Michael Shrieve with Kevin Shrieve & Klaus Schulze - Transfer Station Blue (1988)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:
Stomu Yamashta, Steve Winwood, & Michael Shrieve - Go (1976)
Richard Wahnfried [Klaus Schulze] - Time Actor (1979)
Michael Shrieve & David Beal - The Big Picture (1988)
Michael Shrieve & Steve Roach - The Leaving Time (1988)
Michael Shrieve - Stiletto (1989)
Klaus Schulze - Shadowlands (2013)

An excellent record that brings together Michael Shrieve (who's best known as drummer for Santana for their first eight records, but has a phenomenal catalogue of solo and collaborative efforts), Kevin Shrieve (who I assume is Michael's brother and I know nothing about) and the almighty Klaus Schulze. The first song, "Communique: Approach Spiral", is exactly what one might expect from this collaboration: Schulze's propulsive synth pulsations working in unison with Shrieve's pounding percussion to create a fluid, sustained sense of tension. After the relatively brief, ambient "Nucleotide", the title track starts off down the same road as "Communique" before taking a sharp turn into a lush, slo-mo disco groove that managed to give me chills the first time I heard it -- this should tell you something about what a goddamn nerd I am.

Track listing:
1. Communique: Approach Spiral
2. Nucleotide
3. Transfer Station Blue
4. View from the Window

Four winds

Michael Shrieve - Stiletto (1989)

Previously on OPIUM HUM
Stomu Yamashta, Steve Winwood, & Michael Shrieve - Go (1976)
Michael Shrieve & David Beal - The Big Picture (1988)
Michael Shrieve & Steve Roach - The Leaving Time (1989)

Stiletto is a first-rate album, led by drummer Michael Shrieve, of icy, atmospheric jazz that would have sounded right at home on ECM. Fans of Terje Rypdal will appreciate the shimmering, swelling guitar work of David Torn, an incredible guitarist whose work I really should have posted on here by now. Also, if you haven't already, I highly recommend checking out The Leaving Time, Shrieve's collaboration with Steve Roach, which I have linked above.

Track listing:
1. Scratch
2. Moon Over You
3. Las Vegas Tango
4. Gauguin's Regret
5. Stiletto
6. Four Winds
7. Bella Coola

The invisible architect

Automatic Man - Automatic Man (1976)

Debut LP of phenomenal, spaced-out but somewhat radio-friendly (keeping in mind that it came out the same year as "More Than a Feeling") prog from this short-lived outfit. Tricky, often funk- and jazz-inflected chords, harmonized backup vox, space-age synths, and an impeccably clear, warm analogue sound. Def a lil' bit of ELO circa Out of the Blue influence on here, especially on their one and only semi-hit single, "My Pearl." Overall, though, Automatic Man was a bit more concerned with enhancing trips than writing hits.

Track listing:
1. Atlantis Rising Fanfare
2. Comin' Through
3. My Pearl
4. One 'n One
5. Newspapers
6. Geni-Geni
7. Right Back Down
8. There's a Way
9. I.T.D. (Interstella Tracking Devices)
10. Automatic Man
11. Atlantis Rising Theme/Turning of the Axis

Automatic man, he moves like a computer

Stomu Yamashta, Steve Winwood, & Michael Shrieve - Go (1976)

Just picked this up on vinyl for two bucks -- not sure if it's underrated or it's yet another example of my increasingly terrible taste in music. Either way, what we have here is some laid-back prog rock a la Dark Side of the Moon surrounded by synth-led excursions to the outer limits. Sweeping symphonic accompaniments and soulful backing vocals lend Goa dramatic, cinematic air. Factor in a brief, unexpected but convincingly executed foray into funk, and you're looking at a pretty sweet album.

Track listing:
1. Solitude
2. Nature
3. Air Over
4. Crossing the Line
5. Man of Leo
6. Stellar
7. Space Theme
8. Space Requiem
9. Space Song
10. Carnival
11. Ghost Machine
12. Surfspin
13. Time Is Here
14. Winner Loser

Wake me up on judgement day

Michael Shrieve & David Beal - The Big Picture (1988)

Propulsive polyrhythmic percussion meets mystical synth sounds. Somewhat comparable to Shrieve's excellent collaboration with Steve Roach, The Leaving Time.

Track listing:
1. The Invisible Architect
2. Mon Amie
3. Unspeakable Dawn
4. Izibongo
5. Shaman's Drum
6. The Big Picture
7. Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep
8. Iron Voices

Moon over you

Michael Shrieve & Steve Roach - The Leaving Time (1988)

Out of print collaborative effort between Michael Shrieve (best known as the drummer for Santana) and ambient/new age/space music pioneer Steve Roach. Tribal rhythms, chiming synths, jagged guitars. Dramatic, soothing, and gloriously dated.

Track listing:
1. The Leaving Time
2. March of Honor
3. San Diego
4. Theme for the Far Away
5. Tribes
6. Big Sky
7. Edge Runner
8. The Leaving Time (Reprise)

Falling, flying, dreaming