Time to take a trip to ‘Himmelaya’ – a new name, a new album (‘Lost Horizon’), a new collaboration between Astralasia’s Swordfish and friends - think motorik rhythms meet spoken word, kosmische meets krautrock.

A huge project (spanning two LPs and a bonus double CD of extra tracks, alternative mixes and remixes that comes with every set) that has taken a long time to come together, with everyone contributing from their respective countries.

Over to Swordfish to explain things…

‘Himmelaya’ started with Jochen Oberlack (the man behind Bellerophon Records in Dusseldorf) getting in touch through Fruits de Mer.
Initially it was going to be a purely instrumental project, but I wanted it to be more like classic era Ash Ra Tempel with Rosi from the 70s, something a little bit more.

Britt Rönnholm from the Swedish duo Us and Them (also Fruits de Mer Records regulars) was suggested to provide spoken vocals; it was well out of her normal comfort zone, but we both loved her voice, so it was all systems go.

Although essentially a three-piece project, we have been blessed with friends’ and bandmates’ contributions, plus some bonus CD remixes by other artists, including nick nicely, Schizo Fun Addict and the Lost Stoned Pandas.

One of the last pieces we started on - 'Shangrilaya' - was recorded at our slide player Pete Prakownik’s house; sadly he passed away the day after we recorded the gongs - its become a personal piece 'lost horizon' and taken its own course with twists and turns in its journey to Shangri-la (Britt’s vocals sum it up all up very beautifully) Here are the tracks on the double LP>

LP 1
1. Belle Du Jour 5:55
2. Black Forest 5:36
3. Ashra Shirley 10:36
4. Deutscher Herbst 6:13
5. Celestial Orb 5:18
6. Shangrilaya 10:41

LP2
1 Floh de Ho! 7:46
2 Autobahn to Dusseldorf 5:09
3 Komets Berättelse 5:39
4. Nimbus Thitherward 8:24
5. Metronopolis 10:01

CD1
1. shangrilaya Lost Horizon
2. dorcelldorph
3. himmeltron
4. bongwasser
5. metronopolis alternative cd version
6. shangrilaya instrumental version

CD2
1. ashra shirley full length version
2. Autobahn To Dusseldorf - consterdine remix
3. Autobahn To Dusseldorf - schizo fun addict remix
4. deutscher herbst - lost pandas remix
5. deutscher herbst face in the window - nick nicely remix
6. shangrilaya - whitedove remix
7. dorcelldorph alternative version
8. glocken von pilz

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