Groundbreaking diverse music that fuses acoustic, ambient, jazz, Indian, African, lounge, retro, funk, pop and ethereal art-rock. Songs about non-violence towards animals and how this intersects with the pursuit of peace. The album is a 14 song compilation from 11 different recordings over 18 years. ”Ahimsa” contains an amazing instrumental called ‘ahimsa the source of peace’ which is a 9 minute journey in three seguewayed movements and is an aural masterpiece. This disc also writes a musical foot note to the work of Jeff Buckley, stylistically, on four of the tracks. The record is a long player 78 minutes of music. It contains some of the authors early passionate abhorrence of animal abuse and specisism and makes the distinctive claim that we perpetuate violence in our own species, biologically, by imposing violence on other species, for food. It delivers its message without conjecture. A soothing recording with a powerful message.
- 3:36We are a new branch [4.5MB]
- 8:48Beautiful Girl
- 3:11Why Kill for food? [3.2MB]
- 3:31My month, my year
- 8:54The Journey
- 8:46Ahimsa the Source of Peace
- 2:59Opening
- 4:31Love never dies
- 4:59Creature [5.7MB]
- 5:36Evolve
- 4:07Jealousy
- 5:22Love Child
- 6:27In Bloom
- 6:35You know that you’ve got me
1:17:00Total playing time
The opening track ‘We musical souls, we bohemian boys’ is actually the worlds first english translated version of a gregarious tradtional sing-along Hungarian song. (performed by Andrish Hex vocal/harmonium) Followed shortly by a piece of unadulerated rock’n’roll mayhem with a deranged Russian character (by Ash) on voice-box just to keep the european vibe going. Track three ‘Violent Inertia’ sounds like Visage’s ‘fade to grey’ for the naughties and puts the album suddenly in an electronic context.
Track 4 ‘Four-door Carnivore’ is a political whispered rant over a jaunty danceable piece of technological sleekness with elements of African high-life. The song talks about everything from oppression in PNG to respiratory diseases in pedestrians, with a vocal and lyrical guest appearance by eco-feminist Hellouise Paienne.who also collaborates with Ash on an instrumental track.
Catharsis has two beautifully heartfelt and wholesome songs which add contrast and colour to the album: ‘First Memories’ a cover of a Jo Jo Smith song and ‘The Journey’ which has mesmerising oboe by James Watt.
Catharsis contains two new bonus tracks ‘don’t go ka-chink with Lawson’ which denounces Walmart style development, four-tier carparks and highways that displace animals, and an atmospheric instrumental whose aural landscape leaves the listener wanting to spin the disc again.
- 1:55We musical souls, we bohemian boys
- 3:20Everytime you came around [3.8MB]
- 1:58Violent Inertia [2.3MB]
- 5:18Four-door carnivore [6.5MB]
- 2:14Please, please, please let me get what I want
- 3:43Collabrador
- 8:52The journey
- 9:25World Party
- 4:15First memories
- 4:00Getting hardcore
- 3:43Please don’t go ka-chink with Lawson
- 6:15Groove to the light
- 5:24? Mystery ?
60:43Total playing time
$10
The title is a term used to describe the art made by people who suffer from Schizophrenia & Autism. The cover art was influenced mildly by the art of Basquiat & the music was written to the artwork, not the other way around as is usually the case. It is an instrumental album & is surreal, eclectic & features a large garden of tone colours.
This recording includes two bonus tracks from way back in 1989!
- 5:58A Voluminous Koniption [8.2MB]
- 3:43Hip scratchin’ and the tambourine hands
- 2:53Koto, dulcimer and bass [4.0MB]
- 7:17Outsider Art [10.0MB]
- 2:11Interloop
- 4:59Didge
- 3:41101 Mischevious moves
- 6:55LET IT GO
- 8:44[bonus] ‘Q’
(i) not to be confused with a frenzy
(ii) Portatrack Gravy
(iii) before they dropped
- 3:45[bonus] Equinox
50:06Total playing time
This album is drenched in the sound of summer in Nimbin. It has Mbira (african thumb piano), water drums, acoustic guitar, and vocals. It has an expressive and reflective musicianship within it. The music blends African and celtic musics and the addition of the sound of crickets gives it a warm tropical vibe. At the time when it was being made Andrew spent hours swimming in a large pond and meditating in a small dome shaped hut made from sticks and reeds, hence the title ‘Otter Spirit’. Much of the spirit of this place: Djangbung gardens, permeates this recording and can be described as a gentle joy.
Guest musicians include Whompy Thompson and Robyn Francis.
- 7:53My year, my month [10.9MB]
- 7:15You know you’ve got me
- 10:05Cherish
- 4:06waiting in vain (reprise)
- 5:50Remember [8.0MB]
- 4:30Don’t say you are forbidden fruit
- 9:36Return
49:15Total playing time
A Hip–Hop (type) artist from Adelaide. His debut EP. The opening track Justice is fairly ‘in ya face’ but musically ranges all the way from bossa nova beats to retro electro and then serves it all up on a new york dolls punk platter. Dead has been described as a comedic artist and the angst never manages to take it self that seriously, just when you think its getting too maniacal, Dead puts his tongue back in his cheek. The topics covered include: Multi-national corporations, fast–food outlets indemnifying themselves against libel from bad health consequences to consumers (think Micheal Moore meets Eminem), hunting and sexual domineering, divide between the rich and poor, aboriginal deaths in custody, absence of humane standards in abborttoirs, world hunger issues and a need for people in the west to grow their own food instead of being dependant on food grown in developing nations in a post peak-oil world. A great EP and a lot of fun. Exactly a half an hour in length. Check it out.more…
- 11:34Justice [11.1MB]
- 6:08I hunt hunters
- 3:48Three
- 4:09Absolved [4.4MB]
- 4:28bonus live track
30:07Total playing time
Singer, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Andrew Benthe has numerous albums and this is one of his best. A very beautiful recording of original folk, contemporary acoustic rock and Celtic-tinged ballad songs. The opening track ‘Ethereal’ is definitive folk-rock-pop. The albums mood and substance mainly stays within the boundaries of exploring the lighter and darker side of love and fidelity. It has sub themes of; both the need to see the similarities rather than the differences between yourself and significant other (in the personal and universal) and the theme of trusting your intuition in relationships and with yourself. Instrumentation includes: 12-string acoustic guitar, cello, bass, drums, keys, electric guitar, wooden flute, Uilleann pipes and mandolin. It is filled with sublime musicality and lush layered vocals. This album is a good starting point for discovering Andrew Benthe’s work.
- 3:45Ethereal
- 3:46Inside your skin [4.6MB]
- 2:53Closer
- 5:08Optimistic [6.0MB]
- 5:24Waterfall
- 5:24Miss Lust [7.0MB]
- 5:48Lucky
- 4:10Found you
- 6:07Come Around
- 8:53Beautiful Girl
- 7:30Love Never Dies
- 2:32Lotus
1:01:00Total playing time
Musically diverse this album is. There are sombre piano instrumentals, anthems about inequality, and long sinuey reflective compositions.“The world they see” – eerie experimental pop about the way animals in intensive agriculture must see and endure the world, features the sound of 20,000 Lismore cows! The track ‘I got mail’ is made out of sampling and manipulating mobile phone noise and static – very moody and astounding. A live track called ‘strengthen your will’ which sounds like someone triumphing over depression and feelings of loss, has some wry, wistful and emo-late cure meets Janes Addiction – style darkness which fuels the songs powerful intent. E.S.P Mail has a track called ‘Fear got the better’ which at times is reminiscent of Louis Tillet’s ‘children of the cave’ which probably belongs on Benthe’s ‘The Mirror’ album (all about the same relationship). A Billy Bragg inspired song called ‘Therefore change’ which states in the opening line: ‘you don’t have to come across like an asshole, just to make a point’ draws a connection between our attitudes towards animals and our attitudes to each other. This album is generally possessed of either wordy songs about rare song topics such as non-violence, ear-candy type instrumentals, or unrequited love ballads and light catchy ditties such as ‘Mariner’ and ‘Moving on’ which say a lot because they say so very little. The closing track ‘I AM Happy’ is full of spontaneous exuberance and amazing rare vintage synthesiser sounds And chaotic changes in genre. E.S.P mail is never boring!
- 2:50Fishbowl heads [3.0MB]
- 3:16Why Kill for food?
- 7:02The world they see [7.8MB]
- 6:31In Bloom
- 3:11Open
- 3:33I got mail
- 6:38The magic of feeling
- 6:39Better man
- 6:20Fear got the better
- 5:46Strengthen your will (fatale) [7.3MB]
- 5:43Therefore change
- 1:32Mariner
- 4:11Moving on
- 11:30I am happy
1:15:00Total playing time
Ahimsa formed in Melbourne, based around the idea of compassion. Song themes included those of homelessness, displacement of people from war, reverance for nature, and the need for understanding and tolerance between different faiths and races. Such was the content on the first disc ‘Ahimsa – Live in Melbourne’.
This next incarnation of the Ahimsa musical tribe features Lori-“lolo Bird”- Eiserman, Heath Schauer and Andrew Benthe on Vocals, with Nick Littlewolf on Djembe, and Andrew Benthe on production and instrumentation.
The material is compiled from anthemic ‘spirituals’ from festivals all around the world. The album addresses such topics as the global oppression of women, affirmations for a sustaiable environment, finding refuge in meditation and self-peace, and the importance of humility. This album has a subtle tranquility which permeates it’s sound, which listeners have said is effective and rare.more…
- 3:02Earth, water, fire and air
- 3:42Oppressor man
- 2:32Lover of the land
- 4:25Humble yourself [5.0MB]
- 1:11Sha-Noo
- 3:28Heart’s Song
- 2:09One Planet
- 3:09Opening [2.8MB]
- 1:28Ancestors
- 1:51Heal one another
- 3:02In the womb [3.6MB]
- 0:36What I’m living for
30:35Total playing time
The first Ahimsa studio album features an 11 minute version of ‘The hidden crime’ as it’s cresendo. The opening track ‘Ahimsa is Compassion’ is a powerful instrumental signifying a new dawning era. Then the gothic chiming chords of ‘Torn Lungs’ pierce the silence, telling us of the inner fight of the forest activist, boardering on relgiousity and sounding like Kate Bush meets Thom Yorke.
“Army of Me” wants industry out of the sea and to have reverance for every tree and everything that breaths. Once again unpredictable dark chord changes give these songs an unprecedented sound of meaningfulness. This coupled with double tracked 12-string guitars and bottleneck adds uniqueness to it’s influence of Led Zepelin 3.
“Release (a simple prayer)” is a studiofied lush garden of deep middle-eastern mallets and heavenly organic sounding samples with staccato processed noises forming a compelling rhythm bed.
The Source of Peace is primarily about how our own search for peace as humans is intertwined/held back by the commodification of animal life. (i.e. That we more readily morally undermine our own kind when we fail to acknowledge animal murder, than if we cease our personal connection to animal abuse by not depending on animal products.)
“Coming to the Party” is a live track with the original line up of Sue-Anne Stewart, Andrew Benthe, Mikale and Kirri. It talks of a day, like the Iraq war protests when “everyone who can feel’ will come out in protest against the abduction of our fellow mammals for food, leather, entertainment and research. The track is full of Penelope Swales style folk-pride and passion. ‘The Message’ has some of the most otherworldly sundrenched guitar sounds you’ll hear and the vocal is sedative and spacious like that of Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. A great disc with a flowing angelic quality. Rare as hens teeth!more…
- 2:14Ahimsa is compassion
- 5:01Creature
- 4:06Torn lungs
- 3:54Army of me [4.6MB]
- 4:53Sentient beings
- 4:42Release (a simple prayer) [5.7MB]
- 4:51The Message
- 11:08The Hidden Crime [12.6MB]
- 4:00The innocent beast
- 4:51Starving child
- 4:05Open your heart
- 3:44Coming to the party
- 8:46The source of peace
1:06:00Total playing time
Recorded in 1988, an exploratory tranquility permeates this Andrew Benthe debut. A soundtrack to a time of regeneration and transformation. Largely instrumental it contains two songs: ‘Be yourself now’ and ‘Controller’. The other works are sublime layered impressionistic compositions impacted to great effect by the work of Jon Hassel and Ken Nordine. The sound of multi-timbral synthesizers down to analog tape adds warmth and clarity. Suitable for deep relaxation. The opening track has two dueling but soothing spanish guitars and is the first incarnation of a track called ‘Love never dies’, of which another more produced and effulgent reprise version exists toward the end of the disc.
- 10:31Love never dies (acoustic) [13.2MB]
- 4:45Be yourself now
- 3:46Controller (love in freedom) [4.6MB]
- 2:57Field of tears
- 1:52Spirit of the mall
- 3:40Painted faced men
- 1:34Blue
- 8:14Nam yo ho ren gae kyo
- 3:17Horizons
- 1:34Loss
- 3:21Men with heads
- 2:37Temple rush
- 10:21Mind
- 5:02Love never dies (reprise)
- 2:34Vigilante
- 2:39Sadness
- 3:50Omegahedron [3.8 MB]
1:13:00Total playing time
