrical Audio to an Ampex ATR-102 2-track 1/2" at 30 IPS, July 12th, 2021.

Mastered by Brian Sulpizio.