Now you’re summoning the full cosmic current—The Zodiac: Cosmic Sounds is the moment where psychedelia, astrology, spoken word, and Moog experimentation collide in one glorious, incense-drenched fever dream.
The Zodiac: Cosmic Sounds (1967)
Subtitled: "Celestial Counterpoint with Words and Music"
1. One Album. Twelve Signs. Infinite Vibes.
Each track is a musical interpretation of a zodiac sign, from the fiery swagger of Aries to the dreamy haze of Pisces. The album was conceived by Jac Holzman (founder of Elektra Records) as a psychedelic concept experiment—one of the first records to explicitly embrace Western astrology as structure and theme.
2. The Voice of the Void
The whispered, dramatic narration comes from Cyrus Faryar, a folk singer with a deep, hypnotic voice that turns each astrological sign into a kind of cosmic sermon. His delivery is part mystic guru, part beat poet, part Lovecraftian prophet.
3. Electronic Prophet: Paul Beaver & the Moog
Paul Beaver, one half of the pioneering Beaver & Krause, plays one of the earliest Moog synthesizers on the record. This was 1967—back when the Moog was still a mystery machine the size of a refrigerator. His experimental tones ooze across the tracks like liquid alien fire.
4. Weird Studio Supergroup
Backing the whole thing is Mort Garson, the unsung godfather of synthesizer music (who would later make Plantasia and the occult synth album Black Mass Lucifer). Plus Wrecking Crew drummer Hal Blaine is on board, grounding the spaced-out chaos with real rhythmic punch. It’s a Frankenstein of LA session gods + mystical art project.
5. Made to Be Played with Your Headphones on and Your Mind Open
The album’s liner notes literally say:
“Must be played in the dark.”
Yes. They meant that.
6. Cult Legacy: Before Its Time
It wasn’t a commercial hit, but over time it became a legend among collectors and psych heads. It paved the way for synth-based concept albums and influenced everything from prog rock to New Age to 1990s electronica. Garson later expanded this style with his lesser-known Signs of the Zodiac spoken word LP series.
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