Putting this here in part as a note to myself. Asimov and the Hidden Circus released their album Flowers in June 2020, and while the fact that it’s three years later invariably makes the Saturn Eye Records cassette (K7) edition out now a reissue, it’s also the first physical pressing the full-length has received, so again we see old paradigms and definitions not really fitting what’s happening now. But the songs are interesting, and I hear a sonic point of view in the material that has depth as well as space in atmospheric terms, so while I’ve skimmed through, this is basically me making a note to myself to dig in further. Will that happen this week, month, year? I would say part of what makes life exciting is not knowing, but really it just makes life overwhelming, frenetic and depressing.

Still, the music’s good, and one hangs a hat on that when possible. Also, I like tapes. They’re never gonna be as cool as LPs, even ironically, but they continue to fill a gap between CDs and vinyl and if you’re wondering why they’re still pressed, the answer is that sometimes somebody will see something about a tape release and think, hey gee, maybe I should check that out, and then share that with a friend or two of their own, which is exactly what has happened here if you’re reading this sentence.

To wit:

SE-008: Flowers by Asimov And The Hidden Circus

Order link: https://shop.saturneyerecords.com/product/flowers

New Release SE-008: May has finally brought us ‘Flowers’ on tape from Asimov And The Hidden Circus. This is a very special reissue for Saturn Eye Records and has been in the making for several months now.

Asimov’s unique blend of hypnotic, far out sounds have a way of breaking through barriers of negativity and bringing one to head-nodding peace. You will groove – you will smile. It’s therapeutic psychedelic music in its heaviest form, and we are absolutely thrilled to share it with you on this new format.

These tapes are in a limited edition of 100 copies (an undisclosed amount will be available direct from @asimovstenarmusik in August). Available now from shop.saturneyerecords.com.

Recorded at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic. Original vinyl release was June 1st, 2020. New tape released May 12th, 2023.

Tracklisting:
1. People Of The Mountain Sermon 07:40
2. The Seeker 04:45
3. Until The Morning Comes 05:43
4. Shaman Sacrifice 05:44
5. Shadows Of Summer 04:20
6. The Merchant 08:06
7. The Healer 13:07

https://www.facebook.com/Asimov.Pt/
https://www.instagram.com/asimovstenarmusik
https://asimovstenarmusik.bandcamp.com/

https://instagram.com/saturneyerecords
https://shop.saturneyerecords.com/
https://saturneyerecords.com/

Asimov and the Hidden Circus, Flowers (2020)

As noted here just last week, Swedish hippie collective Children of the Sün will release their debut album, Flowers, on July 26 through The Sign Records. The light-drenched heat of summer would seem to be a fitting arrival time for the record, which finds the band purposefully basking in hippie vibes and upbeat spirit, bringing together harmonies that recall Church of the Cosmic Skull without the cultish undertones and with a thread of classic heavy rock that might be attributed to an influence from fellow Swedes MaidaVale, as well of course as classic sources from the late-’60s sunshine era, summer of love, autumn of love, winter of love, spring of love. Lots of love to go around.

They join a variety of retro-minded compatriots on the roster of The Sign, but Children of the Sün have a decidedly modern feel in terms of production, and that only serves to highlight the arrangements of vocals and shimmering guitar on lead single “Her Game.” It’s an immediate surge of energy forward at the outset of the 4:33 track, with space given to the setup for the central groove before the hook is unveiled and the eight-piece get fully underway, with guitar, keys, multiple vocalists, drums and bass filling out a vibrant mix. Just before about two and a half minutes in, there’s a lower note on guitar that steps through some pauses, but the solo that leads to retains the bright feel of the rest of the track, so there’s no departing from the basic spirit of the track, which despite the lyric’s warning, “Don’t play her game,” is lush and optimistic.

Summer’s not as long a way off as it feels — July is, technically speaking, next month — but I’ve only heard two songs thus far from Flowers. The other is “Emmy,” a bluesier, lower-key number with organ running alongside the soulful vocals, different in mood but not incongruous from “Her Game.” As to what the rest of the long-player might hold, I can’t say for sure and won’t speculate on specifics, but with the showcase provided by “Her Game,” I’m certainly left interested to find out, which is the whole point of a lead single in the first place. So, well done.

Stream “Her Game” via the player below, followed by more from the PR wire about the album.

Enjoy:

Flowers set for release the 27th of July on The Sign Records. Mixing blues rock with a warm feel good folk/country vibe, their sound is retro yet fresh. The band debut album holds strong influences from Janis Joplin, Free and Joe Cocker, still the band can be placed somewhere in the same atmosphere as The Allman Brothers Band, Jefferson Airplane and Canned Heat. A reincarnation of the 60´s feeling of nature, soul and rock music can be found in Children of the Sün’s debut album.

Flowers holds seven songs playing for 34 minutes. Album cover is done by Maarten Dodders that previously provided artwork for bands as MaidaVale, Graveyard, Blues Pills and Chelsea Wolfe. Children of the Sün hailing from the deep woods of Värmland, Sweden brings both nature and freedom to their album. The recording was done in ES Music in Karlstad, Sweden. Children of the Sün won the Swedish national music competition Livekarusellen in 2018. In 2019 the band was added to The Sign Records rooster, the label have among other released bands as Hällas, MaidaVale, Heavy Feather and Svartanatt.

Live Dates:
27th of July, Olssons Brygga, Arvika, Sweden
31st of August, Festival of the Midnight Sun, Mantorp, Sweden

Band members:
Josefina Ekholm Berglund
Ottilia Ekholm Berglund
Wilma Ås
Jacob Hellenrud
Ida Wahl
Anna Nilsson
Christoffer Eriksson
Sara Berkesi

Children of the Sün on Thee Facebooks

The Sign Records on Thee Facebooks

Consider this an early heads up as next week — at least I think that’s next week; gotta check my notes — I’ll be streaming the debut single from Swedish hippie folk rockers Children of the Sün‘s first album, Flowers. The band released a self-titled EP last year that you can hear through Spotify on the player below, and they’ll have Flowers out on July 26 through The Sign Records, which is a haven for all things Sverige and retro as Children of the Sün are most certainly both, channeling peace-loving vibes of half a century ago into lush folk harmonies and an underlying sense of rock that doesn’t seek to undercut the friendliness, but add to it. The track I’ll premiere is called “Her Game,” so keep an eye out.

Here is the album announcement, so we’re all properly schooled in advance:

Children of the Sün join The Sign Records

Debut album ’Flowers‘ out July 26, 2019

Children of the Sün joins The Sign Records. The band will release their debut album “Flowers” the 26th of July 2019.

“Her Game” is the first single from the upcoming album and will be out the 6th of June. The Swedish band is influenced by the American music scene during the 60´s and 70´s. They hold a timeless sound that is not often heard of today. There is a lot of focus on vocal harmonies in the bands music, something that brings a feel good mood to the music.

Flowers features seven songs clocking in at 34 minutes. Album cover is done by Maarten Donders who previously provided artwork for bands such as MaidaVale, Graveyard, Blues Pills and Chelsea Wolfe.

Children of the Sün hail from the deep woods of Värmland, Sweden bringing both nature and freedom to their album. The recording was done in ES Music in Karlstad, Sweden.

Children of the Sün won the Swedish national music competition Livekarusellen in 2018. Children of the Sün fits perfectly on The Sign Records roster, the label has among others released similar bands as Hällas, MaidaVale, Heavy Feather and Svartanatt.

Live Dates:
27th of July, Olssons Brygga, Arvika, Sweden
31st of August, Festival of the Midnight Sun, Mantorp, Sweden

Children of the Sün Biography:
In 1969 Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin and many others played the legendary Woodstock Festival. No one since has managed to reincarnate the feeling of nature, soul and rock music, that was on that magical field north of New York, since. Until now.

Children of the Sün look like hippies, sound like hippies and they bring a wooden sun on stage. The sunshine comes by itself.

This year the band won the national finals of the Swedish music competition ‘Livekarusellen’. During the summer they played at events such as ‘Putte i parken’, Arvika hamnfest’ and ‘Karl Oskarsdagarna’.

In the beginning of the summer they also released their debute in form of a self titled EP. Now the band is back at it again, working on their first full length album.

Band members:
Josefina Ekholm Berglund
Ottilia Ekholm Berglund
Wilma Ås
Jacob Hellenrud
Ida Wahl
Anna Nilsson
Christoffer Eriksson
Sara Berkesi

https://www.facebook.com/Childrenofthesuun/
https://www.facebook.com/thesignrecords/