OZRIC TENTACLES - HARMONIC MIND

• Ozric Tentacles: Harmonic Mind
      (2026, cd, --, kscope)

There are few constants in the psychedelic underground, but for over four decades, The Ozric Tentacles, have remained an unwavering beacon of cosmic exploration.
"Harmonic Mind", their latest release is another excellent instrumental space jazz album.

Recommended !

Ozric Tentacles are an English instrumental rock band, whose music incorporates elements from a diverse range of genres, including psychedelic rock, progressive rock, space rock, jazz fusion, electronic music, dub music, world music, and ambient music. Formed in Somerset in 1983, the band have released over 30 albums selling over a million copies worldwide despite never having signed to a major recording label. Throughout many line-up changes over the years, co-founder and guitarist Ed Wynne has remained the only original member of the band. The band is now credited as one of the major influences of the UK festival scene's re-emergence, becoming particularly associated with the Glastonbury Festival and their handmade series of cassette releases, mostly sold at gigs and through a fan club.

-- info: Danny Mathys

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD - ALIEN METAL

• King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: Alien Metal
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Released about a month ago, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's "Alien Metal" is quite different from their previous albums.
Not the complex progressive metal that we've enjoyed in the past, but a complete (modular synthesizer) electronic album.
I admire the urge to experiment, but this is not really my cup of tea...

MAGMA - RETROSPEKTIW I–II–III

• Magma: Retrospektiw I-II-II
      (2021, 3cd, France, seventh rex 15/16/17)

I bought a copy of Magma's "Retrospektiw I-II-III" at a Brussels record shop a couple of days ago.

Originally released as two separate live albums in 1981 (the double LP "Retrospektïẁ I-II" and the single LP "Retrospektïẁ III)".

The primary source material for this release comes from three legendary consecutive nights—June 9, 10, and 11, 1980—at the Olympia Theatre in Paris. These concerts were explicitly organized to celebrate Magma’s 10th anniversary, serving as a massive homecoming that reunited core classic members and past alumni (including a staggering line-up featuring Bernard Paganotti, Didier Lockwood, Klaus Blasquiz, and Benoît Widemann).
While the bulk of the tracks are culled directly from these live recordings, there is a fascinating archival exception as this compilation includes a rare, 15-minute studio piece: 'Retrovision (Prima Materia)', captured as a pre-production mockup at Studio Ramsès on January 24, 1980. This acts as a fascinating time capsule, showing a piece Christian Vander had attempted to record for Attahk but never officially finalized in a studio format. Furthermore, history notes that while the tracks originated live on the Olympia stage, the final 1981 releases underwent meticulous studio overdubbing to refine and perfect the intricate vocal arrangements.

Beautiful.
Another fascinating piece of the Magma discography.

AN UPDATE FROM THE RESIDENTS

Eskimo Exploratorium!

Oh hey!

As the Fall arrives here in the northern hemisphere and the sun begins to drop towards the horizon, we bring you another update from the shared desk of New Ralph Too and The Cryptic Corporation. The Residents, you'll be happy to hear, are well. As ever, they're busy on multiple projects simultaneously, defying space and time by being onstage in Japan and in a San Francisco recording studio at the same time and suchlike. We don't know how they do it, but we're happy that they do.

Top of the list – the group's fantastic new 'Eskimo Folk Tales' 10" EP will be released this Friday, September 25th. Five more slices of the 'Eskimo' story, as heard at The Residents' recent shows in Hawaii and Japan. You can find out all about it and pre-order your copy right here:
https://cherryred.co/EskimoFolk.

The group's US 'Eskimo' tour will begin in just a couple of weeks in Chicago too – as ever, you can find dates and ticket information at residents.com/tourdates. European dates are expected to be confirmed and announced in the very near future as well – you'll be the first to hear all about that as and when.

In other news, the brand-new album has been finished and mixed, and The Residents are currently spending some quality time together figuring out a running order, kicking around artwork ideas and trying to find time in their already busy 2027 schedule to release 'The Lonely Wound'. Our best guess is sometime around February. Watch this space!

As ever, there's always more to say. But for now, we'd like to draw your attention to this month's giveaway, and it's a keeper. Back in October 2014, The Residents oversaw (and may or may not have performed) a live mix of the 'Eskimo' album at San Francisco's 'Exploratorium'. It was a wonderful, if chilly, evening, and of course The Residents caught it all on tape, then instantly forgot all about it. But HERE it is, revived and restored for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!


Your Pals @ New Ralph Too

PANZERPAPPA - EXERCISES IN STYLE - VOLUME 2

The physical version (= the CD) of Panzerpappa's "Exercises In Style - Volume 2" has been delayed but the complete digital Bandcamp version is already available on Bandcamp !

THE FREAK OUT HOT SPOTS MAP

Check this out !

https://freakoutmap.com/

VARIOUS ARTISTS - MY HUMAN DIGS ME BLUES

• Various Artists: My Human Digs Me Blues - Blues Cats from NOW to the 23rd century
      (2026, download / streaming, --, discus music / bandcamp)

With an official release date of October 1, the complete digital download of "My Human Digs Me Blues" was already made available earlier today.

And what a fun album it is.

I guess that the album title is a little nod to Captain Beefheart's 'My Human Gets Me Blues', a piece of music that would have fit this compilation perfectly.
And what a fun collection of tracks it is. I'm familiar with some of the artists, but most of the names are unknown to me. The download comes with 75 page (!) booklet, perfect if you want additional info to dig in deeper.

Released by the Discus Music record label which means that the physical copies of this 2 CD set can be ordered in the UK (from Discus), in mainland Europe (from No Mans Land in Berlin), and in the USA (from Cloud Over Jupiter) without any customs hassles.

A mentioned earlier, "My Human Digs Me Blues" is the second installment of three.
The first release being “ZZAJ: Jazz From the 23rd Century” (2022).

Anyway, you need to check this album out.
Essential listening !

ORIGINAL MOVIE SOUNDTRACK - MONDO HOLLYWOOD

• Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Mondo Hollywood
      (2012, lp, UK, reel time)

Originally released in 1967, the "Mondo Hollywood" soundtrack to re-released on CD (2011) and on LP (2012) by the Reel Time records label.

The album cover features Carl Franzoni and Vito Paulekas, L.A. freaks that were also featured in the movie.

HIBUSHIBIRE - PHANTOM FUZZY EXOTIC

Japanese psychedelic rock trio Hibushibire got founded in 2012 by guitarist Chang Chang (= Kohei Takakura).

The band’s name, Hibushibire, comes from an old Japanese slang term that can be roughly translated as ‘freak-out orgasm’. It was also the name of their first album, released in 2017. It got produced by Acid Mothers Temple’s Kawabata Makoto.

Their 5th studio album got released in 2026: “Phantom Fuzzy Exotica’. It included ‘Invocation And Ritual Dance Of The Electric Nonsense’, for which the Bandcamp page added:

Hard psychedelic jazz rock. The title is a little nod to Frank Zappa. 

This is great stuff. Love it !!

Released as a digital download through Bandcamp, the album was also made available in different vinyl variations.

 

-- info: Philippe Lamoot

PANZERBALLETT

Just a little reminder: the Panzerballett tour dates are getting closer:

23.09.2026 FR – Paris, Le Triton
24.09.2026 BE – Ittre, Zik-Zak
25.09.2026 DE – Köln, Euroblast Festival
26.09.2026 DE – Waldbronn, Soundcheck One
27.09.2026 DE – Berlin, Maschinenhaus
28.09.2026 DE – Fürth, Kofferfabrik
29.09.2026 AT – Wien, Porgy & Bess
02.10.2026 DE – München, Jazzclub Unterfahrt