Unlimbo
Encyclopedia
Unlimbo was a World / Dub band that thrived on festivals. Six self-financed releases, three globally distributed. Line up; drums, bass, synths, percussion, guitar, samples, decks, ethnic wind and vocals. Derived from such differing genres it was hard to nail down a style. Drums, bass & percussion groove in tight hypnotic fluidity while synths, guitar decks and samples dance away to evolving melodies. The end product was close to Dub, World or Eclectic Dance, sometimes even Ska or Drum n' Bass.
Group Members:
Unlimbo - "Prahna Fish"
(Polygraph 1998, Poly #03 Delerium Records
)
From Aural Innovations #10 (June 2000)
Prahna Fish's seven tracks add up to almost 50 minutes, and so Unlimbo likes to play around with each idea for about 6–8 minutes or so, relying on the usual smattering of reggae/dub rhythms and eastern flavors. In lieu of any 'lyrical' vocals, the band employ lots of spoken-word voice samples from numerous sources (Captain Kirk and Bones make an appearance). For example, in the midst of the wonderfully dreamy title track, we hear "You don't have to do anything now but hallucinate... I'll come back for you later." Shortly thereafter, Gundula Grun's violin and Chris Muggeridge's synths dance amongst themselves over an active bassline and punctuated beat. "Spellbound" is one of the more evolved tracks, practically a medley of many different themes with shifting focus (guitar to bass to synth) presented at intervals of thirty seconds or so. Very nice. The album finishes off with "Inertia," yet another eight-minute space-reggae tune that recalls any Ozrics or Dead Flowers tune you care to mention... but at least it's a good one. Unlimbo does have a few of their own tricks up their collective sleeves. Early in the album, "Flinch" is only classifiable as a 'hoedown dub,' Grun's violin more aptly termed 'fiddle.' And then the reggae stylings of "Bagdub" are less like the Ozrics' version than the Police's take on things. A much freakier version of The Police
, no doubt, and a nice guitar solo to boot.
Unlimbo, Prahna fish (Polygraph) CD
(Polygraph 1998, Poly #03 Delerium Records
)
From Robots & Electronic Brains (November 1999)
It's a dub thing---a festival mantra of whirling dervish climax built up from the dub foundation and embellished by psychedelic Hammond, skank/space guitar, samples, didgeridoo, jaw harp, violin and that wailing Eastern/Baltic sound produced by I know not what. Imagine late nights, the Megadog big top, Dr. Didg, a party vibe and a huge communal trance of improvisation and you won't be far off the mark. Best track is the closer "Inertia" which delves into the sample bag and comes up with Patrick Moore, Homer Simpson and a space mission, dropping them over a hypnotic surge and drone spacey Hawkwind meets violin blowout. Top marks.
Unlimbo - "See What You Think"
(Polygraph Music 2001, POLY005, CD)
From Aural Innovations #18 (January 2002)
Unlimbo are a band from Wales in the British Isles, and their sound is a mixture of the Ozric Tentacles
, RDF and Culture Shock
to name but a few. They produce free festival vibe music that is a must for fans of the fore mentioned bands. See What You Think has a very spacey ethnic vibe to it, very dub oriented in places, but all the while it is predominantly space music. It is an eight-track disc full of well played and well produced material.
The opening track, 'Glassair', begins in a very spacey mould packed with nice Synth oriented stuff. It opens slowly to unfold an Ozric Tenticles styled piece, mostly Drum & Bass with layered Keyboards as with the Ozrics. It is not a million miles away from fellow stoners Krom Lek once it gets into the dub type ska part of the track the part where Music is the Creator. So I'm told. This space ska vibe carries into the tracks 'Woodhenge', 'Douk Chat', 'Amber' and 'Atree', all having a similar flavour to them. There is some nice Synth stuff here sequencer-wise as well. All tracks are very atmospheric and they explore the vast something's of somewhere. As with 'Inner Path' and 'Boin Go Theory', these tracks could possibly be likened to mellow Eat Static
, sort of 'Area 51' style from the album Implant. 'My Friend Ali' was the track I had been waiting for because I knew inwardly that a Didgeridoo would appear somewhere on this CD, and it did on this sort of Gong
-like track that has some enjoyable Vocals. I like it.
All in all Unlimbo produce good Ethnic Space Dub vibe music that carries a variety of driving rhythms that are bound to get feet tapping. I think that See What You Think is a great album done very well indeed.
Group Members:
- Dave - Drums.
- Chris - Synths.
- Lyndon - Bass.
- Paul - Percussion, Vocals.
- John - Decks, Samplers.
- Kev - Vocals, Synths, Didgeridoo.
- David - Guitars, Guitar synth.
Unlimbo - "Prahna Fish"
(Polygraph 1998, Poly #03 Delerium Records
Delerium Records
Delerium Records was a UK record label, that specialised in psychedelic music which ran from 1991 to 2003, and was notable in promoting the careers of bands including Porcupine Tree, Ozric Tentacles, Kava Kava, Mandragora, Sons of Selina and Moom and for starting the Freak Emporium and Molten...
)
From Aural Innovations #10 (June 2000)
Prahna Fish's seven tracks add up to almost 50 minutes, and so Unlimbo likes to play around with each idea for about 6–8 minutes or so, relying on the usual smattering of reggae/dub rhythms and eastern flavors. In lieu of any 'lyrical' vocals, the band employ lots of spoken-word voice samples from numerous sources (Captain Kirk and Bones make an appearance). For example, in the midst of the wonderfully dreamy title track, we hear "You don't have to do anything now but hallucinate... I'll come back for you later." Shortly thereafter, Gundula Grun's violin and Chris Muggeridge's synths dance amongst themselves over an active bassline and punctuated beat. "Spellbound" is one of the more evolved tracks, practically a medley of many different themes with shifting focus (guitar to bass to synth) presented at intervals of thirty seconds or so. Very nice. The album finishes off with "Inertia," yet another eight-minute space-reggae tune that recalls any Ozrics or Dead Flowers tune you care to mention... but at least it's a good one. Unlimbo does have a few of their own tricks up their collective sleeves. Early in the album, "Flinch" is only classifiable as a 'hoedown dub,' Grun's violin more aptly termed 'fiddle.' And then the reggae stylings of "Bagdub" are less like the Ozrics' version than the Police's take on things. A much freakier version of The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
, no doubt, and a nice guitar solo to boot.
Unlimbo, Prahna fish (Polygraph) CD
(Polygraph 1998, Poly #03 Delerium Records
Delerium Records
Delerium Records was a UK record label, that specialised in psychedelic music which ran from 1991 to 2003, and was notable in promoting the careers of bands including Porcupine Tree, Ozric Tentacles, Kava Kava, Mandragora, Sons of Selina and Moom and for starting the Freak Emporium and Molten...
)
From Robots & Electronic Brains (November 1999)
It's a dub thing---a festival mantra of whirling dervish climax built up from the dub foundation and embellished by psychedelic Hammond, skank/space guitar, samples, didgeridoo, jaw harp, violin and that wailing Eastern/Baltic sound produced by I know not what. Imagine late nights, the Megadog big top, Dr. Didg, a party vibe and a huge communal trance of improvisation and you won't be far off the mark. Best track is the closer "Inertia" which delves into the sample bag and comes up with Patrick Moore, Homer Simpson and a space mission, dropping them over a hypnotic surge and drone spacey Hawkwind meets violin blowout. Top marks.
Unlimbo - "See What You Think"
(Polygraph Music 2001, POLY005, CD)
From Aural Innovations #18 (January 2002)
Unlimbo are a band from Wales in the British Isles, and their sound is a mixture of the Ozric Tentacles
Ozric Tentacles
Ozric Tentacles are an instrumental rock band from Somerset, England, whose music can loosely be described as psychedelic or space rock. Formed in 1983, the band has released 28 albums as of 2011, and become a cottage industry selling over a million albums worldwide despite never having major...
, RDF and Culture Shock
Culture shock
Culture shock is the anxiety, feelings of frustration, alienation and anger that may occur when a person is emplaced in a new culture.One of the most common causes of culture shock involves individuals in a foreign country. Culture shock can be described as consisting of one or more distinct phases...
to name but a few. They produce free festival vibe music that is a must for fans of the fore mentioned bands. See What You Think has a very spacey ethnic vibe to it, very dub oriented in places, but all the while it is predominantly space music. It is an eight-track disc full of well played and well produced material.
The opening track, 'Glassair', begins in a very spacey mould packed with nice Synth oriented stuff. It opens slowly to unfold an Ozric Tenticles styled piece, mostly Drum & Bass with layered Keyboards as with the Ozrics. It is not a million miles away from fellow stoners Krom Lek once it gets into the dub type ska part of the track the part where Music is the Creator. So I'm told. This space ska vibe carries into the tracks 'Woodhenge', 'Douk Chat', 'Amber' and 'Atree', all having a similar flavour to them. There is some nice Synth stuff here sequencer-wise as well. All tracks are very atmospheric and they explore the vast something's of somewhere. As with 'Inner Path' and 'Boin Go Theory', these tracks could possibly be likened to mellow Eat Static
Eat Static
Eat Static is an electronic music project from Frome, Somerset, England formed in 1989 by Merv Pepler and Joie Hinton. Hinton left the group in February 2008 after 18 years to spend more time with his family.-History:...
, sort of 'Area 51' style from the album Implant. 'My Friend Ali' was the track I had been waiting for because I knew inwardly that a Didgeridoo would appear somewhere on this CD, and it did on this sort of Gong
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
-like track that has some enjoyable Vocals. I like it.
All in all Unlimbo produce good Ethnic Space Dub vibe music that carries a variety of driving rhythms that are bound to get feet tapping. I think that See What You Think is a great album done very well indeed.
LPs
- 1997 - Live album 'Nine Lives' POLY002
- 1998 - First internationally distributed release 'Prahna Fish' POLY003 on Delerium RecordsDelerium RecordsDelerium Records was a UK record label, that specialised in psychedelic music which ran from 1991 to 2003, and was notable in promoting the careers of bands including Porcupine Tree, Ozric Tentacles, Kava Kava, Mandragora, Sons of Selina and Moom and for starting the Freak Emporium and Molten...
(ean 5 032966000621) - 1999 - Track on Open Minds compilation album OM001
- 2000 - Session on Herzburg Festival album OM003
- 2000 - Archive EP 'Unlimbits' released POLY004
- 2001 - Second international release 'See What You Think' POLY005 on Delerium RecordsDelerium RecordsDelerium Records was a UK record label, that specialised in psychedelic music which ran from 1991 to 2003, and was notable in promoting the careers of bands including Porcupine Tree, Ozric Tentacles, Kava Kava, Mandragora, Sons of Selina and Moom and for starting the Freak Emporium and Molten...
(ean 5 032966000638) - 2002 - Interactive multimedia CD-ROM 'See What You Think' POLY010
External links
- http://unlimbo.worldvenue.com
- http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?AID=56778&T=490790
- http://www.myspace.com/unlimbo/