Kultivator is a Swedish band as unique as unclassifiable. This was formed in ’78 by the nucleus of Tunnelbanan a symphonic prog rock band highly influenced by Yes and Genesis, in addition with guitarist Jonas Linge whose playing is reminiscent of Phil Miller and the soprano Ingemo Rylander.
The LP named “Barndomens Stigar” recorded in 1981. KULTIVATOR’s musical influences: MAGMA, KING CRIMSON, HATFIELD & THE NORTH, HENRY COW, ART BEARS, GENTLE GIANT, ART ZOYD and UNIVERS ZERO. A true hybrid to sum up that blends influences from Zeuhl, Art Rock, Canterbury, RIO and symphonic prog rock. Some famous “journalistic shortcuts” place them halfway between Zeuhl and Canterbury (‘Halfway between heaven and earth’ sang Richard Sinclair…). Reality, in the light of their music and their influences, is much more complex and it needs a better definition of what Zeuhl is; much more than what commonly defines it on the base of powerful, hypnotic and repetitive themes, achieved by the rhythm section and the piano or on the base of incantatory chants with melodies at times dissonant but above all simple in terms of harmony. The question is not “To be Zeuhl or not to be”. The answer would have been given by the following albums once KULTIVATOR would have found its musical maturity and would have gone farther than its original influencesThis is the first vinyl re-issue since 1981 of this sought after disc, with 3 bonus tracks, 1 studio + 2 live. Liner notes by Johan Svard (Drums).
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