Description

Rare Australian pressed 1978 music cassette. White cassette with white paper label.

Australias Cybotron are an instrumental synthesizer heavy band, who played spacey and repetitive electronica-tinged prog, with an interesting combination of live acoustic and programmed percussion. Taking many elements from German acts like Ashra, Eloy and Tangerine Dream, without ever blatantly ripping them off, the Melbourne band’s 1978 album Colossus displays plenty of infectious energy, enthusiasm and is packed with top playing and great arrangements. After a very spacey and programmed intro with a great build, the title track Colossus features a highly unusual treated saxophone blowing away, floating between synths and rattling percussion. Keyboard solos swirl around, stomping drums pounds away – drummer Colin Butcher is relentless on this track. Electronic effects punch through, before a very symphonic finale. It’s got quite an upbeat tempo. What a way to start the album. Much of it wouldn’t have sounded out of place on a 70’s Eloy album. The ten minute epic Eclipse has almost three minutes of killer synth solos and more top drum work – total overkill, yet everything a prog fan could wish for. Very epic and grand, before a nice transition into a floaty middle with phasing effects and a near total fade out. By this point, we’re lost in a liquid word of electronic ambience, before a sudden rush back into more synthwork and heavy drums. It’s very disorientating and repetitive, creating a very dizzy and overwhelming sensation. Listen to all the maddening keys cut in and out, twirling around, phasing into oblivion, the militaristic percussion leaving you exhausted. An amazing piece, lots of drama and mood here, and killer playing by the band. Tangerine Dream fans will love Medusa, a darkly ambient and programmed spacey synthscape. After an ethereal and majestic opening, it develops into a hypnotic, eerie, and trance-like piece. There’s driving, almost tribal percussive beats that gradually build in tension throughout the heavily sequenced piece, and it’s full of rapturous synth solos. What sounds like a flute near the end creates a very meditative tone. Worth grabbing the album for this one alone. Processed sax, thick synth stabs, and furious drumming storm through Raga In Asia Minor. It’s certainly more upbeat than the previous piece, with some faster rocking sections and slower atmospheric moments. It’s also extremely repetitious, but sure to get your head nodding in approval or foot tapping along. Overall this sweet album is more interesting than the majority of prog releases from 1978. But it’s not extremely original or groundbreaking. Cybotron deserve credit for mixing Tangerine Dream circa Stratosfear with Hawkwind-style sax and typical ’70s hard rock drumming. An unexpected good mix. There’s not a lot subtlety or depth, but the album sounds amazing on a superficial level.

Track list:
1. Colossus
2. Eclipse
3. Medusa
4. Raga In Asia Minor