Dutch artist Jack ELLISTER, formerly of Yordan Orchestra, released his first single on Fruits De Mer Records in 2012. An experience that obviously was a good one for artist and label alike, as Ellister is one of five artists adding new chapters to the label specialty of releasing new versions of classic psychedelic tracks this late summer of 2013.

Ellister’s take on The Beatles Within You, Without You is a sedate one, with lazy reefer-tinged spoken vocals supplemented by eastern-inspired instrument details and sound effects, flavored with guitar solo details of a somewhat more dramatic character. A brief revisit follows, a nice enough distanced sounding brief sequence. Song For Wild, originally by Mark Fry, sounds anything but wild  in Jack Ellister’s take, with a droning organ (or accordion?) occasionally shifting to a circulating motif and gentle wandering acoustic guitars supporting lead vocals lazy to the point of sluggish, an atmosphere that for me inspires images of massive bongs. Syd Barret’s Flaming is the most intriguing piece here to my taste, with a rhythm foundation of a more energetic nature supplementing the fluctuating cosmic sounds and psychedelic laced guitars, effects and vocals, the latter still what I’d describe as lazy but with more of an edge on this occasion.

A nice 7 inch vinyl from Fruits De Mer Records, and presumably rather unexpectedly a production I’d recommend to those who enjoy their psychedelic music alongside substances of a dubious legal nature sweetening the experience as well as to those who prefer their psychedelic music to be of a somewhat more gentle and tranquil nature.

My rating: 75/100