Die von Philippe Baudouin kuratierte Okkult-Compilation “Spectra Ex Machina – A Sound Anthology of Occult Phenomena”, deren erster Teil vor vier Jahren auf Sub Rosa erschienen ist, geht dieser Tage in die zweite Runde. Einmal mehr wird ein Zeitraum von beinahe hundert Jahren, sprich von den 1920ern bis in die jüngste Vergangenheit abgedeckt mit Audiodokumenten vorgeblich parapsycholigischer Phänomene wie Tondokumente in Spukhäusern, Geistererscheinungen in musikalischen Darbietungen und elektronischen Stimmphänomenen. Dabei treten bekannte und recht unterschiedliche Figuren wie Uri Geller, Joe Meek, Aleister Crowley, Alex Sanders und Anton LaVey mit seiner berühmten “Satanic Mass” auf. Die Sammlung erscheint als LP und digital.

“The link between music, sound and the paranormal is manifested in many different ways. Gerard van der Leeuw, the Dutch historian and philosopher, wrote “Music represents the great struggle of reaching the wholly other, which it can never express”. Furthermore, “The effect of music on the emotions is so mysterious as to seem magical. There is no logical explanation why a particular combination of musical notes, whether in the form of a tune or of a simple chord, can affect the heart. Nothing in nature has perhaps so persistently resisted explanation“, as said Derek Parker, the British journalist. Since music is arguably the most intangible of the arts and since the paranormal, in all its manifestations, continues to intrigue people, the placing of these two subjects together seems obvious. This second volume of musical and audio anomalies continues and expands upon the works initially reproduced in the latter. Rosemary Brown makes a welcome re-appearance, especially with a performance of Grübelei via Liszt, as well as the Caruso-inspired tenor Leo May making a repeat performance. Few people realize that both Anton LaVey and Aleister Crowley were quite fine musicians and Alex Sanders was also interested in music. The background music of Wagner’s Tannhäuser used by the latter combines both pagan and Christian elements. So close your eyes and let the magic of sound take over!” (Sub Rosa)