II

1. Reign Song

2. Sunwheel

3. To the new Dawn

4. Little Nemo

5. Outrider

6. Meechmit

7. Golden Dawn

8. Lex Talionis

9. Evening Star

10. Skye Boat

11. Lightbringer6

12. Fall Angel

13. As it is so be it

14. Blue Skies

15. Absynthe Opaline

16. Lethe

17. Faster

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist
Skye Klad was founded in 1996 by guitarist Jason Kesselring as an experimental space music group specializing in hypersonic avant guitar and industrial percussion. The first recording entitled Atmospheric Disturbances (released on cassette only) was a collection of Futurist noise compositions recalling the avant stylings of Fred Frith and Psychic TV and accurately reflects the experimental beginnings of the band. Highlights of their live show at this time were a wall of guitar sound mixed with drummer Matt Zaun's assault on a massive industrial "drum set."

Soon the band began to meld their sonic approach with a new found sense for song writing inspired by Barrettesque psychedelia along with the darksider leanings of Bauhaus. The five-song EP Extreme Vacuum Person was released soon after. Shortly after the EP was released bassist Dave Onnen (of the local ambient space faves Ousia) joined replacing the former bassist and added even greater sonic depth to the band. Skye Klad soon found themselves playing out more and more and to a wider audience (they were even nominated by the MMA as top electronic group in 1999) and soon they were hosting their own event called Solarium. This event, organized and headlined by Skye Klad, gathered local musicians of all types and devices along with light /video artists to create a multimedia event that equally frightened and fascinated the locals. It is at the Solarium where Skye Klad honed their sound as well as gained another guitarist, Erik Wivinus from the cult psyche sensations Salamander and ! Gentle Tasaday.

With the addition of Erik the Skye Klad sound was sealed off as a combination of hypersonic guitars and a mantra pulse rhythm section topped off by space chant vocals. With their sound realized Skye Klad entered the studio and recorded their first full length CD for release on Mutant Music. Skye Klad has also played with many bands ranging from High Rise to the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and has even taken part in the infamous Strange Daze festival in Ohio. Within the Twin Cities they have headlined shows everywhere from First Avenue to the Walker Arts Center and are considered "one of the more formidable live-rock forces around." (City Pages 01/03/2001)

Product Description
The Midwest's foremost practitioners of visionary space rock return with a streamlined roster, a beefed-up sound, and a brand new strategic imperative. On their second full-length Mutant Music release, "Skye Klad II," Jason Kesselring, Erik Wivinus, Dave Onnen, and Matt Zaun take a break from their trademark extended space jams to delve into the realm of pop. It's all classic Skye Klad: richly psychedelic, masterfully executed, and dark as the depths as interstellar space. They're simply passing on the extended sonic voyages to concentrate on finely wrought songs of the three-minute variety---rendered 21st Century Skye Klad style, of course. Needless to say, the results are eminently exhilarating. With Halloween and the holidays approaching, you'll want to start stocking up on mind candy now. "Skye Klad II" provides the perfect prescription. - Rod Smith

II,Skye Klad

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