Eddie Warner, born in Magdeburg, Germany, in 1917, was one of the leading figures in European exotica in the 1950s, operating from France, where he ended up at after the war. His repertoire of styles included several kinds of jazz- and Latin-based dance music such as mambo, baião, and chachachá, but, as a tireless explorer, he also found refuge in the library music and electronic sounds department. A cornerstone of his work in that field, Progressive Percussions, was originally released in 1968 and has not been reissued since, until now. Library music was always meant to be used for the soundtracks of movie and TV productions or commercials, so not many people outside of that world have taken notice of this colorful masterpiece. It was not uncommon for such late '60s productions to consist of powerful, funky, and jazzy rhythms; fuzzed-out guitars; and steaming keyboard work. Eddie Warner and his compatriots spice up these standardized elements with freaky electronic chimes, Morse code sounds, and even outbursts of free-format psychedelic eruptions that will blow your mind. The title suggests that Eddie Warner and his musicians often emphasized the groove; a tight netting of polyrhythmic patterns is conjured by the regular drummer along with some skillfully executed xylophone work and some handy percussions that rattle and ping somewhere within this jungle of grooves. Rock and heavy funk are the predominant styles from which this studio band starts its musical expedition. Despite being European, Eddie Warner and his mates hit the frequency of pure hot-blooded power-funk and heavier west coast rock played mostly by American bands from California to Detroit and NYC in the late '60s. When this group calms down a bit and gets in the mood for a Latin- and jazz-influenced jam, you as the listener find yourself in a smokey psychedelic club somewhere in San Francisco until the song and your trippy dream end. While most of the time you could imagine a rampant jam session of Sly & the Family Stone, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Jefferson Airplane, the pure electronic moments here are years ahead of their time and should have been a massive influence on later German pioneers such as Kraftwerk, NEU!, or Cluster. An adventurous piece of music for fans of groovy, sexy, and mind-expanding music based on what the pop scene in 1968 had to offer. Close your eyes and join the space dance.