ACKAMOOR,IDRIS/PYRAMIDS,THE - An Angel Fell (Sealed) (2LP)

Gatefold cover. New concept album by leading cosmic jazz collective exploring global apocalypse, climate change and the healing power of music. Produced by Malcolm Catto of The Heliocentrics, the album was recorded during an intense week at Quatermass studios in London and is one of the deepest, richest works yet from a band reaching their highest creative peak since the early ’70s. Some of the many highlights include the poignant title track depicting a fallen angel in purgatory, outrage and grief on the powerful, hard hitting Soliloquy For Michael Brown and the lilting, beautiful album closer, Sunset. The Pyramids originally came together in 1972 at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio where teachers included renowned pianist, Cecil Taylor. After forming in Paris and embarking on a “cultural odyssey” across Africa, the group recorded three independent albums, Lalibela (1973), King Of Kings (1974) and Birth / Speed / Merging (1976) and became renowned for their striking live shows, mixing percussive, spiritual and space-age jazz with performance theatre and dance. After migrating to San Francisco, they disbanded in 1977. 35 years later, the band reunited in 2012 following growing demand for their music from vinyl collectors. German label Disko B released the freeform album Otherwordly and in 2016, they released their first album for Strut, the acclaimed We Be All Africans.