It's fair to say that state51 are maverick when it comes to releasing music and whilst we're not big fans of Record Store Day, it's always a good idea to keep an eye open to see what's going on; and is there lots going on on the summit of Macchu Picchu!
"Maverick" would definitely spring to mind as the label released 40th Anniversary Edition of Malcolm McClaren's 'Duck Rock' a couple of years ago. An album that somehow managed to capture both good and bad elements of 'electronic, hip-hop, Latin, funk, soul, non-music, folk, world, country, African, ambient and experimental'!
Whilst not as well known as a big head like McClaren, Los Jaivas' unique Chilean prog-folk from the summit of Machu Picchu is a mad malenge from the obligatory flute/pan-pipes, that starts the album (Ed. the most typical of 'world' music instruments?) to 11 minutes of proggy cathedral synth rock-opera ballad, 'La Poderosa Muerte' - it's so fantastic in a mutant, (White?) Sabbath vs. Yes in the Andes Mountains; spiritual? Tommy Vance is loving this.
'Antigua America' is more ELP prog whilst 'Amor Americano' flips almost McClaren like. in it's Tex-Mex-folky square dance. And it doesn't stop there, it 'Sube a Nacer Conimgo Hermano' was played in Castro's Cuba, it'd have been banned for it's US rock guitar leanings but it's a great dance track. And the album ends appropriately enough with 'Finale' as a pseudo-classical piece that Rick Wakeman would have been proud of. And on the subject of political unrest, there's some tango in there also, possibly because the band left Chile when Pinochet took over their home country, heading first to Argentina and then Paris where the album was recorded.
Thankfully, after 40 years, an Anniversary 12" vinyl in gatefold cover is not viewed with the eyes of a Spinal Tap docu-soap - see below 1981 TV broadcast from Peru to Chile - that's enough to challenge Pink Floyd at Pompei. Even McClaren would have to take his (Buffalo) hat off to such a venture.
Of course, 2004 saw John Peel collapse on a trip to Macchu Picchu and subsequently pass of a heart attack so this 'find' puts Macchu Picchu back is our good books; a seven track album that leaves you as breathless as the thin air on the summit of Macchu Picchu itself!
Artist: Los Jaivas
Title: Alturas De Macchu Picchu (40th Anniversary RSD Release)
Release date: 12th April, 2025
Label : The state51 Conspiracy
Catalog Number : TBC
Format: 12" vinyl gateflold / Digital / Bandcamp
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