Name: Switched On Ra
Brand: Bitchin' Bajas

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

DC851

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2022-11-18

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

PIAS

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

78148085119

Total Cap

1 / Black / LP

DC851C

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Tape

2021-11-05

0781484085140

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "0781484085140"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

1 / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / Tape

Artist

Bitchin' Bajas

Genre GB

Psychedelic

Label GB

Drag City

Drag City is a renowned music label that was founded by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn. With an impressive roster of artists, Drag City has established itself as a leading force in the music industry. Known for their diverse range of genres, the label has consistently released groundbreaking and influential albums. From indie rock to experimental folk, Drag City continues to push boundaries and nurture innovative talent.

Since its inception, Drag City has been dedicated to supporting artists who defy conventions and create unique sounds. The label's commitment to artistic freedom has allowed musicians to explore their creativity without limitations. This approach has resulted in a catalog of critically acclaimed albums that have resonated with audiences worldwide.

With an unwavering focus on quality over quantity, Drag City carefully curates its releases, ensuring each album receives the attention it deserves. Their meticulous attention to detail extends beyond the music itself, with beautifully designed album artwork and packaging that enhance the overall listening experience.

It’s almost four years since their last opus - two years since the most-recent run of live shows. Now, Bitchin Bajas return from whatever kind of rare ether they occupy when they’re at home, bearing the riches of the whole cosmos in their hands. And strictly OG as well - on cassette only.

Switched On Ra is the outcome of a typical Bajas exercise: pouring some out for the pioneers that came before (as they’ve done with Bitchitronics and their participation in the annual Chicago performance of ‘In C’ over the years). It’s a nice way to get a flow - they play a little of themselves, then some for the pioneers, then a little more for the band. Before long, they’re playing with the inspirations twined, as they can only come from within.

For Switched On Ra, this meant a deep delve into the song-book of one of their soul-predecessors, Sun Ra, whose music is literally written in the Bajas DNA. Digging into this music sounded wild on paper: the drone synth group taking on the Arkestra harmonies and Ra’s loose grooves? The trick was to get that sense of rhythm to translate across the spectrum from Ra to Bajas, in a way that worked for them both.

Sun Ra of course was his own kind of original keyboard visionary, using electric keyboards in the late 40s and 50s to fill a role in jazz that had traditionally been played on acoustic piano only. Once he’d done so, he took his writing in directions inspired by the electricity, places no one had thought to go before then.

Bitchin Bajas have been content to dominate in a microtonal world, usually without a single chord to be found anywhere. But here, they step up righteously, their vibe triangulated as they bring Ra’s music forward with some Wendy C style, making an unexpected space for all to thrive. There’s a real feeling of joy as these collected signals bounce off the tape and through the speakers into your space.

To get this unique colloid exactly right, Bitchin Bajas used nineteen different keyboards. They abstained from deploying their arsenal of reed and woodwind instruments: everything had to be on the keys. This meant Yamahas, Rolands, Korgs, Casios, a MicroMoog and of course their trusty Ace Tone organ. They even broke out the Crumar DS-2, to have some of Ra’s chosen tone in the mix. Then Jayve Montgomery added an EWI as a solo voice on a few tunes, just to get some air-blown signal (and a natural shout out to EWI master Marshall Allen) in there, after all. It felt like somewhere in the universe, Ra was decreeing it.

Switched On Ra

Music GB