After having served in the rich Swedish beat 1960’s scene as a member of The Ghostriders and We 4, a.o., at the end of the decade Hans Edler became one of the pioneers of psychedelic electronic sounds experimentation in Europe. His “Elektron Kukéso” LP is a landmark in the genre. Released in 1971, it featured his explorations in electronic avant-garde music from the period 1969-1971. It was recorded at the Electronic Music Studio foundation, one of the world’s most advanced studios in the era, and one of the few prepared for the creation of electronic music.

Influenced by the works of Karl-Heinz Stockhausen and using techniques similar to those of Pierre Henry or Raymond Scott, Edler brought a psychedelic edge into electronic music just like Silver Apples had done in the USA. The album has also a strong rock attitude plus a certain pop sensitivity in some passages, not far from that of David Axelrod’s, which confers it a distance from what used to be the more serious appeal of what most electronic pioneers had been doing, giving the album an accessivity that is closer to the electronic hits of artists such as Gershon Kingsley, Jean-Jacques Perrey or Dick Hyman. However, be it because of the songs being sung in Swedish or the outsider reputation Edler seems to have in the Swedish musical scene, this great LP remained an obscurity – hardly spoken of outside a small circle of connoisseurs and collectors.

“It really doesn’t get much better than this. In these days of harsh turmoil to uncover a rock & roll sweetheart like Hans Edler it really proves the gods to be smiling. Bonafide electronic experimentation with a heart full of pop is a love potion most desirable. Listen to the religious Brian Wilson-meets-Jandek orayer hymns of young Edler and travel to a time when long haired girls and dope-laced boys were truly getting it “on”. The hybrid fascination of electronic space composition and soul sweet pop-love in such a fresh state has me floating to my tombstone cloud.” Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth).

“Hans Edler’s Elektron Kukéso reflects a man who, musically speaking, is in a world of his own. Edler’s music seem to be totally uninfluenced by the music of his day. On the contrary, Edler seemed to be making up his own musical rules, and if the rest of the world didn’t follow, that was probably fine with him. As for his tunes…(they)… resemble folk music, but in a strange, contorted way. I have never heard an album that is so devoid of musical influence of others, and to me, that’s what makes it remarkable.” Dana Countryman (Cool and Strange Music Magazine).

Since the original LP was pretty short, seven bonus tracks not appeared on the original release have been added. These songs pre date the LP tracks and are from 1969 / 1970. Remastered sound, an insert with photos and liner notes complete this great reissue of this legendary Swedish electronics LP.