Sweet bubbly electronica from German synth maestro, Nik Tyndall - AKA Jurgen Krehan. Reflexionen is a fine example of how to use a vocoder properly, up there with the stylish electronic chuntering of Air and Laurie Anderson. The Album was released in 1982 by the huggable Sky Records label and now deserves a handsome reissue... Accompanying Tyndall's floating synth is a batty video lifted from a leftfield documentary called Relaxed released around 1957.

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With a line up including Bedford, Oldfield and Coxhill, the ex Soft Machine bass man Kevin Ayres produced a progressive album that is a true classic of the Canterbury scene. The whole LP is a blast, but something really special happens about seven minutes into 'May I, Rheinhardt & Geraldine, Colores Para Dolores'... The song crumbles - like reality during a salvia trip. The overall effect is like a radio dial being rapidly turned, never letting you fix on one tune or sound. Genius! Especially in the age before digital recording, when some poor sod had to sit with thousands of pieces of tape and a pair of scissors, attempting to put this collage together... In the accompanying video I have tried to do something similar - it comes from so many sources that I can't remember them all, but here are a few pointers... 'The Trollenburg Terror', an enjoyable sci-fi flick with Warren Mitchell and Janet Munroe, a daft canine cash-in called 'Superpup' and a rather creepy public information film from the 50s warning farmers about the importance of protecting livestock and grain in the event of a nuclear war.

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Wolf City is one of Amon Düül II's greatest achievements. A bona fide Kraut masterpiece that gives you everything a German progressive LP should... And much, much more! When I think of this album, I can't help thinking of drugs. I used to love getting stoned listening to this - and so did the previous owner of my vinyl copy, as the record sleeve actually stank of 70s homegrown weed when I found it years ago in a record fair. The music even sounds like drugs. Ganja, poppy, LSD, mushrooms all seem to bubble beneath the surface of this sublime LP. The bass playing is some of the best you'll hear and Renate's vocals are so sweet. The paper inner sleeve of my copy even has some scribbled recommendations of books to track down by none other than Mr. Buckminster-Fuller... This high speed video is comprised of (inappropriately) an anti-drugs film, a splendid James Mason TV drama from the 60s called 'Dare I Weep, Dare I Mourn' and a classic educational flick called 'Gateways To The Mind', which is a little trippy itself, I suppose.

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Enjoy this atmospheric Australian oddity from the fascinating antipodean post punk scene. I'm not sure of the release date of this track, so if anybody can help me out, it would be much appreciated. I'm guessing '79 to '82 or thereabouts... Video comes from two sources. The insects appear courtesy of a part serious, part spoof Margaret Lockwood film, Highly Dangerous. The Gainsborough leading lady (with the famous moles) plays a bug expert who gets involved in a wacky spy plot, chased from pillar to post in some unconvincing composite country by the always reliable Marius Goring. The stocky 'n' sweaty (in silhouette) Leo McKern appears courtesy of a smart Wednesday Play called 'On The Eve Of Publication' by the politically savvy writer David Mercer - a scribe whose work is sadly out of fashion but deserves serious reappraisal.

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Wunderbar is a stylish 1978 album from the Berlin school legend Wolfgang Riechmann. Released on the ever impressive Sky Records label, this is a must for fans of Jarre, La Dusseldorf and early Kraftwerk. Riechmann would likely have played a significant part in the 80s synth scene, if not for his tragic death - murdered in a random street stabbing, weeks before this album was released... The video accompanying ths dreamy edit (from side two of the LP) is a churning mix of oddball science experiments fused with animated spooks hiding in a tea tin - courtesy of the Flaxborough crime world featured in the eccentric series of novels and the later faithful TV adaptation "A Murder Most English".

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Samla Mammas Manna, a splendid Swedish band from the 1970s, had their own unique take on progressive rock - virtuoso playing (of course) with a dash of RIO tomfoolery and a hefty dose of agitprop politics. Måltid from 1973 is considered their greatest album, showcasing their mastery of fusion, folk, and avant rock that could give any of the Canterbury groups a run for their money... Video spliced from various sources, including a dancing Chinese dragon, spaceship shenanigans, spinning scrolls and some animated brain bending sound waves.

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Reminiscent of compositions by such musicial wizards as Schulze, Branca and Gottsching, in 1979 Gunter Schickert produced this hypnotic mixture of looping guitar and echoing drum beats on top of shimmering synth-processed sounds of flowing water. Überfällig is a neglected gem from the late 1970s German scene as Krautrock segued sweetly into NWW... The video is a veritable potpourri, including snippets from Hammer's 'Four Sided Triangle', footage of US army LSD experiments, hipsters from the 'counter culture', a UFO crash and excerpts from a fascinating 'One Step Beyond' episode with a seemingly straight-laced TV presenter gobbling magic 'shrooms in an attempt to enhance his psychic powers... Groovy!

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Born in 1897, Herbert Eimert was a multi-talented German composer, broadcaster and founder of a highly regarded studio that helped shape the experimental compositions of the incomparable Stockhausen. Klangstudie II is a menacing burst of pioneering bloop 'n' bleep electronica recorded in the early 50s with Robert Breyer. Eimart was later to record a chilling ambient drone masterpiece in tribute to a fisherman killed by the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests, despitge being over 100km away from the blast epicentre.... This video of bingo balls, bacteria and ballistic missiles probably reflects my own apocalyptic view of our fragile, all too often f***ed up world.

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Phaedra and Rubycon are two cornerstones in my Krautrock collection, but for some reason it took me a long time to check out the chilling majesty of Tangerine Dream's Atem. Unfairly nicknamed 'Nectarine Nightmare' by a long lost mad mate of mine, this holds its own with that fine crop of 1973 German LPs.......... Footage of working class guys and dolls trying to make the most of their bank holidays and hard-stretched cash. The final montage of stills is from a oddball 50s CFF Saturday Picture treat with the usual gang of resourceful kids aiding an alien in white apparel who looks curiously like ET's aunt Ethel.

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Stunning hybrid of highlife and liquid funk courtesy of the aptly named Nigerian combo The Funkees. Miles Cleret and Soundway records are doing an amazing job of digging out these lost Lagos treasures so a new audience can experience the delights of a highly influential, toe-topping 70s scene. Veterans of the Biafran war, The Funkees taped a couple of memorable John Peel sessions after relocating to London and recording a trio of tasty and now highly collectable albums... Accompanying video has been pieced together from a couple of of thought-provoking documentaries about mind control, hypnosis and the rise of the new world order. 'Captive Minds' and the 6+ hour DIY presentation 'Ring Of Power' provide food for thought for those walking the fine line between outright paranoia and justifiable concern and cynicism in the direction our world is headed.

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I get annoyed when people claim to "hate musicals". Okay, there are a lot of crappy ones with irritating scores and silly books, but there are plenty of fine examples too! In fact, the best musicals (in my opinion) are the ones that don't sound anything like what you think musicals should sound like - check out Sondheim's astounding "Company" or listen to the hilarious, sly operetta parody "On The Twentieth Century". Here is a short snip from a flop show based on Truman Capote's "The Grass Harp" that lasted about a week on Broadway in 1971. Carol Brice, Karen Morrow, Russ Thacker and the legendary Barbara Cook share the vocals. Floosies, Indian Blues and Marry With Me are all superb songs, but nothing quite tops the jaw-dropping weirdness of "Babylove Miracle Show" - hopefully this extract will whoosh through your flesh........ The accompanying video comes from many sources. Deep breath. The bridge attack is from the popular BBC drama "The Expert" that kept Marius Goring in work through the 60s and 70s. The dancing lady is from an "Armchair Theatre" charmer called "Sharp At Four". The witch being burned at the stake is from a foggy British flick called "City Of The Dead" starring Christopher Lee and the man in black himself, Valentine Dyall. Finally the in-flux bearded bloke is courtesy of a BBC "Horizon" documentary on brain malfunctions and their role in religious experiences.

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I made this video yonks ago, forgot all about it, then stumbled across it the other day. Sadly the first two thirds of the piece is damaged beyond repair, but I'm sharing the last third with you... Eyes Down was the b-side of the Spongyworld single released by the eccentric Sheffield band Blammo in the early 90s. Blammo were nearly very successful. They supported the Beautiful South a few times and had two immensely catchy singles (I 'heart' Sharon & 'Spartacus') that were feted by an irritating BBC Radio 1 DJ. The band changed their name to Speedy at some point and again nearly became big during the Britpop period. If you ever come across one of their releases, it's well worth picking up - well, if you like swirly keyboard hooks and shout-a-long anthemic songs that weld themselves to your brain. When I purchased this single (from the old, much missed Probe store in Liverpool) I remember I had to rescue the disc from a confused, drugged up scally at Moorfields underground station who wanted to take it from me... Sweet memories!

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