“Sons of the Void is the latest project from David Max, former bassist/songwriter with Hoboken/NYC psych rockers Tadpoles. Following his tenure with Tadpoles, David emigrated to Switzerland and began a 5-year stint as guitarist/songwriter in Genesis P-Orridge’s psych-futurist collective Psychic TV. David has also worked alongside many pioneers of drone, dream and psych over the years, including Sonic Boom and Gibby Haynes. After meeting Nick Nobody, David struck out on his own with ‘Simple Psychedelic Pleasures.’ A band was assembled to tour ‘SSP,’ and shortly after a new crop of songs began to take shape. After establishing their own studio, Logical Magic Recordings in Basel, David and Nick took those songs to the next logical step: the debut album of Sons of the Void.” So says the comprehensivly succinct  press release, courtesy of Kevin McFadin, under the ever watchful, third eye of Sunrise Ocean Bender Records.

Photograph by Tara Sol

There is a refreshing purity of essence, in an artist who arrives devoid of baggage or expectation.

Washington State woodsman, William Sol is one such rare occurrence.

William Sol, alias Prana Crafter – is a true, life-force enriching, artisan.

All I know, or can find for that matter, is what little information comes courtesy of those astute audiophiles, at the Deep Water Acres Record Label.

One of those instances where the search or journey, delivers it’s reward irrespective of a destination.

In an effort to maintain a balanced sense of perspective, it is necessary to flambé ones objective juices, to periodically take a trip outside of what is often mistakenly referred to as your, “comfort zone”.

United Bible Studies‘ latest release, ‘So As To Preserve The Mystery’, could be construed as one such foray.

I have the utmost respect for Kevin McFadin and the truly eclectic output of his Sunrise Ocean Bender Record Label. Through this Kevin, I found myself transported to the Appalachian backwood mists, and the work of the equally idiosyncratic Kevin Moist, founding member of the band Evening Fires and the Deep Water Acres Record Label kingpin.

‘Where I’ve Been Is Places and What I’ve Seen Is Things’ is, “the newest album in Evening Fires ongoing story. Once again recorded in the their ‘secret Appalachian den,’ “WIBIPAWISIT” was mastered by Kramer and is Evening Fires at their finest. Described as peddlers of that old-time rural acid rock and purveyors of Appalachian space rock, Evening Fires has a reach that easily covers all points in between … and beyond”, is how Evening Fires’ bandcamp page describes this latest release through the Sunrise Ocean Bender Record Label.

The band’s Facebook page bio states, “From their secret den in a northern Appalachian forest, Evening Fires brew up a rich blend of wide-spectrum rural psychedelia, with ingredients ranging from earthy folk sounds to cosmic drones to full-on rock freakouts”.

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.