Photograph by Betânia Liberato

10 000 Russos eponymous debut LP was released on 20th May and is available in digital and cd formats. Vinyl in regular edition (limited to 500), and in deluxe edition (limited to 100), the one I am waiting for, is available now for pre-order from Fuzz Club Records.

Ahead of reviewing the LP, watch this space, I asked Pedro Pestana about the world of 10 000 Russos, that he inhabits with André Couto and João Pimenta…

Ahead of the Distorted Perspectives Festival I got talking with Moon Duo about playing in Letterkenny.

Do you have any Irish connections?

“My grandmother was Irish, and our manager and our booking agent are both Irish. Plus, I love Van Morrison of course. Americans generally feel a kinship and fondness for Ireland and Irish culture, myself included. I don’t know what it is”.

Had you heard of the festival before and what was the attraction in coming to Ireland?

“I only heard of the festival because we saw something about it while on holiday in Donegal. We love playing in Ireland, so always looking for ways to make it happen. We’ve played Dublin and Cork, and Belfast, but it’s rare to be able get away from the bigger cities a bit”.

I consider myself blessed to have made the acquaintance of the Sunrise Ocean Bender Record Label last year, their website describes them as, “an independent label based in Richmond, Virginia, specializing in limited edition vinyl releases as well as digital formats. From psych rock to psych pop, prog to space rock, electronic to the kosmische … the focus may be on elevation and release, but our mission is clear: shine a light on the sounds emanating from a thriving underground. We do this as partners, artists, facilitators and most of all, as fellow obsessives”.

As one of those unabashed “fellow obsessives”, I am delighted to say that SOB’s latest release of Chef Menteur’s ‘III’ fits snugly, perhaps even smugly, within SOB’s envious canon of work.

Photo by Andreas Karperyd

I have been looking forward to this LP since I, a) Reviewed the single ‘Spinning Faster‘ back in December, and b) Almost wore out the previous LP, ‘Then Comes Silence II‘.

That wait was auspiciously over on this portentous Friday 13th March, with the official release of ‘Nyctophilian’, or ‘Then Comes Silence III’, a truly worthy successor – the king is dead, long live the king…

Hailing from Stockholm, Then Comes Silence are Alex Svenson, vocals & bass, Seth Kapadia, guitar, Jens Karnstedt, guitar and Karl Nilsson, drums.

‘Nyctophilian’ means a preference for the night or darkness, and is synonymous with the twilight ambience that underpins the band’s “Psyche/Goth/Gaze” self definition.

Venezia’s New Candys are Stefano Bidoggia: bass, organ, Dario Lucchesi: drums, percussion, Diego Menegaldo: guitars, vocals and Fernando Nuti: guitars, sitar, vocals.

They play “33,3% Rock + 33,3% Roll + 33,4% Psychedelia”.

I first encountered the band whilst reviewing ‘The Reverb Conspiracy Vol. 3‘ back in January, describing their stand out track as follows, “Dysfunctional trip, ‘Meltdown Corp’ by New Candys from Venezia, conjures gorgeously dislocated, psych-soaked abyssal plains.”