OZRIC TENTACLES
Ozric Tentacles are, simply put, legends of the UK underground. One of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK’s festival scene, “The Ozrics” layer ambient and ethereal landscapes with freeform dub trips, incredible rave grooves, and psychedelic progressive rock. Their aim is not just to make truly unique and culturally diverse music, but to harmoniously unite all in attendance, and create portals for astral travel. Most fans and listeners report feelings of euphoria, an immediate connection to nature as well as others around them, and intense feelings that they have transported to other dimensions or met with other-worldly beings. It’s an open exploration of music and the soul.
In their 30+ years, the Ozrics have experienced the vicissitudes of the rock and roll life. The band has scored two hit records, created 2 record labels (Dovetail & Stretchy), owned 3 tour busses, flourished through a number of line-up changes, spawned several side projects (including Eat Static and Nodens Ictus), released 29 albums, played 35 countries, 45 states, and sold over a million albums world-wide. And yet, the basic motivation behind the band’s existence has never wavered.
A campfire at the Stonehenge free festival in 1983 witnessed the birth of Ozric Tentacles. It was there that synth player Joie Hinton, stumbled upon brother’s Ed Wynne (guitar) and Roly Wynne (bass), performing in a band known at the time as Bolshem People, along with drummer Nick ‘Tig’ Van Gelder (Jamiroquai). From that very first jam session, a healing musical presence was evoked that has since been a trademark of the Ozric Tentacles. It’s a signature blend of hippy aesthetics and raver electronics with spiralling guitars, textured waves of keyboards, midi, samplers, and super groovy bass and drum rhythms. Having no vocals or lyrics, the multi-ethnic musical references leave the underlying meaning of each song or improvisational moment entirely up to the listener’s own interpretations.
The Ozrics swiftly claimed their place as a staple of the UK’s burgeoning festival scene, and are now credited an influential musical linchpin of the scene’s re-emergence.
Throughout the early 1990’s, constant touring of the UK helped the Ozrics to build a tremendous national fan base on a grass roots level. With the band’s 1993 release “Jurassic Shift,” which debuted at #11 on the British pop chart and climbed into the Top 10 in the National Album Charts, the Ozrics eventually won over the adulation of mainstream press, and found itself heralded in publications such as NME and Melody Maker. It was, and still is, an astonishing accomplishment for a band with no hit single, no celebrity status, and no major record label backing.
Ozrics have just completed their new double studio album, “Technicians of the Sacred”.
Ozric’s 21st studio album is 90 minutes of mind bending astral journies ready and waiting to transport you to another world. Over 30 years into their musical career, Ozric’s continue to push the boundries where no band has gone before. This epic offering takes you on a journey of awakening through musical celebration, it encourages listeners to take a step away from the restraints of traditional and modern days styles or genres, and open their minds to any possibility. “Technicians of the Sacred” is the group’s first double length album in 25 years, since their ground breaking Erpland LP released in 1990. “Even after all this time, we’ve never been so excited or pleased with an album”, says Ed smiling, as usual. “We just can’t wait for people to hear this one. If (hypothetically), for any reason we would not able to make another album after this, we would be content in knowing we have had the opportunity to bring this particular musical journey to everyone.”
MANTISMASH
Natan Lenski – “MantisMash” started his musical journey back in 1999 influenced by the ever-growing “Goa” and “Psy” Trance scene of the time along with the more Breaky/Experimental/Psy sounds of bands like “Ozric Tentacles”, “Squarepusher”, “Snake Thing”, and many more.
Over the years, along with his influence, his style morphed and adapted a lot of Glitch -Hop/IDM/Psy-Squid-Step elements but no doubt remained totally unique and easily recognizable and identifiable as his own.
MANO
Mano is a Middle Eastern-inspired progressive rock band based in Chicago. Their compositions utilize musical textures and sounds from varied genres of contemporary, classical, and world music. Mano fuses a rock rhythm section with classical and world instrumentation to bring a unique and energetic live music experience that journeys through intense, thematic unison lines contrasted by sections of virtuosic improvisation. Founded in 2013 by flutist/composer Joe LaRocca, Mano includes Greg Firak (guitar), Parker Grogan (electric/upright bass), Collin O’Brien (drums), Najeeba Syed (violin), Desiree Miller (cello), and Marshall Greenhouse (percussion/kaoss).