Deaf - Alpha 1994 ~ software for linux

DEAF, an obscure and short-lived Swiss rock outfit, were formed as the reincarnation of The Shiver by Dany Rühle (guitars, voices) and Jelly Pastorini (keyboards, organ) in the late 1969. They recorded some sessions but sadly could not release any creation whilst active. In 1994, a Swiss label Black Rills released a compilation based on 'Alpha', one of their few studio recording suites, with some live sessions from 1969 to 1972. Side one, recorded live between 1970 and 1972, offers some of the wickedest, most chaotic Krautrock moments ever, aside from the one rather conventional (and, by comparison to the rest of the music, rather blasé) blues-based rock number. "No Time" is built out of hypnotic, tribal Can-like beats and free jazz freakouts, while the highly melodic prog keyboards keep the song moving forward. The vocals on "The Galactic Pack of Fönds Kari" are virtually indecipherable (not unlike Damo Suzuki's with Can), but the song speaks volumes on its own, with jump cuts between pop melodic moments and a section stripped to minimalistic Middle Eastern flair. The mammoth title track that takes up the whole second side of the LP (appropriately labeled "The Psychedelic Journey") is where the band turns especially ambitious. At an astounding 22 and a half minutes, the track does its inspiration -- Ravel's Bolero -- proud. It is psychedelic in the true sense of the word, conjuring up an imminently strange wind. The jam sets and maintains an acid-inoculated tone that meanders through demonic medieval chants, exotic Arabic rhythms, strains of organ exorcised from a dark Christian fugue, harnessed feedback, Renaissance orchestration, some progressive Brit-folk strumming, spacy sound effects, and accelerated circus music. Although it does occasionally drift out of focus and is virtually without melody or motif, the song is surprisingly deliberate. By creating a wealth of space, it even provides a sort of disorienting, long-form narrative that a lot of music passing for psychedelia never manages. Since Alpha was only pressed in a limited run the first time around, even most devotees of Krautrock have probably never heard this music.

Line-up / Musicians

Dany Rühle/guitar,vocals
Jelly Pastorini/keyboards,organ
Bert Buchmann/bass
Jack Conrad/flute,vocals
Güge Jürg Meier/drums
Benjamin Jager/vocals
Mark Storace/vocals

Discography(Album)

Alpha 1994