WAH WAH Archives - Guerssen Records

De Unicornis Veritate

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 23:00:00 +0000

ADN Ckrystall is the pseudonym of French synth experimentalist Érick Moncollin. Armed with a Crumar, Multiman 52 with brass pedal and sustain/volume pedal, two Kawai Synthi 100-F, Roland CR-65, Korg PS-3200, Roland Jupiter-4, a Boss flanger, MXR phasing and a TEAC 8-track recorder he produced his first LP, Jazz’Mad, with the help of synth expert sound engineer benoit Hutin. The LP was self-released in 1982 to critic aclaim and generated a fan base that has turned it into a timeless classic, having been reissued four times since then.
But what most people don’t know is that Moncollin produced a second album with songs written 1982/1983 that has remained unreleased ever since. Only recently he found the tapes in his parents’ house and transfered them for it’s first ever vinyl release.
First ever release with Moncollin’s art on cover and liner notes by himself. Limited to 500 copies only!

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A symphony of amaranths

GuerssenAdmin — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:00:00 +0000

First ever vinyl reissue of this 1972 masterpiece by another of the big names in UK Jazz. Neil Ardley was offered the leadership of the seminal New Jazz Orchestra in 1964. Under his direction the Orchestra moved though different styles and changes of personnel, bringing in musicians such as Mike Gibbs (trombone), Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther (trumpets) or even Jack Bruce (bass), some of them also contributed with the writing of some original compositions, making the NJO the root from which the UK’s 70’s jazz scene was to blossom.
By 1972 the NJO was already defunct, but his legacy remained in the works of its members. Ardley’s ‘A Symphony Of Amaranths’ is a perfect example of what was boiling in the UK jazz scene. It was Ardleys tribute to his idols Duke Ellington and Gil Evans, and featured the skills of some great musicians of the scene including Don Rendell, Stan Tracey, Henry Lowther, Harry Beckett, Jeff Clyne & Jon Hiseman. Side B is inspired by the words of Edward Lear, W. B. Yeats, James Joyce and Lewis Carroll that are musicated by Ardley and feature, among other highlights, Ivor Cutler’s narration of ‘The Dong With A Luminous Nose’ and Norma Winstone’s vocals on ‘Will You Walk A Little Faster’.

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Intención (CD)

GuerssenAdmin — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 23:00:00 +0000

Hey, here’s some great news : we have reached an agreement for the reissue in CD format of the glorious second LP by this killer Spanish hard prog psychedelic band !!! INTENCIÓN, the sensational second LP recorded by Atila, has never fetched the high amounts their debut album THE BEGINNING OF THE END (Wah Wah LPS022) does exchange hands for in the collectors’ market, but it is still a mega rare LP hardly seen below the 400 euros tag, and is considered by many to be better than their previous output.
At the time of recording this album, the band was already considered one of the top stage acts from Spain, which led to their signing for the BASF label, where they were had access to a better production, which not only resulted in a better sound but also in a much more visually attractive full colour gatefold sleeve, which the Wah Wah reissue will reproduce to perfection and outgrade to a gorgeous 16 page booklet full of info on the band.
Originally issued in 1976, INTENCIÓN is the perfect follow-up to THE BEGINNING OF THE END, with Atila offering further pieces led by the strong guitar licks of Eduardo Niebla, Benet Nogué’s organ & Moog, and Joan Punyet’s drums melting in top progressive freakouts, plus the addition of wordless vocal parts and even some catalan sung parts, besides adding a symphonic edge to the general sound. Side A offers three killer tracks in that vein, while B side is a new recording of the bands’ signature theme EL PRINCIPIO DEL FIN, with updated overtones, Moog passages and a much better recorded sound than the one appearing on their debut LP.
In addition to the original “Intención” LP this CD edition will feature one bonus track recorded back in 1999, the year of the band’s first come back after they disbanded in the late seventies.
The Wah Wah release comes with remastered sound worked from the original master tapes, as usual marvelously treated by sound wizard Denis Blackham @ SkyMastering.

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Voyage Cerebral

GuerssenAdmin — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 22:00:00 +0000

“1979 follow-up to his Eclipse debut, Voyage Cerebral was the second effort by french synthetist Didier Bocquet. Like the first album, it was recorded on his own private studio and self-released, this time via legendary french custom label FVLM (“Faites Le Vous-Même”, meaning “Do It Yourself”). Inspired by the first wave of german kosmische sound-travellers (Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream and the whole Berlin School spring inmediately to mind) but retaining that typical french urgency that places it close to Heldon / Pinhas, Lard Free or even Besombes / Rizet territory. In-your-face sequenced electronic music that sounds both spacy and violent at the same time whilst keeping a certain lo-fi, self produced vibe. Recommended to fans of all things “kosmische” and synth music in general.”

Raül G. Pratginestós (Fauni Gena)

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Relax

GuerssenAdmin — Sun, 27 Jan 2002 23:00:00 +0000

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Freedom’s Lament

GuerssenAdmin — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 23:00:00 +0000

David Callinan is nowadays better known as a writer having published an amount of books moving from the thriller genre to children’s stories and also some non-fiction essays, but in his younger days he spent many years on the road as a musician and singer-songwriter. He formed Irish folk band The Spalpteens prior to moving to what has been dubbed as “celtic swamo music” with Urban Clearway, with whom he toured with the likes of Elton John, Billy Connolly. Fairport Convention and Rod Stewart, a.o. After Urban Clearway split, Callinan joined forces with Mick Flynn in the folk-rock singer-songwriter duo Callinan-Flynn. They recorded Freedom’s Lament in 1972 with Kieran O’Connor (Second Hand, Moving Finger) on drums and Romey Young on Jew’s Harp. The original edition on the collectable label Mushroom is a highly sought after piece among collectors, fetching prices over the 200EUR tag.

First ever vinyl reissue in a strictly limited edition of only 500 copies, featuring two bonus tracks not on the original LP.

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Planet of a man

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 22:00:00 +0000

Brothers Manfred and Wolfgang Schunke were pioneers of the Kunstkopf Stereophonie (artificial head, dummy head) binaural recording system. This recording technique was created in the Technical University of Berlin in 1974 with the aim to reproduce real stereo sound as the human ears perceive it. Human ears listen to the sounds in a concrete way that is affected not only by the sound frequencies themselves but also by the position of the listener in respect to the different sound sources. The Schunke brothers wanted to experiment this recording technique, and as early as 1974 they set their own kunstkopf recording studio, Delta Acustic, with the help of Klaus Schulze.

Code III was the vehicle for Manfred Schunke to explore the possibilities of kunstkopf recording. To do so, he joined forces with two Berlin-resident americans: Ed and Mary Key. Lyrically, Planet Of Man verses on the big theme of the creation of Earth, as The Crack In The Cosmic Egg book details it: “The music on PLANET OF MAN is a sonic depiction of the history of the Earth, from the void of empty space, via the formation of the planets, the evolution of life, through to man’s domination of the planet, and ultimately back to the void. The opening and closing excursions, involving atmospheric electronics, injections of a dreamy folk song, and disembodied resonant female voice, hint a little at Brainticket’s CELESTIAL OCEAN, although the mood is much spookier. Confusingly “Dawn Of An Era” (the lyrics are sung in the previous track) involves what sounds like demented Neanderthals involved in some weird drum ritual. “Countdown” adds up to a blend of atmospheric electronics with abstract use of voice collage and effects (and Indian music), onto a remarkably clever accelerating space-rock burn-out featuring Klaus Schulze at the drum stool! Returning to weird space music at the end, it all adds up to a remarkable and unique album.”

Planet Of Man was one of the six releases on the Delta Acustic label (among them there was the legendary Sand Golem LP), all recorded using the Kunstkopf Stereophonie techniques. After that, the Schunke brothers would quit the studio and move to new adventures. Manfred continued experimenting with dummy head recording, he would work, among others, on albums by Can and also use his binaural engineering experience on Lou Reed’s 1978 Lps Street Hassle and Take No Prisoners, among many others. There were originally two different versions of the album, the Wah Wah edition reproduces the longer, uncut one.

First ever official vinyl reissue, with remastered sound and an insert with liner notes curated by Wolfgang Schunke for the occasion.

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Babel

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 22:00:00 +0000

The origins of Cos date back to the second half of the sixties when Daniel Schell joined forces with Jean-Paul Musette, Pascale Son and Robert Pernet to form Classroom. When Classroom split, Daniel Schell and Pascale Son moved ahead and formed Cos together with Charles Loos, Alain Goutier and Bob Dartsch. They produced an experimental jazz rock sound linked to the influences above mentioned, but without being mere copycats since they always managed to keep to their own personality.

Babel was Cos' third long playing release, issued in 1978. It represented a new step in the band's evolution with the addition of new influences that ranged from musique dodécaphonique, minimalist droning, or even a hint of disco, without turning their backs to their earlier love for Canterbury sounds or more conventional jazz-rock. Dirk Bogaert, Francis Cahen and Marc Moulin all played in its sessions, making this a superb sample of what was going on through the Belgian music scene in those days.

The Wah Wah reissue comes housed in a beautiful reproduction of the original sleeve. Limited edition of 500 copies, licensed from and with the collaboration of Daniel Schell.

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Aphorisms Insane

GuerssenAdmin — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 22:00:00 +0000

The only album by Austrian trio Cultural Noise is a an electronic marvel. Band members were Gerhard Lisy, Walter Heinisch and Karl Kronfeld, and instruments used included an ARP Sequencer, an ARP 2600, a VCS 3, an EMS Digital Sequencer, a Mellotron M400, a Micro Moog, a Roland Studiosystem 700, a Roland Analogue Sequenzer and an electric guitar. With these weapons and a strong influence from the Berlin school Cultural Noise created a rich electronic tapestry which expanded through the two pieces of this record, one per side, being compared by reviewers to works by Zanov or Anna Själv Tredge. Mentions of Tangerine Dream are also present on reviews, although Cultural Noise have a pretty unique personality on their own and besides sharing the use of Mellotron, sequencers and analog synths we have a totally personal concept here which sets them aside from all TD impersonators of the era.

The album was originally released in 1980 on CBS and later repressed in 1981 which came in a B&W version of the sleeve that some sources list as a self release private pressing done by the band themselves - this has been denied by members of Cultural Noise.

We are proud to offer a 500 copies only reissue, housed in its original full colour version artwork.

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Visa de censure noX (OST)

GuerssenAdmin — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:00:00 +0000

Another lost gem of French underground music, Delired Cameleon Family was originally conceived as the soundtrack to Pierre Clémenti’s “Visa de censure no X”, and was originally released as an LP in 1975.

It was a host of reputed experimentalists who took charge of producing this soundtrack.
Under the direction of Cyrille Verdeaux we found the likes of Yvan Coaquette (Música Electrónica Viva, Spacecraft…), Gilbert Artman (Lard Free, Urban Sax…), Christian Boulé, Tim Blake (Gong, solo recordings…), Ariel Kalma (Heldon, solo recordings), Jean-Claude d’Agostini, François Jeanneau, Jean Padovani, Olivier Pamela, Joël Dugrenot, Antoine Duvernet, Aude Cornillac and Valérie Lagrange.

Cyrille Verdeaux was, of course, the main force behind the better known French band Clear Light. Verdeaux was born the 31st of July of 1949 in Paris.
At the age of 15 he became a student at the French National Conservatory of Music, specialising in studies of harmony, composition and piano. He won three times the first prize in student composition. After the 1968 student riots he left the Conservatory to join a band as a keyboardist. In 1972 he released “Clearlight Symphony”, thus forming the band Clear Light to tour through Europe perfroming his symphony. Clear Light would release three more LPs through the 70’s, and also the soundtrack to “Visa de censure”.

The music form Delired Cameleon Family, as it has been told somewhere, “is the synthesis of piano’s technical, epic scales, psychedelic wah wah guitar sounds and electronic <>, molecular machines arrangements.”

We are proud to add this great experimental trippy soundtrack to the Wah Wah catalogue, reissued in cool vinyl, with remastered sound, housed in a faithfull reproduction of the original sleeve and complete with an insert with liner notes and photos. Only 500 copies pressed, so better get yours before they are gone!

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