Sendelica
The Compleat Cromlech Chronicles 6CD SET
strange fish nineteen
on sale September 18th (rescheduled due to manufacturing problems)
SOLD OUT AT FdM TOWERS ON PRE-ORDERS, BUT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ORDER FROM NORMAN RECORDS, ROUGH TRADE or SHINY BEAST (or email fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com to join the waiting-list as we may get a few extras)
All four 'Cromlech Chronicles' releases - and quite a bit more - spread across 6CDs, (yes 6CDs!) including all the tracks from the Cromlech albums, bonus cuts, a live CD and a CD of outtakes and demos (oh, and a 20pp booklet too)
If you like the 'Band for All Seasons' set, you're going to love this - there must be two-three hours of music that wasn't included on the vinyl releases.
CD1 - Cromlech Chronicles I + bonus track: 'Return Of The Elohim' (Altar mix)
CD2 - Cromlech Chronicles II + bonus track: 'Even Though My Mouth Is Silent' (Cosmic Connections mix)
CD3 - Cromlech Chronicles III + bonus track: 'Slow Burner' (Re-Entry mix)
CD4 - Cromlech Chronicles IV + bonus track: 'Lightstar' (Remix)
CD5 - Cromlech Live - recordings from the Lucid Dreams Festival and Glastonbury PsycheFest
CD6 - Cromlech Demos & Outtakes
The Inside Story, from Pete Bingham
So where did the original idea for the Cromlech series emenate from?
Well Keith (Fruits De Mer) originally asked Sendelica and Astraliasia if they would like to spend a
weekend recording at a French chateau using the Rolling Stones mobile recording unit. Then things
went a little astray and we ended up at Mwnci Studios in Wales sharing studio time with The Luck
Of Eden Hall. The remit from Keith was for both bands to record a 'live' album at Mwnci and to
hopefully have some kind of cross pollination of both bands.
Of course it didn't quite work out that way.... Sendelica did play on The Luck Of Eden
Hall's cover of 'China Girl', which is still unreleased by them and TLOEH did record a live album
which I believe never got beyond the mixing stage due to technical problems back in the USA.
Sendelica, however, were feeling quite inspired and leaving the 'live' album behind embarked on
recording a bunch of new tracks which appeared on 'The Cromlech Chronicles' album and 'Lilacs
Out Of The Deadlands' (released on Sunhair Records which does feature guest appearances by
Gregory and Jim of TLOEH).
The reviews of The Cromlech Chronicles were very positive and the album sold out very
quickly, which prompted Keith to be interested in releasing a second chapter of The Cromlech
Chronicles and Sendelica were very interested in the idea of going back with another set of
musicians to see what magic could be weaved again in the grounds of the Cromlech during the
summers of 2016 and 2017 which resulted in two sets of albums being released by Keith in 2018.
Cromlech II featured two amazing female guest musicians, the classically trained Kate Riaz
on cello and Cheryl Beer on an assortment of ethnic instruments which resulted in a very
drone/mantra orientated ambient album which Keith released early in 2018 on his more
experimental imprint 'Strange Fish'.
Cromlech III was another beast altogether featuring the double powerhouse drumming of
Jack Jackson and Gregory Curvey creating, at times, a 70's rock monster on tracks such as 'Slow
Burner', 'BS' and 'Lost City Of Cardiza' alongside some very sedate tracks such as 'Teifi Marshes'
and '12 Shades Revisited'. This was all released over six sides of vinyl as a triple 10” album set
back on the Regal Crabomohone imprint.
Cromlech IV saw the band melding West Wales with West Coast of USA in the sunny climes
of Mwnci Studio during the summer 0f 2018, channeling an early 70's Fillmore West vibe.
The band stripped back down to a four piece band featuring Neil Spragg on the drum stool with
guest keyboards from Colin and the legendary Carningli String Ensemble gracing several of the
cuts.
Pete Bingham June 2020
some Fruits de Mer releases you might be interested in....
Cellar Bar Restoration Society
The Lost Stoned Pandas
The World Is Our Lobster
if you're not already on a Fruits de Mer mailing-list, please email fruitsdemer7@hotmail.com