Kosmose — First Time Out, Charleroi 1975

The first and last concert of Kosmose Mark I, the avant garde musical collective hailing from the Belgisn city of Charleroi, in the region known as The Pays Noirs (Black Country) and formed in 1973. The Pays Noir region was most well known at the time for producing a steady stream of blues rock bands, so when Kosmose came along they were something quite unique for the region, sharing
something of an affinity with the bands of the German kosmische scene of the time. First Time Out is the band’s third posthumously released album following on from 2015s Kosmic Music of the Black Country and 2017s Some Little Trips to Our Fluorescent Land.

First Time Out consists of two long stretched out cosmic jams simply titled the 13 th and 14 th Untitled tracks, each requiring an entire disc to themselves. Their respective running times are 42.33 and 60.16. The first thing one notices are that the recordings are rough around the edges, this obviously wasn’t recorded for release as an album but merely as a reminder to the band of their only live performance up to this point. This actually probably sounds better than it ought to, having lain around for over 40 years before being picked up, cleaned up and prepared for release. I think it important to say at this time the recording limitations of the time have not robbed this of its vitality, and the album sounds clear and crisp enough for the rough edges not to spoil your enjoyment of the
music.

Musically, the album is very interesting, a wild cosmic ride into the psychedelic underground of the 1970s. On the other hand, one thing that immediately sprang to mind was that there is also an affinity with more modern progenitors of the psychedelic scene like Expo 70 or Sylvester Anfang II, however it is in the bands of the German kosmische scene where the album finds most resonance. I can certainly hear similar influences at play to those of Amon Düül II, Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel or Popol Vuh where they can sonically stretch out and head off into another dimension completely. This is very much an album with that improvisational vibe to it, and musically it ranges from beautiful passages of gentle electronica to full on avant garde experimental noise rock, taking in everything in between.

First Time Out is a real gem, a superb album from one of the great lost bands of the 1970s. I am so thrilled that these recordings have survived, and in pretty decent shape too, considering. This is a glorious masterpiece of Belgian kosmische that will be glued to my CD player for weeks and months to come. Every bit as good as the wilder stuff from the German scene.