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PARALL 020CD
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2011 release. Brian Ellis is a multi-instrumentalist from San Diego, California. He has released several albums in the last few years under multiple monikers and is perhaps better known as a lead guitarist for the progressive rock group, Astra. By playing guitar, bass, drums, various synthesizers and keyboards, saxophone, trumpet, sitar, xylophone, kalimba, etc., Brian creates the illusion of a large live band jamming all together. After releasing two albums in 2007 for the now-defunct Scottish electronic label, Benbecula Records, Brian found himself straying away from the programmed/sequenced elements and wanted to make an album where all the instruments were played live. The album was completed in early 2008 and was set to be the follow-up to The Silver Creature (BEN 042CD). Unfortunately, Benbecula decided to close its doors at this time and the album was shelved. Quipu takes Brian Ellis' jazz/fusion/funk sound from his previous solo works to the next level. The opening track "Birth" sets a deep atmosphere of delayed trumpets and saxophones with a slow beat and funky bass before exploding into an odd-timing heavy fusion workout harkening back to the days of Mahavishnu Orchestra. Later tracks like "Psaw" (featuring David Hurley of Astra on drums) take on much more of a free-jazz sound similar to Miles Davis' Bitches Brew era, full of dissonance and surprising elements. The final track "Walomendem" is a 14-minute progressive rock epic hailing as a tribute to the great French band Magma. Stunning artwork by Jessica Planter & Sean Painter.
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BEN 042CD
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The multi-talented Brian Ellis hails from San Diego, CA, and this is his debut full-length release. Ellis' jazz-inspired mix of electronic funk is possibly one of the most unique blends of sound to be produced this decade. Followers of the label will no doubt recognize Brian's output as one half of the duo Free Festival along with Brian Grainger -- released as part of Benbecula's highly-acclaimed Minerals Series. Brian's solo work is a phenomenal one-man band with multi-tracked instrumentation that is so well put together it easily deceives, sounding more like a 6-piece band. Meandering, spacy keys match with burned-out guitar reveries, next to scrawly, high-buzz Moog whine, like driving through an electronic desert at high noon with sun-glare in your eyes.
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