F/i - Blanga
SKU
05-LEXDEV016
"Milwaukee space/psych-rock veterans, F/i, are back with original member Richard Franecki in the fold (you may know him from his other outfit, Vocokesh) and the results are here to behold. With a string of highly-praised reissues from the band under our belts, ranging from the years 1983-’91, we figured it was high time we did the deed with some of their more contemporary recordings, especially now that core member Franecki has once again joined the gang. Recorded in 2004, Blanga sees the line-up including F/i stalwarts Brian Wensing, Grant Richter and Franecki, with also Rick Hake and John Frankovic joining the troupe. Most of all, Blanga – that’s apparently an in-joke within the group and something to do with Amon Duul and Hawkwind… go figure – shows that the band hasn’t diluted their talent in ripping out some of the most awe-inspiring, trance-inducing and speaker-destroying psych-rock of the last 25 years. All the crucial pieces are in place: the metronomic drum beats, the Eno/Hawkwindesque synth swirls and, most of all, the overwhelming cloud of fuzzbox guitar distortion coating the proceedings. You get a mere 5 songs in 47 minutes; from the raga-drone of “An Extremely Lovely Girl Dreams of Blanga” to the stunning blips ‘n’ whirls of the keyboard/sitar track, “Blanga’s Love Song”, right on through to the closer, “Grandfather Blanga and His Band Light It Up”, a Flipper-y dirge with one foot on Earth, one on Mars. You could say it’s a whole load of Blanga. What in the heck is Blanga? Best ask the band. They insisted on a Chinese opium den “theme” for the artwork, so maybe they’ve been indulging in all kindsa things I dare not ask. Of course, I jest. The band is as straight edge as your local Posi Youth Crew, it’s just their music which is out to lunch. Just the way we like it."