Gaya – "Azerbaijan Vocal And Instrumental Ensemble" (Меlodia – 33 С60-06819-20)1976

Ukrainians, bless 'em, as much as they tried, did not have, what is commonly known as, 'The Funk', After witnessing centuries of, either,being targeted, witnessing,or gleefully taking part in, brutal atrocities on the Eurasian plate,their DNA is far too abstract and fucked up to embrace the joys of  dancing (unless its some lumpen folk dance). This explains why they and their Slavic cousins seem to have an overriding darkness as part of their shadowy aura's. 

I was once offered the chance to have my Aura painted by some new-age lady of questionable talents,but she gave up as i was, quote, 'Too Sceptical'.....er...yes?

These silly drawings normally comprise of splashes of abundantly happy colours,and basically everything's gonna be great. I imagine if she drew the aura of a Ukrainian,or a Russian, or anything serbo-croat for that matter,it would display a preponderance of monochrome drawn from the greyscale rainbow .

Now Azerbaijan doesn't have this genepool problem as, tectonically, it straddles the Asian and Eurasian plates. Although,they are mostly Turkish in origin,and therefore responsible for some very dodgy Genocides themselves,Armenians mainly...but at least they could dance eh?.

Yes they really are called Gaya!....a group name that could get you into serious trouble in modern Russia.

Any citizen found indulging in the undoubted delights of brown love,or doing carpet, would quickly be rewarded with one free flying lesson, without a plane, off the nearest tall building.

Gaya certainly had 'The Funk' ,but sprinkled with liberal quantities of grated cheese.....as the blatant lie "I'm Happy" seems to testify to,both in reality denial and funky naffness.

Another fun(?) song title for me is track 10,"I'll Find You",which is the catchphrase of the idiotic (David Ames) who wants to kill me for copyright infringements(?) on my copious Jandek posts in his self-appointed authority as The Corwood Rep's de facto minder.

FYI...i don't break copyright laws,all i do provide a link to the storage provider,(the massive Google)who is in fact the potentially culpable party,this has in fact been long established,and test cased during the Megaupload appeal.

However,copyright was not something that troubled any artist from the former USSR days,as they never got paid anyway,any profits were donated to the state,via the back pockets of of the local commissariat .But,alas,Yet another good source of breaks for your drum'n'bass project that no-one wants to hear. A crime that I have been responsible for in the not too distant past.

All we need now is a Moldavian Funk ensemble to add a cherry to a very unlikely cake.......you guessed it...it's up next!? 

Tracklist:

1 Doesn't It Seem To You...
2 There's No Prettier Blossom
3 I'm Happy
4 Charming Girl
5 Aman Yar
6 Spring Song
7 Always With Me
8 Thrushes
9 Quickly, Quickly
10 I'll Find You
11 Mexico

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Vodograi - "Водограй" (Мелодия – 33 С60-09399-400) 1978

Its a shame that we are going to be deprived of the Russian entry in the next Eurovision Song Contest. Held in the lively Ukrainian town of...Liverpool(?) substituting Kiev, for obvious reasons? However we will have another fine Ukrainian entry to make us all wonder if we're on the wrong side in this increasingly pointless war....er...i mean, Special Military Operation. The horrible winning entry earlier this year, was from.....you guessed it....Ukraine! An awful amalgam of Eastern European sub-hip hop with clothes resembling a car crash between The Black Eyed Peas and Teletubbies' Fuzzy Felt chic...with added Rapping...or raping if you're a Russian 'soldier'.

It got the sympathy vote of course, and cost the UK their first Euro-win since all the former Soviet republics were admitted in 1991.

So to compensate here's another Soviet Ukrainian attempt at cold war entertainment from groovy commie combo ,Vodograi.

This type of break-beat laden cheesy listening got me through the nineties (hard times musically),allowing a humanitarian corridor through all that 'orrible house crap leading to many a chill-out oasis in the depressing clubs and repurposed discotheques of local clubland.

The singing may empty an already empty room of all it's sub-atomic particles, but these cheesy grooves could even get a legless Russian Special Military Operation veteran dancing till his stumps bleed. Spelling out "Thanks Mr Putin" in his blood while swaying Ironically to the heartfelt and jawdroppingly unironic ballad called "For The Motherland".Ahh, the unbridled joys of Nationalism.

Tracklist:

1 Запроси До Танцю = Invite Me To Dance
2 Незване Моє Кохання = My Unexpected Beloved
3 Дiвчина Мила = Darling Girl
4 Путешествие = Journey
5 Несла Дiвчина Воду = Once A Girl Was Carrying Water
6 Тебе Назло = Just To Spite You
8 Вишневый Рассвет = Cherry-red Daw
9 Воспоминание = Memory
10 Родине = For Motherland
11 Голубой Вагон (Музыкальная Шутка) = Blue Car (Musical Joke)

DOWNLOAD from a motherless motherland HERE!

Vizerunki Shlyakhiv - "Візерунки Шляхів" (Меlodia – С60-06699-700) 1976

Funky Vizerunki Shlyakhiv was a folky,funky,but very latin sounding, 'Ukrainian vocal-instrumental ensemble',as described in Soviet newspeak, from the lovely city of Kyiv,.....yeah that place we now know is pronounced 'Keev' rather than 'Key-Ev', since they kicked the butt of the Russian invading force/farce earlier this year.
Dunno if any of Vizerunki Shlyakhiv took out any tanks,but they seem to resemble a bunch of handy chaps with State approved Flares to match.I have no doubt that these swarthy Slavs know the right end of a Panzerfaust 3 and how to use it.

There's a Ukrainian Folk tilt given to some of these smoking workouts that would please the local communist commissar bastard,backed up with a song about local commie hero Shcors to ensure no-one got sent for re-education in a Siberian gulag anytime soon.

State Label Melodia has rarely been cooler....which isn't saying much.Unless its referring to temperature of course.

Tracklist:

1. Пісня Про Щорса / Song About Shchors
2. Камінь Сонця / The Sunny Stone
3. Я Люблю Твої Тихі Затоки / I Love Your Backwaters
4. Гуахіра / Guahira
5. Коло Млина Калина / A Guelder Rose Grows By The Mill
6. Марійка / Mariyka
7. Весна I Ти / You And Spring
8. Била Мене Мати / My Mother Beat Me

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Various ‎Artists – "Musical Offering / Музыкальное Приношение" (Мелодия ‎– С60 30721 000) 1990

The Soviets insisted that anything the capitalists could do,they could at least match it,usually making these things on a budget of close to zero,held together with straw and snot, like their version of Concorde,the supersonic passenger jet,Concordski,which crashed at the Paris airshow in 1973. As soon as the "more Equal Than Thou" members of the Polit Bureau heard of the EMS synth,they wanted their own 'Socialist' version, that their great and glorious electronic composers could all use.......this was called, the 'ANS' synthesizer;notice any similarities there?
One of the first synthesizers in the world (aka in The USSR), it was created by the Russian engineer E. Murzin over a period of twenty years from 1937, and it created music using light, rather than electrical variations, unlike all other synthesizers,except Daphne Oram's Oramics machine of course.This replaced the soviet version of the synth which involved high voltage cables attached to the genetils of 88 Oboe playing dissidents,and a series of levers that, when thrown in a sequence, would apply the adequate voltage to make the dissedent play his allocated note on the Oboe stapled to his mouth. This was fully polyphonic,but had its drawbacks, like the oboe player dying, and it emitted an awful smell of burning ball-bag hairs.Now that's what i call 'Electronic Music'!?
For Murzin's light synth,he,or the KGB, invited,or ordered, young,but qualified, composers to come and work on some new electronic pieces....this time without electrodes or any pointing guns,and the resulting works are showcased on this post Berlin wall collapse album released by crumbling state label Melodia.

Recorded between 1964 and 1971,these bizarre dark electronic excursions didn't see the light of day until 1990,as the communist bloc was collapsing;but the rest of the recordings that never made it onto the album were rediscovered and are now included here as bonus tracks.Whoppeeeee.......now, where did I put those electrodes,and where are those cheap economic migrants I bought?

Tracklist:

1 –Oleg Buloshkin- Sacrament 3:34
2 –Sofia Gubaidulina - Vivente-Non Vivente (Alive & Dead) 10:44
3 –Edward Artemiev - Mosaic 4:00
4 –Edward Artemiev - 12 Looks At The World Of Sound 12:52
5 –Edison Denisov - Birds' Singing 5:05
6 –Alfred Schnittke - Steam 5:50
7 –Alexander Nemtin - Tears 4:41
8 –Alexander Nemtin - I. S. Bach: Choral Prelude C-dur 2:30
9 –Schandor Kallosh - Northern Tale 5:38
10 –Stanislav Kreitchi - Voices Of The West 2:00
11 –Edward Artemiev Music From The Motion Picture "Cosmos" 12:15
12 –Stanislav Kreitchi - Intermezzo 2:00

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Flamingo /Фламинго ‎– "Вокально-Инструментальный Ансамбль/Vocal-Instrumental Ensemble «Фламинго»" ( Мелодия ‎– Д-30743) 1971

From the group that gave us "This Is Our Soul",Flamingo had the privilege of having a release granted on the CCCP's state label Melodija.
Recorded in glorious Mono during 1971 while the group was on tour in the USSR.It was the hottest gig in town,and it would be very interesting to see what the tour itinery was;there were probably riots in Siberia when Flamingo hit town.Something akin to catching The Sex Pistols at Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall in '76,or Bill Haley and his comets in Coventry back in '58.
All tracks are sung in the Czech language,and is admissable evidence that English is certainly the Lingua Franca of Pop to the exclusion of all other languages.For example you won't find an English,man singing an English folk song in Polish would you,and Pop music is basically modern Anglo-American Folk music....innit?

Ahhh bless 'em, they tried their level best to bring Soul to the peasants and povo's*(*East Midlands slang word for poor people) of the Soviet Union,while at the same time amusing us arrogant western arseholes of the 21st century. It's a two edged blade of fun is their version of 'Our Soul'.They almost made it 'Their Soul'...but.....naaaah! And aren't we glad they didn't?

Tracklisting:

A1: “Dívčí král” – cover version of “Never Marry A Railroad Man”
A2: “Měsíční pán” – cover version of “Cracklin’ Rosie”
A3: “Růžová pentle”
A4: “Tento mladík” – cover version of “Spooky”
A5: “Opatruj svých sedmnáct”
B1: “Mít pouhej tejden” – cover version of “Good Morning Freedom”
B2: “Michael” – cover version of “Michael And The Slipper Tree”
B3: “Agnes”
B4: “Pštrosí pera” (instrumental)

DOWNLOAD czech versions of Our Soul HERE!

Кола Бельды / Kola Beldy ‎– "Белый Остров / White Island" (Мелодия ‎– С60 27841 007) 1989

Never really been a big fan of ethnic,slash,'world' music......I blame Peter Gabriel for that, and all those  middle class Womad festival fans, whose very existence seems to remove any point in making,writing about, or listening to music at all. The very thought of millionaire urban folkies exploiting the impoverished musicians of a third world country to win a 'Grammy' for their theft, makes me wanna bash my own brains in. Specifically, I'm thinking Paul Simon here.....what a bastard he was/is!?
High in the 'Bastard' stakes, along with Simon, is Coca-Cola, but replace the 'C' with a 'K' and we get super-bizarre Nanai tribe member and trad folk singer Kola Beldy.
In 1986 he was awarded the title of 'Meritorious Artist of the RSFSR' (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist republic!?);we've all got one of those.....haven't we???He had a number of Soviet-era permfrost themed hits, most famously with the top ten smash,  "I will take you to the tundra", hmmmm yes please???......you don't get hits with titles like that in the UK.....well....I suppose we did have "Snooker Loopy",which you sure as hell wouldn't find in the Soviet Charts of the time.You wouldn't think that Chas,of Chas'n'Dave, was in Gene Vincent's backing band in the early sixties now would you?
The awards kept coming for Kola,winning "Award no.2"(that's the name of the award NOT his second award!) at the 'Sopot International Song Festival' in 1973....what "Award no.1" was, and who won it,remains a closely gaurded state secret to this day.
This album, has any number of bizarre sounds augmenting Kola's ethno-operatic fusion,which adds greatly to its score on the 'weird' scale.Certainly one for the coveted 'Other' section in the record shop.
Luckily, politics and common sense stopped Paul Simon from making a 'collaboration' with Mr Beldy, and just good luck saved him from Peter Gabriel's insidious clutches.The Iron Curtain had its uses after all?

Tracklist:

1 White Island (Saami Song)
2 Master Of Forest (Mansi Song)
3 A Seagull (Dolgan Song)
4 Return Home (Chukchi Song)
5 To The Ocean (Yukagir Song)
6 A Hunter (Evenki Song)
7 Fisher-woman (Evenki Song)
8 Holiday (Eskimo Song)
9 By Dog Sledge (Hanti Song)
10 My Darling (Hanti Song)
11 Greeting (Ulchi Song)
12 Strange Girls (Nanai Song)
13 Kmali Chinekh (Itelmen Song)
14 Emaron Island (Nanai Song)
15 Toasting Song (Yakutian Song)
16 Snowy Tundra (Saami Song)
17 My Little Reindeer (Evenki Song)
18 Fisher's Song (Nanai Song)

DOWNLOAD a refreshing taste of Kola HERE!

Дос-Мукасан / Dos-Mukasan - "Дос-Мукасан" (Мелодия ‎– С60-07677-8) 1976

Freaky Psychedelic combo's from Kazakhstan didn't need long hair,beads and lashings of LSD 25, to make weird as fuck music. In a land remote enough from Moscow for nuclear testing, the wastelands around the townships were littered with the carcasses of  space junk and failed missle tests.The river behind the band in the album cover swhot was likely highly radioactive or lifeless from chemical spillages further upstream. Large swathes were uninhabitable, poisoned by disgarded rocket fuel, by the time Borats' homeland became independant.Perhaps it was the copious amount of chemicals splashed around the habitats of a seemingly expendable people that ,once ingested, created a drug strong enough for Dos-Mukasan to dress in those way-out uniforms;or was that the standard issue for the Kazaki space programe?
Listening to track one "A Hungry Steppe", this bunch of crazy kids didn't need no rocket to get into orbit, just give them some musical instruments and they'll take us all there.
Trouble is that by track 4 we're splashing down in the Caspian sea again,firmly back on liquid Earth.
Apparently this is thee most saught after Melodiya album by record collecting nutjobs,and I can see why. Certainly the opening track is funky enough to have been 'discovered' by unnamed trendsetting DJ's at certain cheese obsessed night clubs in London; but the ethic psychedelic prog fusion is a heady enough mixture to power anyone's personal rocket.Dispite its inconsistancy it's a weird as fuck(Shit! Did i say that twice!?),and will certainly impress your more pretentious chums into asking you what that music is....then your 'cool' is in severe jeopardy once you try to pronounce it!.....don't ask me i'm as clueless as your pretentious friends.

Tracklist:

A1 Бетпак Дала = A Hungry Steppe 7:35
A2 Ахау Бикем = Magnificent Girl 3:58
A3 Аяулым = My Gentle 4:54
A4 Ляйлым шырак = Dear Leilym 2:05
B1 Туган Жер = Motherland 4:40
B2 16 Кыз = 16 Girls 2:57
B3 Куа Бол = Be A Witness Of My Love 4:11
B4 Сулу Кыз = Beautiful Girl 3:17
B5 Куанышым Меным = My Joy 2:55

DOWNLOAD this kazaki psych out HERE!

Фирюза/Firyuza ‎– Фирюза/Firyuza (Мелодия ‎– C60-13215-16) 1979

More from Funk capital of the USSR ,Ashkhabad,Turkmenistan. From the time before Life-President Saparmurat Niyazov took over and banned everything,but not before he renamed 'Bread' after his mother.I dunno if he tried to rename the David Gates soft rock combo 'Bread' also after his mummy,or tried to get his sister in on the act?
However,Firyuza was a Turkmenian ethnic/prog/jazz/fusion instrumental band, founded in 1979.They won the coverted first prize at The Sixth All-Union Entertainers Competition in Leningrad, thus gaining the privilege of an album release on distinctly ungroovy state label Melodiya.And its as good as their wild image on the front cover.Heavy on the use of the fiddle,it sounds not unlike a mixture of The Dirty Three,the Dirty Harry soundtrack, and the less dirty, Mahavishnu Orchestra.

I notice that Melodiya didn't release a second album,or maybe it was that they were imprisoned by Turkmenistan's de facto dictator and were never seen again?

Great Image, Great music.

Tracklisting:

A1. Ashkhabad
A2. "Kray Rodnoy" Native Land
B1. Chapycsuar
B2. "Dialog V Aule" Dialogue In The Village

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Гунеш = "Gunesh" Ensemble* ‎– Вижу Землю (I See Earth)" (Мелодия ‎– C60 21197 007) 1984

In a country in which Opera,Ballet and Circus's were banned for 'not being Turkmen enough',I doubt the sophisticated Jazz Fusion of the Gunesh Ensemble would have been too popular with Turkmenistan's dictator and self-declared president for life Saparmurat Niyazov. Released ,on Soviet state label Melodija, just before Niyazov took absolute power in 1985,I don't think the great man would have been tapping his feet to the syncopated rhythms of this funky combo.Which would explain why they 'disappeared' shortly after Niyazov ascended to the throne of supreme ruler.

A regime rivaling North Korea in its madness, the life President even had all the months and days of the week renamed with the Turkmen national symbols, as described in his autobiography the 'Ruhnama',which was compulsory reading for all citizens,who were regularly tested on its contents.He also had the word for Bread changed to his mothers name,and banned dogs!This album should have been called "I Rename Earth after myself".They don't make 'em like this anymore!?As one of the world's most totalitarian, despotic and repressive dictators. He promoted a cult of personality around himself which left little room for such groovy pop ensembles as Ganesh.So I dread to think what happened to the upwards of sixty various members of this ensemble over the years? Hopefully they escaped to Russia which looked like a democratic utopia in comparison to the land of the Turkmen.

Dig thosz 'fro's.....I don't phink da president like you very much boyz!?

Tracklist:

A1 Байконур = Baikonur 5:02
A2 Бу Дерды = Bu Derdy 7:44
A3 Восточный Экспресс = Oriental Express 3:32
B1 Ритмы Кавказа = Rhythms Of The Caucasus 8:25
B2 Ветер С Берегов Ганга = Wind From The Gang 4:32
B3 Вьетнамские Фрески = Vietnamese Frescoes 4:20

DOWNLOAD from the home of funk in Turkmenistan HERE!

Menuets ‎– "Dzeguzes Balss" (Мелодия ‎– С60-11303-4) 1979

Soviet Prog recordings on the terminally uncool state label Melodija,could always be relied upon to have some amusing sleeve notes, and this prog classic is no exception.

And I quote....:

"Amidst cars, engines and girls
Feeling cold on street corners
Amidst roaring, growling, whistling-
Is it raving or a hello-
the call of cuckoo."

Poet Māris Čaklais and composer Imants Kalniņš pose this question in
the title-song. Well, yes, what is this "call of cuckoo" in our noisy and impetuous age! And what is Menuet?
The leader of this amateur pop group Jānis Blūms says that Menuet means four guys from Jūrmala. Right! If four students from the Jūrmala high school No 4 - brothers Alberts and Raimonds, Bartaševičs as well as Adrians Kukuvass and Juris Sējāns - had not in 1968 set up their group, there would be no Menuet today. Then, also, it would hardly have survived to this day without participation in the TV contest "Show Your Skill" in 1969 when Jānis Blūms undertook the management of the group. There would also be no Menuet without the other musicians - Inese Paberza, Baiba Sejane, Juris Ulakovs, Leons Sējāns.Or without rehearsals, competitions, festivals and many other things.But first of all the Menuet we know and admire has come alive due to soft rock songs by Imants Kalniņš."

Well,I couldn't have written anything better myself!? I for one would love to see the rest of the acts on "Show Your Skill", but it seems no clips exist!? Like the BBC did regularly in the sixties,Soviet State Television likely erased everything immeadiately after broadcast. So now we are deprived of that Cossack Ventriloquist,Boris the Whistling assembly line operative,Vladimir the Dancing Coal Miner, and that essential soviet accessory,the Kulak impressionist,who did an uncannily accurate Ronald Reagan.

This Latvian prog group that emerged out of Jūrmala high school No 4 back in '68,thanks to sucess on "Show Your Skill",managed to make this rather operatic style prog classic ten years later.

And NO the title doesn't translate as "Disguise your Balls"!!!!?

However,one must recommend the closing ,and snappily titled "Raganas Dziesmiņa Pēc Sprieduma Pasludināšanas", as being very good indeed....especially for an 'Amateur Pop Group'.Very skilful.

Tracklist:

A1 Dziesmiņa Dziedama Pusčetros No Rīta
A2 Viņi Dejoja Vienu Vasaru
A3 Dzeguzes Balss
A4 Septiņas Skumjas Zvaigznes
B1 Piedod, Piedod, Piedod Man!
B2 Dziesma Par Florīdas Smiltīm
B3 Dziesmiņa Par To Gadījumu Ar Džordāno Bruno
B4 Raganas Dziesmiņa Pēc Sprieduma Pasludināšanas

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Jaan Rääts ‎– "Marginaalid" (Мелодия ‎– C10-16031-2) 1981

You're never more than a few feet away from a Rääts, so they reckon.
Indeed, there's a classical composer hiding out in every kitchen,especially in Estonia it seems.
Nearly every decent experimental composer in the former Soviet Union seemed to come from this gloomy Baltic state....which explains a lot of the music's famed bleakness.
In comparison to Rääts multitudinous other works, side B is positively joyful.Thanks to the influence of much younger chum Sven Grünberg, formerly of prog band 'Mess', who lent him his synth collection,and played on it.
Side A is a typically uber-heavy Jaan Rääts style experimental neo classical piano piece.A pity he didn't do two sides of experimental electronica,but, hey,at least we get to be thought of as 'Intellectual' when we're overheard playing "24 Marginal Notes For The Piano".......once!

Tracklist:

A 24 Marginal Notes For The Piano, Op. 65 (28:27)
B Electronic Marginalia, Op.65-a
Featuring [Electronic Realization] – Jaan Rääts, Sven Grünberg (22:07)

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Erkki-Sven Tüür ‎– "Oratorio Ante Finem Saeculi / Symphony No. 2" (Мелодия ‎– C10 27187 009) 1988

Not many ex-prog rockers got to work with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra Of The Ministry Of Culture (on tracks: B1, B2), but Erkki-Sven managed to get given the nod.There's nothing the USSR's Ministry of Culture would like more than one of the Soviet Unions youngsters getting into writing the odd symphony,so Erkki leaving his degenerate past behind in favour of neo-classical compostion would score him plenty of privileges;one being access to their rich depth of classical musicians and the use of the odd Symphony Orchestra.
On side A he only has the use of the Estonian Symphony Orchestra and the Estonian Philharmonic Oratorio Choir to get his ideas across.
There's a bit of the 'Omen' soundtrack about it, think Jerry Goldsmith, and probably some Bartok and Stravinsky influences?
Whatever, its rather brilliantly bleak and creepy.A horror movie soundtrack in the waiting......if it hasn't been used already?
Would have been better released as In Spe's third eponomously titled Magma influenced album in my opinion.It did get him signed to ECM after the wall came down, so here a career maketh.

Tracklist:
Oratorio "Ante Finem Saeculi" (1985) (for soloists, mixed choir and orchestra)
A1 Tempus I
A2 Tempus II
A3 Tempus III
A4 Tempus IV 

Symphony No. 2 (1986-87) (for symphony orchestra and tape)
B1 Vision
B2 Process

DOWNLOAD this good omen HERE!

In Spe ‎– "In Spe" (Мелодия ‎– C60 23199 000) 1985

In Spe's second album had the same eponymous title as their first,which is a tad confusing,but it can add to sales as its possible to buy the wrong album, then buy the other to rectify your glaring error. It was a popular tactic for Peter Gabriel's solo work,and even The Plastic Ono Band's debut, which had two versions each by John and Yoko respectively, that had the same title and the same cover(with subtle differences).
The main man from the first 'In Spe' album, Erkki-Sven Tüür,had left to persue a career of artistic fulfillment as a proper neo-classical composer. So the remaining members had to try and do a crash course in neo-classical prog.Which to a large extent they achieved,despite the dodgy concept of the Typewriter as part of a concerto...in 'D'!?..whether that was the letter 'D',or the sound of the machine was in 'D', or if there even is a 'D' on a Russian cyrillic keyboard,its not explained.What is sure,however, is that they were never heard of again......read into that what you may.

Tracklist:

Концерт Для Пишущей Машинки Ре Мажор/

Typewriter Concerto in D

A.1 Allegro Vivace E Marcato 5:45
A.2 Largo Molto Tranquillo 6:10
A.3 Allegro Agitato 5:27
A.4 Finale 0:50
B1 Ощущение Вечности 6:03
B2 Рондо Сломанной Руки 4:34
B3 Не Будет Предано Забвению 3:48
B4 Vallis Mariae 3:30

DOWNLOAD In Spe NOT In Spe HERE!

In Spe ‎– "In Spe" (Мелодия ‎– С60 19367 001) 1983

More Estonian Prog, with leanings towards the Neo-Classical trend of Estonian modern composition that augmented the record collections of many a social climber in the nineties;filed next to 'Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares' and Arvo Pärt's 'Tabula Rasa'.
In Spe contained one Erkki-Sven Tüür as composer-in-chief.Later to be seen hob-nobbing with all those serious chaps on ECM. Was even pretentious enough to use the word 'Symphony' in the titles of his neo-classical outings,including the opening suite on side one.
All that aside, this is a classic of Estonian prog, and may even be the best symphonic prog album to come out of the Soviet Union.

Tracklist:

1.Симфония для семи исполнителей/Sümfoonia seitsmele esitajale/Symphony For Seven Performers

1a Ostium 4:27
1b Illuminatio 6:35
1c Mare Vitreum 8:30
2.Antidolorosum 4:47
3.Солнечный челн 9:00
4.Борьба сфер 7:20

DOWNLOAD in spe mp3 HERE!

VSP Projekt ‎– "VSP Projekt" (Мелодия ‎– C60 28195 004) 1989

Another proggy projekt featuring Sven Grunberg was Estonian prog rock super group VSP Projekt,which also featured members of other proggy bands from the Soviet Baltic states, such as In Spe, Radar,Ultima Thule,and Ruja.
I hear the unfortunate sound of a fretless bass on here, so you know that they are serious in their objective of making a smoothly conceptualised Jazz Rock Fusion masterpiece.One that Erkki Sven Tüür of 'In Spe' describes as 'Rock music with a sense of distance and even alienation'......thanks for that Sven. I like a bit of alienation,and the six string fretless bass certainly alienated me.
It does have that bleakness that only scandinavian bands,including the Baltic States, can really understand,and it looms large in most of the music that emanates from this suicide rich region.
So join us as '...that lonely spectator of an empty metropolis ,in an endless field of snow',.....I paraphrase mr Tüür once more....he's good isn't he?

Tracklist:

Mees Sarvega 4:58
Oktoober, Oktoober 5:17
Tuulepealne 7:03
Mälumäng 5:03
Hilineja 8:41
Kuulaps 2:25

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Sven Grünberg / Свен Грюнберг ‎– "Hingus / Дыхание" (Мелодия ‎– С90-16301-2) 1981

Luckily, Soviet Estonian prog legend, Sven Grünberg, formerly of commie prog band 'Mess', got to muck about with the Melodia, in house, EMS Synthi 100 too. The results of which can be heard on this Electronic Cosmic classic. Its like drifting in space waiting for your oxygen to run out after a malfunctioning computer had jettisoned you from the air-lock into the eternal something.
Fittingly its called 'Breath',so it can't be bad,unless its your last one on the million year journey towards the Black Hole at the centre of our Galaxy.

Tracklist:

Hingus/Дыхание 

A1 Hingus I (Breath)
A2 Hingus II (Breath)
A3 Hingus III (Breath)
A4 Hingus IV (Breath)
B1 Teekond (Journey)
B2 Valgusois (Flower Of LIght)

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Edward Artemiev /Э. Артемьев ‎– "Метаморфозы / Metamorphoses" (Мелодия ‎– С 10—13889-90) 1980

When Eduard Artemiev, Yuri Bogdanov and Vladimir Martynov got their clammy hands on the massive, British made, Digital/Analogue synthesizer Synthi 100  by EMS systems as owned by "Melodia", the result was "Metamorphoses - Electronic interpretations of classic and modern musical works".Which consisted of electronic interpretations of ‘classical’ and neo-classical pieces by Claude Debussy and Monteverdi among others . Yuri Bogdanov features on every track, on some tracks together with Edward Artemiev, among others. Other tracks feature Vladimir Martynov.
The record was made with the basic concept of a kaleidoscope: it's interspersed with pieces of various styles, genres and eras. For example,for these pieces the authors wanted to show a variety of ways to use a synthesizer, starting with the direct simulation of now or once existing instruments, to the establishment of new not yet known sounds. Thus, the record is like a small musical walk through time,as realized by the SYNTHY100 synthesizer.
Yes, the only synth I know of with a built in Oscilloscope!?
There were only thirty of these beasts made,and luckily for Iron curtain dwelling modern composers the state label shelled out the 6.5 grand necessary to purchase one of these mighty beasts in the late seventies.....of course the BBC Radipphonic Workshop had one since 1970. Now dodgy pop stars all over the planet salivate at the prospect of finding one of these in the local thrift store. Billy Corgan has one....but don't let that put you off.

The Synthi 100....they don't build 'em like this anymore!?

Tracklist:

A1 Ветер На Равнине = Le Vent Dans La Plaine 4:25
A2 Я Молод И Радостен = Io Mi Son Giovinetta 2:15
A3 Почему Ты Спрашиваешь? = Why Aske You? 2:32
A4 Весенний Этюд = Spring Etude 5:20
A5 Сарказмы = Sarcasmes 1:20
A6 Канопа = Canope 2:15
B1 Летний Канон = Summer Cannon 2:25
B2 Утро В Горах = Morning In The Mountains 3:30
B3 Гольдберг-Вариации № 5 И 8 = Goldberg Variations Nos. 5 And 8 1:44
B4 Паруса = Voiles 4:44
B5 Движение = Motion 8:35

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Edward Artemiev / Э. Артемьев ‎– "Moods / Картины-Настроения" (Мелодия ‎– С10 21077 002) 1984

Moving on from soundtracks for communist cheating at sports.I promised more of the Neo-Classical electronica,of Eduard Artemiev.So here's Eddie treating us to the shorter side of his composition spectrum, with epic tracks combining synthesisers and real instruments, plus more chilled out ambient affairs.Rather like a doomier Klaus Schultz or Tangerine Dream, these are from his soundtrack work for Soviet cinema,and works like a more traditional album with more light and shade for those with short attention spans,like Communist Party Officials or American Presidents.

Notes:
From the music to the films:
«Сибириада» [Sibiriada] (A1, A4, A6, B1),
«Куда уходят киты» [Where The Whales Are Gone] (A2),
«Лунная радуга» [Moon Rainbow] (A3, A7),
«Ночь рождения» [Night Of Birth] (A5),
«Инспектор Гулл» [Inspector Gull] (B2),
«Жаркое лето в Кабуле» [Hot Summer In Kabul] (B3, B4),
«Охота на лис» [Hunting The Foxes] (B5)
«Загадки перуанских индейцев» [Mystery Of The Peru Indians] (B6)

Tracklisting :

1. Fire
2. Constellation Of Past Times
3. Training Ground
4. Native Shores
5. Lullaby
6. Reminiscences
7. City
8. Crusade
9. Dream
10. Hot Summer
11. Meditation
12. Hunting
13. Top Of The World

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Eduard Artemiev / Эдуард Артемьев ‎– "Ode To The Bearer Of Good News / Ода Доброму Вестнику" ( Мелодия ‎– С60 21277 005) 1984

Keeping with the Soviet sporting theme, here be Edward Artemiev's tribute to the Moscow Olympiad of 1980.The one where the western powers were under pressure from Reagan's America to boycott the games....so much for the land of the free.The UK sent a team,which i'm not so sure they would do if it happened today.
Eddie was the guy who made all those creepy soundtracks for those creepy Andrei Tarkovsky films,like Solaris and Stalker.As near as one can get to arty perfection.
This album is a mixture of Proggy Kosmiche music and neo classical electronic hybrid ambient weirdness.
Its fantastically intense,and darkly dramatic stuff.Like a soundtrack for a Nordic Noir Siberian Gulag crime thriller,including the disco scene.

Tracklist:

1 Факел/Fakel 3:28
2 Добрый Вестник/Dobry Vestnik 7:00
3 Гармония Мира/Garmonya mira 3:39
4 Вечный Прогресс/Vechny progress 4:26
5 Красота Земли/Krasota Zemli 7:38
6 Интерлюдия/Interludia 3:47
7 О Спорт, Ты - Мир/O sport ti mir
Ensemble – Мелодия 6:47

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Arsenal / Арсенал ‎– "Джаз-Рок Ансамбль Арсенал / Jazz Rock Ensemble" (Мелодия ‎– С 60—12209-10) 1979

Indeed, Arsenal, the Soviet Jazz Fusion combo NOT the fucking Footy team.....christ....how many times????
...well...Arsenal weren't always a electronic synth pop trio like on "Pulse 3", since 1973 they were an experimental Jazz Rock collective,releasing an album of such stuff on state label Melodija six years after their inception.It took time to be accepted as proper musicians in the USSR,as only 'Professionals' were allowed to release proper records. Once that rubber stamp was applied to your papers the first place of call was Melodija HQ, and you were away.
One thing Melodija records really liked was if musicians from any of the republics did a 'Superior' version of the decadant rubbish that was being turned out in the west. Just the idea of a Russian Jazz Rock combo had the KGB instantly moist....."Da, vee have ser Jazz Rock Kombo,unt sey are better zan your Jazz Rock Kombo's too!!!"...apologies for the terrible Russian accent,not easy to transcribe into gibberish, but i do try.
Its actually rather fucking good,and reminds one of those Blaxsploitation (Redsploitation?) soundtracks,like Roy Ayers"Coffy" (Vodka?),but with extra kerosene and played by some Siberian alcoholics with 'wet Brain' high on Vodka and aviation fuel.
I'm sure Arsenal were very sober, but I had to get an imbiber of high octane clear fluids reference in hadn't I?
As the bloke in Boney M said at the end of world wide mega hit "Rasputin",...."Ooooooooh! Those Russsssiaaaans!"...i'll now finish as I started.....Indeeeed. 

Tracklist:

1. Опасная игра (A Dangerous Game)
2. Дерево (A Tree)
3. Сюита ля бемоль мажор (Suite in A Flat Major)
4. Башня из слоновой кости (An Ivory Tower)
5. Генезис (Genesis)
6. Рэгтайм (Ragtime)

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