Imagine meeting someone at some dark underground function in the Midwest region of the
US, somewhere around the turn of the century, and then getting to know them over a 22-ish
year period.
Then imagine them making music that you respect in the highest regard, which eventually
evolves into the most incredible, unique music you’ve ever heard in your life. And from
there … the music keeps getting better and WAY crazier.
And it starts coming at you more and more rapidly as this artist starts sinking deeper and
deeper into the psychedelic nature of the music they’ve created. A sort of beast that
consumes the personal being, while leaving only the artist.
Then come the releases, and the beast, now more resembling a virus, starts to spread to
those who didn’t know this artist personally. At this point, you’re starting to get excited for
them! Overjoyed that others out there are finding this artist’s music and diving into
everything that YOU also loved about it. You feel immensely proud and excited for what’s
coming up for them, while feeling lucky to be around to witness this impending
phenomenon.
And then … just like that … it’s over.
This is the art of my friend Andrew Smith-Rasmussen. Or, that’s how he was known here
on earth.
Andrew channeled his artistry through an interstellar being known as Jasen Loveland.
Some kind of cosmonaut of psychedelia sent down to Earth from a galaxy unknown to
scientists, astronomers and other celestial scholars out there.
And from that alter ego spawned dozens of aliases, each representing a different style or
sound that was wrestling around inside his mind. One of which is captured, bottled and
presented here on this 50th release from The Bunker New York.
This is the sound of The Lone Flanger.
Right from the start, you feel like you’re being pulled into his world by a drumless intro that
best lays out what kind of a ride you’re about to jump into.
From there, it’s a trip through the cosmos while riding on Haley’s Comet. It’s dangerous,
heart-pounding, hair raising, mind-blowing and crazy-making.
Much of it is breakbeat driven madness, tailor made for your brain, your body and your own
personal being.
It’s the sound of Chicago, or Detroit, or any number of places in the Midwest region of the
United States. But, not of our current era. It’s been brought to us from someplace on our
timeline, but from the FAR distant future.
Jasen went all the way out there to bring it back for us. We may never see the era it came
from, but at least we can hear it.
I’m good with that. I think you will be too.
- Derek Plaslaiko, April 2025