Yaputhma Sound System

Short- but bright-lived (1995-1997) band from Riga, Latvia. A motley company of very different-minded participants, the band has materialised as a next logical step in the series of extravagant projects that shared the same core members - Pasaki Onkuliem Ata, Gosh & The Brand New Hedgehogs, Gosh & The New Cosmic Hedgehogs. All of these projects pursued the approach of polystilistical musical circus; YaSoSy, in addition and in particular, focused on the underground dance music, performing a kind of raw, lo-fi, psychedelic house, techno, trance, jungle, trip-hop "tracks" and improvisations totally live, using traditional and very basic rock instrumentation - guitars, drums, percussion, trumpet, old Soviet synths and FX, all spiced with samples taken directly from equally old and battered records and turntable. At the same time YaSoSy still continued to play "normal" songs in any genres and styles possible, depending on momentary whims and ever-changing tastes (though Madchester could be one of the strongest influences). In other words, think "record-collection rock" with a strong dance-punk emphasis and a love for obscure and cheeky cover versions. Socially, members of the band were known for confusing audience and media with misleading faux-cosmogonic mythology, tongue-in-cheek attitude and bizarre behaviour. After dissolution of the band its members went on with their own solo or collab projects, some quit music world. The most notable successor had become Spinners (12), a trip-hop band that at various times included from two to five members of YaSoSy.