Robbie Basho – The Seal of the Blue Lotus

Along with the early Fahey stuff, the first few Basho lp’s are probably pretty much ground zero for the “modern” sound of the solo acoustic steel string guitar music that would become popular on through the 70’s. This is Basho’s first record, and one of the first non-Fahey releases on Fahey’s Takoma label. Much more Eastern and “raga-esque” than Fahey, Basho’s early records are absolutely trance-inducing. This one has a lo-fi almost field recording quality which suits the music very well and is greatly lacking from his later records, which would become much more slick & “new-agey”.