Valvulado: HUMUS - Psychedelic/Space Rock • Mexico

Humus biography (http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4244)

HUMUS was founded in 1987 by Jorge Beltran as a one man band, where he played all instruments in home recordings made through the ping pong recording technique. He chose the name 'Humus' based the earthy, humus-like sound caused by sound degradation caused by the reduction mixing. During the late 1980s and early 1990s Beltran released five cassettes, causing interest in the underground quarters of Mexico City, where there had been a long history of progressive rock that managed to exist despite all the adversity a Latin American country faces in terms of making independent music business.

They recorded 'Tus Oidos Mienten' in June 1992. The album finally gave recording status to HUMUS, and soon international reviews from the U.S., Germany, France, and in particular from Italy began to emerge, praising the new band from Mexico. From the second album, called simply 'Humus' (released Dec. 1994), the one man band concept changed to a live performing band, which included old time school friend and bass player Victor Basurto, with whom he had formed their first band, STOMAGO SAGRADO in the late 1970s. Victor had designed the cover for 'Tus Oidos Mienten', and has been in charge for the art of all recordings both musicians have been involved with ever since.

A third album, 'Malleus Crease' was released in 1995. This album, along with brother Project Frolic Froth's album Ouroboros were also released in Italy by the D-dabliu label in LP format. HUMUS '4 degrees', released in 1997, is the band's only album to exist in CD format, all others were both CD and LP productions.Also in 1997 HUMUS found themselves in an international tour of England and Italy. In Exeter they recorded an album with American Dave Tor who became singer for the only vocal album ever made by either Jorge or Victor.

For this project a new name was devised: EUPHORIC DARKNESS, since it detached completely from the instrumental approach always favoured by HUMUS. The resulting album was named 'Colours You Can Hear' and only 100 hundred copies were made. In Pesaro they recorded HUMUS' fifth album 'Whispering Galleries' under the production of Italy's doom metal legend Paul Chain, who also contributed to the album. Three hundred numbered copies were made.

Since 1998 HUMUS has recorded no less than 5 albums, though none has been released yet. The band continues to be active, though members live in different continents: Jorge Beltran lives in Mexico and Victor Basurto lives in The Netherlands. The manage to continue playing together through the use of the new communication technologies. Because of their limited press runs, HUMUS albums have been rare, and some of them reach up to US$250 in international distributor listings. However, late in 2006 Smogless Records put out new CD editions of the first three albums.

Malleus Crease (1996)