XOTIC
MIND / SUBLIMINAL SOUNDS ANNOTATED DISCOGRAPHY
This is a complete guide to the excellent Xotic Mind/Subliminal Sounds
record label, which I personally rate as the best exponent of contemporary
psych of the last decade. There's not one bad release on the label,
and several of the albums rank as classics of modern psychedelia.
S.T. MIKAEL: Visions of a Trespasser (XMMS-1 1989) 150 copies The LP that set the party rolling back in 1989. After STM was "discovered" by Stefan Kery via a tape of home-made recordings, the label was formed and a very ltd ed LP was released, featuring (like all subsequent STM LPs) a psychedelic drawing by Mikael on the cover. Each label is individually hand-made. The LP was an unexpected hit among psych aficionados almost from day 1 and sold out quickly. The huge interest led to the creation of the ultra-rare box set and a second run in 1993 (see below). Has insert. S.T. MIKAEL: Visions of a Trespasser box-set (XMMS-1 1989) 11 copies This unique artefact features the original LP plus 3 different booklets with drawings and comics by Mikael, who is a very talented artist apart from his musical skills. EC-style horror, dinosaurs and offbeat humor all help shape his unique outlook. Packed in a thick white box.The Unknown, regular front sleeve S.T. MIKAEL: The Unknown (XMMS-2 1991) 100 copies Despite the cultlike popularity of the first LP, this second LP was made in an even more limited run, partly due to the low-fi nature of the recordings. This has never been reprinted and will remain the rarest of the standard-issue St Mikael LPs. Some of his best material such as the title track can be found here. Has insert. S.T. MIKAEL: The Unknown-Alternate sleeve (XMMS-2 1991) 25 copies The infamous "nude man" alternate cover edition, showing a lysergic STM in his birthday suit - not in some artistic posture but very matter of factly. The record is identical to the one above. a new label prefix & numbering system was introduced with "Claustromania" S.T. MIKAEL: Claustromania (MS-3-XMLP-1 1991) 700 copies Demand from abroad was on the increase and led to a vastly expanded run for this third LP, which has the saint at his darkest. Recorded in a small studio, unlike the home-recordings of the first two LPs. WORD OF LIFE: Furthur Ahead (XMLP-2 1992) 500 copies The first non-Mikael release was a big hit with psych fans everywhere and remains one of the classics on the label. Essentially a one man-project featuring Mans P Mansson of 1980s garage legends the Crimson Shadows, this musically versatile guitar-psych LP added fuel to the growing popularity of the Xotic Mind label and showed it to be more than a single artist-outfit.
Furthur Ahead, front sleeve S.T. MIKAEL: Visions of a Trespasser 2nd Edition (XMMS-1 1993) 500 copies A second run of the debut LP to meet demand from abroad. Easy to distinguish from the original as the sleeve states "reissue". Regular labels unlike the first pressing. Has insert. ADAM: Eura (XMLP-3 1994) 300 copies Third artist and third success story, this warm relaxing instrumental west coast psych/exotica LP acquired many fans, prompting a second run soon after release (below). First press copies have hand-drawn artwork on the back sleeve and individually designed labels. Has insert. S.T. MIKAEL: Psychocosmic Songs (XMLP-4 MS-4 1994) 1000 copies Biggest run for any Xotic Mind LP, the artist's & label's popularity inspired to a more ambitious production in a real recording studio. This is my personal favorite of the saint's LPs as he reaches levels of DR Hooker on the best tracks. ADAM: Eura 2nd. Edition (XMLP-3 1994) 500 copies Second run of surprise hit LP described above. Sleeve lacks hand-drawn details of the first press. Pressed on blue vinyl. Has insert. (45) TONEBENDERS: (Baby) I'm Lost (Hit-1 1995) 300 copies Fun one-off garage/rockabilly 45 featuring label owner Stefan K and two buddies. Blows most similar outings away. STEFAN: Consecration (XMLP-6 1995) 450 copies With wide distribution secured the label went into a very active phase during 1994-95. Among several great LPs the founder/owner himself found time to record an excellent LP in a US west coast - think Bob Smith - style. Great sleeve photo depicts a famous suicide cliff at Big Sur, a little known joke on the listener. Has insert. No reprint. ADAM: Welcome Back (XMLP-7 1995) 700 copies Adam's second LP is as warm and soothing as the first, a fine reflection of the always cheerful artist himself. Has insert. (CD) MU: The Band from the Lost Continent (XMCD-1 1995) 1000 copies The first non-contemporary release on the label is a great 2CD compilation featuring all known 1971-74 material by the celebrated CA/Hawaii hippie psych exponent Merrel Fankhauser & Mu. This is the best Mu comp around, even though competing releases on Sundazed may have a higher visibility. This was the first CD release on the label.
Entheogens, front sleeve ENTHEOGENS: The Gnostic Mass (XMLP-8 1995) 300 copies My personal favorite of all fine LPs on the label; as appealing as any US private press monster. All of the label's talent gathered for extended tribal acid oriental jams, partly recorded live. Strange cult inspiration adds an eerie vibe. Never reprinted and hard to find. Has insert. WICKED LADY: Blow your Mind (XMLP-9 1995) A remastered vinyl reissue in superior sound of a CD-only release on the British Kissing Spell label, featuring unreleased post-Dark (UK) band in crude hard guitar excursions. Nice amateurish sleeve photo of famous stripper topless on a bike. WORD OF LIFE: Dust (XMLP-10 1995) 700 copies Second LP is not as wellknown as the first but at least as good in my opinion, featuring more personal songs and introducing elements of 1970s spacerock into the skillfully played (and produced) guitar psych landscape. Blows the famous Brit "indie" acts of the era away. Has insert.
a new label prefix was introduced in 1996 denoting the "Subliminal Sounds" corporate identity (CD) WORD OF LIFE: Dust (SUB XMCD-2 1996) CD version of great album detailed above. Line-up differs from LP with some tracks removed and substituted for here-only material. BO AXELZON & HIS EXOTIC SOUNDS (SUBLP-1 1996) Reflecting a local interest in lounge and exotica music from the 1950s-60s (incidentally, years before this became "trendy") this marvy 10" album features newly recorded material by professional musicians old enough to have experienced the original era. Bo A is Adam's father. Great packaging. S.T. MIKAEL: Soul Flower 2 x LP (SUB XMLP-11 1996) 1000 copies The saint's magnum opus is a 2LP set that can be seen as a summing up of a 7-year recording career which produced not less than 5 albums. This balances his trademark intimate psych home recordings with a full-blown sidelong masterpiece titled "Summer In My Life". While Mikael hasn't retired by any means, this remains his most recent outing. V/A: TRIPPING IN THE BASEMENT (SUB XMLP-12 1996) Rounding up various bands too shortlived or drugged out to make a full LP, this sampler of contemporary psychedelia is loaded with excellent tracks. A personal favorite is the awesome "Mind expander" by Dream Machine, whose members have disappeared in a haze of pot smoke. Includes rare S.T Mikael- and Word Of Life-related outfits. Nice psych art sleeve. Has insert. (CD) TRÄD, GRÄS OCH STENAR: Gärdet (SUB-TI´LL INDIEN 1 1996) Retrospective collaboration with the Ti'll Indien label presenting a previously unreleased 1970 live tape with this legendary trance acid rock band. Essential to anyone interested in the band and era. (CD) MERRELL FANKHAUSER: Maui (SUBXMCD-3 1997) A follow-up to the 2 CD Mu compilation featuring Merrell's fine subsequent mid-1970s recordings plus some more recent tracks unavailable elsewhere, one of which is a total psych killer. (CD) ATTILEO MINEO: Man In Space With Sounds (SUBCD-4 1997) Unusual release for the label, reissuing a legendary "Incredibly Strange" LP recorded for the 1963 Seattle World Fair. The music is quite remarkable, walking an atmospheric line between space age exotica and modernist classical a la Bartok. LSD: Real Garage Punk From Sweden 1966! (SUBLP-13 1999) 500 copies Despite the band name, this is not psych but ultra-crude garage and R'n'B by a couple of local mid-1960s bands from rural Sweden. You'd be hard pressed to find more primitive material than this LP, which was named "Release of the year" in an Ugly Things review recently. Neat informative packaging. D.R. HOOKER: The Truth (SUBLP-14 2000) Exact reissue (including insert) of incredible $2500 US psych classic from 1972 rated highly by everyone who's heard it. Mandatory. "D" stands for "Donald". (CD) D.R. HOOKER: The Truth (SUBCD-15 2000) CD issue of psych monster described above. Includes the best tracks from his second LP "Armageddon" as a bonus, which is highly worthwhile material as well. (CD) PÄRSON SOUND 2xCD (Subliminal Sounds/Ti'll Indien TILCD 02 2000) Ambitious and historically important 2CD set that presents Sweden's most legendary underground psych band on their first album release ever. Late 1960s avantgarde and trance psychedelia, some tracks with obvious roots in modern art music such as Terry Riley, others in a jamming acid rock mood. Pre-International Harvester and pre-Trad Gras & Stenar. DUNGEN: same (Subliminal Sounds/Xotic Mind XMLP SUB-15 2001) The first release of a contemporary artist since 1996, and it looks like a new killer; melodic westcoast folkrock with progressive overtones. DUNGEN: 2 (Subliminal Sounds/Xotic Mind XMLP SUB-16 2002) Second LP is partly re-recordings of the first, plus some new material, and as good or better than the first. This has made a big splash in Sweden!
The following
releases are in print as of this writing (December 2001): Wicked Lady, Bo Axelzon, Tripping In The Basement, Trad Gras & Stenar,
Merrel F - Maui, Attileo Mineo, D R Hooker (LP + CD), Parson Sound, Dungen.
All others are deleted.
RELATED
RELEASES
(CD) WORD OF LIFE: Further Ahead (Satori UK 1993) circa 1000 copies
British CD release of the first WOL album, apparently made without paying
for the licensing. The Ken Kesey/Prankster-reference in the original
title went over the head of the limeys, who "corrected" the spelling.
Track order and sleeve changed vs the LP. Out of print.
(CD) ST MIKAEL 2CD (Gallium Arsenide US 199?) 1000 copies
Limited edition 2 CD set on a US label, comprising Mikael's first two LPs (1 track omitted) plus plenty of bonus material unavailable elsewhere. Plenty of details in liner notes. Out of print.
© Lama
Sivart Doz 2002