The Mysterious Realm of Space Age Sunset

“Vol. 13 Mysterious Realm of the Sonnenstube” is the title of the album, and Space Age Sunset is the band that recorded it. It was released on 29 January 2021 on Maaula Records.

Space Age Sunset describe themselves as a “collective of musicians sharing our passion for obscure exotica music”. They’re also a supergroup of sorts, consisting of Robin Girod (guitar, bass, percussion; also in Duck Duck Grey Duck, Bandit Voyage and Mama Rosin); Réka Csiszér (vocals, synth, organ; also in Bitter Moon and Pussy Warmers); John Menoud (guitar, sax, percussion; also in Imperial Tiger Orchestra and Giallo Oscuro); Nelson Schaer (bass, percussion; also in Duck Duck Grey Duck and L’Orage); and Saidou Baba Konaté (djembe, percussion; also in L’Orage and Badema). Together, they recorded “Vol. 13 Mysterious Realm of the Sonnenstube” pretty much live in a three-day burst of inspiration in a studio in the Italian part of Switzerland.

“Vol. 13 Mysterious Realm of the Sonnenstube” is clearly a labour of total love. With the main influences being Esquivel and Yma Sumac, the overlords of the exotica world, a long essay written by John Menoud manages to give name checks to myriad other elements in the broth, including John Zorn, Les Paul, Renato Carosone, Melanesian folk rites, Bollywood, Henri Mancini, Mr. Bungle, and Omar Korshid. Truly, this one’s for the fans of deliciously laid-back exotica sounds as well as musical train-spotters!

Space Age Sunset
Maaula Records