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Electrip (Vinyl + 68 Page Booklet)
"Xhol Caravan from Wiesbaden was one of the first and best-known underground groups in Germany, part of the student movement and pioneers of psychedelic music with jazz influences. Emerging from Soul Caravan in early 1969, their only records were the 7" single 'Planet Earth'/'So down' and the LP 'Electrip', both released on Hansa in the same year. This vinyl re-edition also contains the two tracks from the single as well as a deluxe 68-page booklet with a four-page band history in German and English, two interviews, a detailed discography, many reproductions of posters, a concert list and lots of photos. Limited to 2000 hand-numbered copies."
"Before Tangerine Dream, before Embryo, before Kraftwerk, before even the Ohr label, Xhol Caravan released what may be the first album to rightly own the name Krautrock. The band started as a straightforward soul group, Soul Caravan, and bastardized the name for the new direction the group was heading. Early innovators of the creative German sound, and borrowing heavily from that country's love of jazz, Xhol Caravan would always be a historical footnote. Sadly the band disbanded before it could be granted legendary status.
In 1969, on the little known Hansa label, Electrip was released to an unsuspecting public. Sporting wild artwork of a psychedelic nude woman, the buyer had to know this was going to be a special affair. And indeed it is.
Starting with a toilet flush, the album blasts away with 'Electric Fun Fair'. Featuring primarily electric sax, electric flute, and organ as the solo instruments, the music is a mixture of free jazz, psychedelic, Zappaesque humor, and progressive jazz rock. 'Pop Games' and 'All Green' continue along this path with the same optimistic melodies and insouciant demeanor. Perfect music for driving the MG convertible around the Autobahn, hardtop down, blond babe with heavy mascara and white go-go boots actually admiring your hip music selection. The latter track would be the prototype for similar groups such as Missus Beastly (1974 era), joyful yet experimental jazz rock. Side 2 is a slightly different breed of cat. On the 17 minute 'Raise Up High', the instrumental sections are very similar to the previous side, but here they added some wild English vocals to the mix giving the song a rough hard rock feel to it. As well, this track displays a more experimental and improvisational angle with some free blow moments. Overall, a classic in the field of Krautrock fusion and the catalyst of an entire movement." - Rate Your Music