Scott Heller (Øresund Space Collective)

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There were so many great records in 2011 and it is very difficult to choose my favourite but here are some that I have played a lot and have a special meaning for me. They are not in any real order.

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 – Rise up for Africa (Knitting Factory)

I have been a long time fan of Fela Kuti and Afrobeat and Seun has created a really excellent double vinyl record of great classic style Afrobeat with a great production by Brian Eno. Slave Masters is a killer song. Great stuff.

Gösta Berlings Saga – Glue Works (Cuneiform Records)

This Swedish instrumental progressive rock band never fail to come up with cool and interesting musical arrangements that twist you around and suck you right in. Amazing record.

The Higher Craft – The Quest into the Stepping Stone Age (Yellow Taxi)

This is not just an ordinary record but one that must be listened to in one sitting with a concentrated effort or you won’t appreciate the hard work and magic the band put into this. It is an amazing 75min trip to another musical world. Amazing record!

Bong – Beyond Ancient Space (Ritual Productions)

This is one of my favourite records this year. I just love to crank this one up and have the walls shake from the powerful slow, heavy and spaced out doom. A total masterpiece. Where can the band go from here?

Radio Moscow – The Great Escape of Leslie Magnafuzz (Alive Records)

This record just blows me away. Hard driving 70s style blues rock with amazing psychedelic guitar. This is a band that each record maintains the bands trademark sound but somehow they just keep out doing themselves.

Øresund Space Collective – Entering into the Space Country LP (Kommun2)

I know this is my own band but I have to say I have played this record a lot and the guitar playing on this record is amazing. It is the first new material by famous Danish guitar player Claus Bøhling in some years and he performs well. A really solid release by OSC.

Vibravoid – Minddrops (Sulatron records)

Vibravoid manage to make a few singles and a new studio record nearly every year and Minddrops is an excellent psychedelic rock record. Powerful psychedelic sound and great songs. One of Germany’s best bands for sure.

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats – Bloodlust LP (Rise above Records)

This was a real surprise and I was luck to get one of the 300 vinyls (Thanks Nils!). Think of 1972-73 Black Sabbath with a low fi production. Great songs, cool guitar riffs. Damn cool record.

Wo Fat – The Gathering Dark (Nasoni Records)

WoFat’s debut record has been released on vinyl by Nasoni and dawn, this has some totally killer stuff. A fantastic mix of great sound production, stoner rock, psychedelic guitar and blues! Great band..

Omnia Opera – Nothing is Ordinary (Umbilical Records)

The UK space rock band Omnia Opera are back with their first release in like 14 years and damn it is great stuff. The CD has a huge variety of fantastic tracks with great playing by everyone and a very cool package. If you like high energy space rock mixed with cool spacey tracks, this is the stuff..

Siena Root – Root Jam (Transubstans)

Siena Root have put together an amazing live record, mostly recorded in Stockholm in May 2011 and features many guests and great jamming. Most of their most popular songs in great versions. Fantastic 70s rock…

Causa Sui – Pewt’r Sessions 1 and 2 (Paraiso Records)

The Danish instrumental jazz stoner space kraut rock group Causa Sui have released two killer records this year of material recorded a few years back with one of the members of Sunburned hand of the Man. Some of the bands best material ever!

Electric Moon/Glowsun Split LP (Sulatron Records)

This is a great split LP. The Glowsun stuff is spacey stoner rock and the Electric Moon is guitar heavy psych rock and the best the band has released so far. Cool stuff and great artwork on this vinyl only release.

Premonition 13 – 13 (Volcom Entertainment)

Wino is back with a new project after a few solo records and released a great new collection of songs with his trademark sound. You get hooked after some listens.

Earthling Society – Stations of the Ghost (4Zero Records)

Earthling Society is one of the UK’s psych scenes hidden gems. The band is highly creative each new record is a sort of evolution in the band sound production and song writing. Amazing stuff.

The Cosmic Dead cassette (Who can you Trust)

This cassette and download only release from a new band from Glasgow, Scotland is just up my alley. Full on heavy space rock with a cool psychedelic sound.

Gregg Allman – Low Country Blues (Rounder Records)

I love the Allman Brothers and have also followed Gregg Allmans hit and miss solo career but this collection of new songs and a lot of covers is excellent. I love the laid back bluesy vibe. Great to crank up on a sunny day or Sunday morning..

Soul Manifest – White Season (Nighttripper Records)

This record came as a complete surprise. A new French band on a Swedish label. The band have really created a great 70s style hard rock record, where each song is quite different from each other from the start to the end of the record but damn good songs. Excellent record.

Pentagram – Live Rites (Svart Records)

I loved Pentagram in the 80s and sadly sold those vinyl records and now I am back into them again! This is a totally killer live concert from Helsinki with a monster sound with Victor in top form and Bobby about as good as he can get this day delivering a good performance.

US Christmas – The Valley Path (Neurot Recordings)

This is another one of those records for patient people. This is one 38 min song that you must hear many times and then you just get sucked into the amazing vibe and power of this band. I hope this comes out on vinyl. Powerful, psychedelic rock with a slight Hawkwind vibe.

Fuzz Manta – Opus II (Magnificient Music)

The Danish 70s rock band (previously they played more stoner rock) made a totally great record. A lot of variety from doom, blues to Deep Purple style stuff. Great record.

Steel Mill – Jewels of the Forest (Rise above Records)

This was another one of those total surprises and one you have to really listen to before you just go, wow… so many cool and powerful songs with flute, heavy bass lines, etc.. Progressive 70s rock and what an amazing package with a double lp gatefold and three 7” records!

Papir – Stundum (El Paraiso Records)

All instrumental Copenhagen band, Papir released their 2^nd record this year on the Causa Sui record label and this is amazing stuff. Super cool instrumental music with great guitar parts, powerful drums and very cool interesting bass.

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