lockdown : vinyl find #13.

Another one from an epic digging session at the Brussels Records Fair, on a particularly good day.

This one album was sitting in a 10€-record bin, which sat on the floor. The two guys who were sharing a booth had some good stuff on their tables, but I had a feeling the cheaper records could be good as well. After all, the records were from their personal collection, and I saw no reason to challenge the tastes of these old timers. I knew they were nice guys, so I emptied part of their cheapest crates and asked for a spot on the ground behind their tables, in order to listen to snippets of the records from the internet. They kindly accepted, knowing that I wouldn't take them all, and that it would prevent other potential customers to grab those records I had snatched. But that's part of the game, and they knew it. 

The Quintessence album caught my eye ; first, because of the sleeve of course, as it's cut in the middle, and opens like a book, which is not so frequent. The inner part is a new-age illustration depicting a guy who could be Jesus surrounded by many colours. The back cover confirms it : orange, with hinduist symbols and this unique dedication : "Be this dedicated to our Lord Jesus". Ok, there's something I didn't get here, and I still don't... there's a mix of Western and Asian spirituality, but I guess that's what new age is about. Some Indian writings on the back cover were additional clues. Plus, some guys, although British or Australian, got themselves Indian names... All these clues, added to the instruments played (flute, drums, guitars, bass) led me to think that this could be very psychedelic and interesting. So I bought it without too much thinking.

When I went to pay for my stash, a older guy came inquiring about that Quintessence album he'd seen before in the crate and which looked interesting... too late, too bad. 

Quintessence was a band from the United Kingdom, composed of UK and Australian guys, founded in 1969. Never heard of them before I came accross this record.

Spiritual is what it is. Some songs sound like deep prayers that make you feel you're sitting in an ashram. The vocals are not even bothering, they're part of the tripping sessions. Indian instruments, not credited on the back cover, give it the feel of authenticity. Then it switches on heavy rock guitars, in the most psychedelic vibe. 

Quintessence - Quintessence. 

Here's the full album, as a YouTube playlist.

This album got me interested in the band, so now I'm a mission to find their other records, hoping they're at least as good as this one.