Various Artists. - The Electric Asylum Vol. 1 - Rare British Acid Freakrock (2009)

A very cool collection of work -- and one that moves way past the typical vibe of the usual psyche comp you might expect! A fair bit of the recordings here are from the early 70s UK scene, and show a real evolution since the end of the previous decade -- a move towards styles that are a bit leaner than before, with some cool compression and other production tricks in the mix -- almost elements that are a precursor for sounds to come in the space rock and glam scenes, but still definitely more psyche-based here. As with other Past & Present sets, there's a full batch of notes telling the tale of each unique track -- and the set list is filled with gems. (dustygroove.com)