The Man from Atlantis (TMFA) is the moniker for Michael Sill, the head of the Australian, Melbourne-based Ramble Records (specializing in outsider music), producer and a guitarist-vocalist playing folk, country, blues, punk American primitive guitar, Indian classical, psych and free jazz as a reference to traverse the sonic spaceways. TMFA testified that he is influenced by John Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders, Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman, James Blood Ulmer, Derek Bailey, John Fahey, Jimi Hendrix, Captain Beefheart, Robert Johnson, Sun Ra, Ali Akbar Khan, Sun City Girls, Brij Bhushan Kabra, VM Bhatt, John Mclaughlin, Tisziji Muñoz and Sonny Sharrock. And Neil Young and Nick Drake.
Blues for Archie Shepp feature five pieces written and produced by TMFA, two solo ones, and three with remote contributions from Argentinian tenor sax player and Finnish drummer-percussionist Simo Laihonen, known for his work with the bands Black Motor and the reincarnated Sound & Fury, dedicated to the music of Edward Vesala. The album begins with a psychedelic, bluesy alap and the whole album is structured like a psychedelic Indian raga. The title piece with the breezy electric guitar of TMFA, the caressing sax of Nebbia and the delicate percussive touches of Laihonen is the most beautiful piece here. Nebbia improvises beautifully also on the heavily processed cover of the classic blues song «Lay Your Burden Down».
Nebbia recorded her duo album with Appalachian Trance Metal cult hero Killick Hinds in New York. Hinds is known for his unusual stringed instruments on which he plays with an emphasis on unquantifiable rhythms, intuitive intonation and shamanistic color, influenced by nature animals and elements. Hinds focuses here on the 18-string fretted H’arpeggione that combines the acoustic features of acoustic guitar and cello. A perfect match for the experimental and constant searcher for new sonic adventures Nebbia, who is also a visual artist did the suggestive cover artwork.
It is obvious that Hinds and Nebbia are kindred souls. Their intimate, chamber music flows naturally, in its own accord and in unique, weird and very imaginative ways. Hinds and Nebbia offer eight sonic meditations where they resonate with each other and sketch their empathic and highly inspiring, intuitive language. Or as Hinds describes this meeting in his liner notes: «Kindred symposia encouraging the making of something rooted and transcendent and new», adding that Nebbia brought out some of his best playing yet.
Eyal Hareuveni
the Man from Atlantis (electric guitar, bass, Weissenborn, slide guitar, vocals, effects, tabla programming, vocals, drum programming), Camila Nebbia (tenor saxophone), Simo Laihonen (drums, percussion), Killick Hinds (H’arpeggione)
