48 V. PHANTOM POWER - FEEL D-BASE

• 48 V. Phantom Power: Feel D-Base
      (1991, 12”, Belgium, r & s records)

• Maarten van der Vleuten: Feel D-Base / Graffity (1991-1992)
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

In 1991, 48 V. Phantom Power (also known as DJ Maarten van der Vleuten) released “Feel D-Base”.
The EP included ‘Moon 113 (Culltural Bass Vibe)’, a piece that sampled Frank Zappa’s ‘Are You Hung Up?’.
3 minutes and 18 seconds in the track, and almost inaudible, one can hear ‘Blank. Empty. Space. That’s What They Are Now’.

December 2025, the three tracks from the “Feel D-Base” EP got released on Bandcamp as part of "Feel D-Base / Graffity (1991-1992)”.

KOMMISSAR HJULER & THE MILF OF INVENTION - AMERIKANISCHE POESIE UND ALKOHOLISMUS #2

• Kommissar Hjuler & The MILF Of Invention: Amerikanische Poesie Und Alkoholismus #2
      (2017, lp, Germany, dicker barnes vol.1)

Kommissar Hjuler released several albums in 2017.
The “Amerikanische Poesie Und Alkoholismus #2” LP presented two live concerts by Kommissar Hjuler und Frau performing and interpreting the music of Frank Zappa.
The LP got released on white vinyl.

Next to this white vinyl album, the Dicker Barnes record label released a retitled version, “You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore”, in a limited edition of eleven copies on red vinyl.

Another limited edition got released in 2018, again with different title (“Ashley”) and artwork and on blue vinyl. Other retitled re-issues have also been spotted.

Here's the duo performing a rather reworked version of Frank Zappa's 'Sofa' at Zappanale in 2010:

NURSE WITH WOUND - CHANCE MEETING ON A DISSECTING TABLE OF A SEWING MACHINE AND AN UMBRELLA

• Nurse With Wound: Chance Meeting On A Dissecting Table Of A Sewing Marchine And An Umbrella
      (1979, lp, United Kingdom, united dairies ud 01)

British experimental music project Nurse With Wound (NWW) released their first album, “Chance Meeting On A Dissecting Table Of A Sewing Marchine And An Umbrella” in 1979. Although it got re-released several times, the album was initially issued in a limited numbered edition of 500 copies.

The album would get released on CD in 1990, also on the United Daries record label.
2024 would see a remastered re-issue on the Rotorelief record label: limited editions on different coloured vinyls.

The album insert listed NWW’s inspiration mentioning Frank Zappa, The Mothers Of Invention, and Captain Beefheart.

Later in their career, the band went on to record 'Trouble Every Day', although they called the piece 'Subterranean Zappa Blues'.

MORE PAUL DAVIDS AND DWEEZIL ZAPPA

-- info: Jérôme Munnier

ASTRAL HAWK MACHINE - ASTRAL HAWK MACHINE

• Astral Hawk Machine: Astral Hawk Machine
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2026, cd, --, black widow records)

Psychedelic space rock trio Astral Hawk Machine has just released their first album.
The band features Jay Tausig (USA), Bridget Wishart (UK) and Santtu Laakso (FI), which makes it a nice international mix. 

To be more specific, "Astral Hawk Machine" is Santtu Laakso's project. He will invite different collaborators as Astral Hawk Machine continues.

Anyway, I enjoyed this eponymous release, even if only for (former Hawkwind) Bridget Whishart's vocals.

FRANK ZAPPA BOOTLEG PICTURE DISCS

I recently got hold of 2 fine Frank Zappa picture discs.
The first one is a counterfeit of the "Greasy Love Songs" CD, the second one is the "Zappa World Tour 80" bootleg picture disc

KISS MY JAZZ - IN A SERVICE STATION

• Kiss My Jazz: In A Service Station
      (1999, cd, Belgium, heaven hotel)

Belgian band Kiss My Jazz started somewhere in the early nineties.
The collective featured Rudy Trouvé, Heyme Langbroek, Elko Blijweert, Jacki Billet, and many others.

The main object of Kiss My Jazz was to make "jazz-crooners" in the style of Chet Baker and Nat King Cole. Soon the music became more experimental and rough with lots of improvisations, and influences from bands like Rip Rag & Panic, Marc Ribot, Louis Neefs, James White, Pavement and Chet Baker became more obvious.

"In A Service Station" was the band's third and final album.

The opening track, 'Truckdriving Song', will give you an impression of what to expect.
Lo-fi experimental crooner songs.

DIEGO PIÑERA 4+4 - ROMANIAN DANCE

• Diego Piñera 4+4: Romanian Dance
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Drummer and composer Diego Piñera's 4+4 octet combines a jazz quartet (sax, guitar, bass & drums) with a string quartet.

The liner notes explain:
At the heart of the album lies an ongoing dialogue with the work of Béla Bartók. Rather than paying tribute in a historical sense, Piñera approaches Bartók as a living influence. Romanian Dance features new arrangements of Bartók’s Romanian folk dances and selected string quartet movements, alongside reimagined works by Alexander Borodin and five original compositions. Bartók’s fascination with folk traditions, rhythmic complexity, and harmonic experimentation resonates deeply with Piñera’s own musical language, shaped by his Afro-Uruguayan roots and a lifelong engagement with trans-cultural rhythms.

The result sounds fascinating.
I love the beautiful melodies and the polyrhythms.
Superb.

"Romanian Dance" will be digital download / streaming only and it will be made available on March 18.
Recommended.

SOFT HEARTED SCIENTISTS - THE PHANTOM OF CANTON

• Soft Hearted Scientists: The Phantom Of Canton
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2025, cd, UK, the hip replacement)
      (2026, 3lp, UK, fruits de mer records)

Previously available as a download from Bandcamp and as a shiny compact disc in several different versions, the Soft Hearted Scientists' "The Phantom Of Canton" is getting a vinyl release.
A 3 LP release, to be more specific.

The Soft Hearted Scientists (love that name) are described as:

A Cardiff based psychedelic collective with 4 core members and 2 floating members. We blend all sorts of guitars, vintage synths and organs, electronics and sound effects, real drums, percussion, (including household items) and electronic beats. The lyrics are sometimes cryptic and surreal but always grounded in reality.

I really enjoyed listening to "The Phantom Of Canton".
Retro / psychedelic / pop.
Check it out !

NEW RELEASE FROM THE FURIOUS BONGOS

Excellent news from The Furious Bongos !!

The Furious Bongos just released "Third Room Live",

Performing the music of Frank Zappa.

Don't hesitate. You want to hear this.