Akasha: Akasha (1977)
If you’re looking for yet another great and obscure gem to add to your collection, let me suggest you this self-entitled 1977 offering from this Norwegian band Akasha. This is the epitome of underground. The production was rather home made, the album was actually recorded in a bomb cellar in a hotel in their home town of Finnsnes, Norway.
Musically, they combine lots of spacy electronic effects with a symphonic prog rock sound by including synthesizers, and tons of Mellotron. Their music gets compared to the Moody Blues, only Akasha’s music is much stranger, and not anywhere as soft.
The band consisted of Sverre Svendsen (vocals, Mellotron on “Light and Darkness”), Kjeil Evensen (drums), Arild Andreassen (bass), Jens Ivar Andreassen (guitar, synthesizer, Mellotron), Tor-Jonny Hansen (words, and hymn on “Death Hymn”). They go so far as listing Bjørn Hugo Gjøen as the guy who handles the light and multi-vision show. The album consists of eight cuts, songs include “The Isle of Kawi”, “Bondage”, “Recitativ”, “Electronic Nightmare”, “Death Hymn”, “Light and Darkness”, “The Trip”, and “Man and the Void”.
Most of the album is as I describe it. “Electronic Nightmare” is a strange electronic piece. “Bondage” features a strange passage in the middle with electronic effects and semi-spoken dialog that just does let go. “Death Hymn” sounds like a song totally devoid of emotion with spoken dialog equally devoid of emotion. Despite that, it still turns out to be a very interesting cut. “The Trip” is a short piece, and is the closest to a pop song this group has done (but still isn’t pop).
Totally strange album. Underproduced? Yes it is. Could the vocals need improvement? Yes they could, but despite that, it’s still a great underground prog rock album you should own. A small Swedish label called Ad Perpetuam Memoriam had reissued this album on CD back in 1995, which was a smart move, because the original LP isn’t exactly easy to come by. Another unusual and obscure album to include in your collection.
– Year of release: 1977
– Original label of release: BAT Records, Norway
– Reissued by: Ad Perpetuam Memoriam, Sweden
Members:
– Sverre Svendsen: vocals, Mellotron on \