Zoviet France
In their 17 years of musical output, :zoviet*france: have become one of the most influential bands of the (post)-Industrial movement. Despite this, though, they have remained largely anonymous, playing very few live dates and generally avoiding over-exposure. Their music has been described as "a series of infernal soundworlds that wanders between organic, non-linear, lo-fi explorations and fake ethnicity, creating a world where nothing is locatable and everything is suggestion, awaiting responsive imaginations" (Phil England, The Wire).
In their 17 years of musical output, :zoviet*france: have become one of the most influential bands of the (post)-Industrial movement. Despite this, though, they have remained largely anonymous, playing very few live dates and generally avoiding over-exposure. Their music has been described as "a series of infernal soundworlds that wanders between organic, non-linear, lo-fi explorations and fake ethnicity, creating a world where nothing is locatable and everything is suggestion, awaiting responsive imaginations" (Phil England, The Wire).
On The Borderline
** Hardcover book with 176 pages, most printed in color. Limited edition of 400 copies. ** “On the Borderline” is two books in one: It’s an autobiography by Robin Storey, the musician best known for being the co-founder of Zoviet France and the man responsible for the long-running ethno-ambient project Rapoon. And it’s a comprehensive survey of his parallel career as a visual artist. Rounding out the package is compact disc containing all-new recordings, attached inside the front cover. Robin St…
The Sound Works Exchange
Original 1995 release. Kurt Dahlke, Christiina Kubisch, :zoviet*france:, Asmus Tietchens, Andrew McKenzie, Philip Jeck,
Chasse Vol.3
**Limited edition of 500 numbered copies in a wooden box, including LP-sized 24-page booklet and t-shirt** :Zoviet*France: is an idiosyncratic group of anonymous music makers, gatherers of sound, and fabricators of unknown music. For nearly 40 years, they have explored and reported back from the liminal areas of music and composition, walking the margins where little is easily located and consensus reality melds with the hypnagogic and half-heard. Having wilfully obscured themselves in Newcastl…
A Third Collusion (2LP)
300 copies. VOD presents the third chapter in the Collusion series that collects rare tracks previously released on various Zoviet France's compilations. First time on vinyl.Constructed from an array of samples and environmental recordings plus plenty of feedback, Collusion exudes a rare beauty for an album of such varied sounds (each track was originally released on a different compilation). Though the first includes a long passage from a religious-revival preacher (complete with the sample use…
The Tables Are Turning
Although you're more likely to find :zoviet*france: soundtracking art installations and performances, 2012 saw the release of the studio album 7.10.12 released as a boxset edition on alt.vinyl. On The Tables Are Turning the duo of Ben Ponton and Mark Warren present a studio version of their live soundtrack to Designer Body, a contemporary dance production by Ballet Lorent. Ballet Lorent's 2009 production featured dancers on revolving plinths. At first fully dressed with hats, scarves and full ma…
7.10.12
This, Zoviet France's first major release in over a decade, originally surfaced last fall as a characteristically cryptic and incredibly limited box set containing rubbings of neolithic Northumbrian stone and a vial of hawthorn berries. Unfortunately, it completely sold-out world-wide on the day it was released, so most of us never got to hear it. VOD has now issued a new version. 7.10.12 offers up roughly an hour of minimal/quasi-ambient loopscapes. While they certainly offer many subtle nod…
A Long Walk
VOD presents the first physical release of this 2011 recording by Zoviet France.
The Decriminalisation of Country Music
* 300 copies * As Glasgow's Tramway building evolved from train station into arts space, Zoviet France were present recording the ambient sounds for use in their commissioned themes for the Scottish Arts Council. Though you'd hardly believe it from the mostly non industrial nature of these very comfortable soundscapes. Five tracks range between five and twelve minutes apiece and the remaining four serve as in-between filler. In "Something Spooked the Horses" a constant warm drone and panning …
Feedback (Mort aux vaches)
** 300 copies ** Quite possibly one of the better live showings from digital era Zoviet France, and in my opinion this matches the dark spiritual energy of Vienna 1990 as well, which is a testament considering that that album is a leviathan of dark ambient. Heavy on the pulsating, bubbly effects, Feedback feels like you are exploring the dark corridors and caverns of an alien moon, where lava flows are the only source of light and the tremors of your own footsteps and the cracking of rock are th…
Digilogue
**300 copies** Digilogue is a set of extremely dark and somewhat convoluted minimalism from :zoviet*france:. The combinations of experimental and conventional sounds create massive clouds of sinister atmospheres. The layered textures increase the tensions of exotic darkness. This music is definitely exotic and definitely erotic -- not pleasantly but disturbingly. The sinister timbres are seductive and jarring. It is a shocking sample of an alternate reality. This CD will appeal to fans of Darkro…
in.version
*300 copies* The 90's run of :zoviet*france: is, what I consider to be, a divisive time for long time fans of the group. Gone are the days of wild and experimental sound collages and grating industrial, ritualistic ambient banger's and in its place is a more subdued and droning affair. During this period especially the groups hallmark sound would be twisted and shifted into what amounted to a swill of limp krautrock inspired dark ambient. Their live albums especially, are long and desolate treks…
Zoviet France bundle 2
**Limited Edition Pressings of eleven separate Zoviet France Albums circa 1988-1993 now available as standalone, in bundle. Beautiful remastered editions, 300 copies only ** :Zoviet*France: is an idiosyncratic group of anonymous music makers, gatherers of sound, and fabricators of unknown music. For nearly 40 years, they have explored and reported back from the liminal areas of music and composition, walking the margins where little is easily located and consensus reality melds with the hypnago…
Châsse Vol.2
**Edition of 400 copies** :Zoviet*France: is an idiosyncratic group of anonymous music makers, gatherers of sound, and fabricators of unknown music. For nearly 40 years, they have explored and reported back from the liminal areas of music and composition, walking the margins where little is easily located and consensus reality melds with the hypnagogic and half-heard. Having wilfully obscured themselves in Newcastle upon Tyne since their inception in 1980, :zoviet*france: has developed a radica…
Shouting at the Ground
**300 copies** The quintessential ZF. "'Shouting at the Ground' showed a dramatic improvement in sound quality and production from their earlier albums - all of which, by the way, are excellent in their own right. What we have here are an arsenal of hand made instruments, mostly stringed and percussive in nature, that are squashed through various delay and echo filter machines, creating an otherworldly, timeless and overwhelming creepy atmosphere. Outside this website Zoviet France are classed…
The End of Nothing, the Beginning of Everything
**300 copies** Never released before 1990 album. More information is coming soon.
Just an Illusion
**300 copies** Just An Illusion represents a continuation of the Zoviet France electronic style of the late 80s early 90s. Together, Acend A Fall and Caught In The Square comprise a hypnotic masterpiece. A combination of industrial grinding, modified guitar and electronics. Other tracks apply synthesizers and tape loops with far more sophistication and impact than on the earlier albums. With longer mood pieces and shorter works that highlight the Middle Eastern and Asian influences which have o…
Russian Heterodoxical Songs
**300 copies** Never released before 1988 album. More information is coming soon.
Look into Me
**300 copies** Look Into Me contains a combination of industrial grinding, modified guitar and electronics. Other tracks apply synthesizers and tape loops with far more sophistication and impact than on the earlier albums. Zoviet France cycle and recycle abstract noises into a constantly changing texture, composed of sonorous drones, grindings, scrapings, squeakings and so on. It's atmospheric without conjuring up any obvious imagery at all, thanks to the unreality of most of the sounds used. Oc…
Shadow, Thief of the Sun
**300 copies** Released just before a four-year layoff, Shadow, Thief of the Sun is both one of Zoviet France:'s better releases as well as one of its rarer albums (the label it was on, Death of Vinyl, had limited distribution and eventually went out of business). While :zoviet*france: often wanders out into fairly random soundscapes, most of the material here is grounded by a drone of some sort, with atmospheric chanting and other instrumentation designed to complement the drone. The drones are…
Collusion
**300 copies** Zoviet France's Collusion released on the short-lived Mute imprint The Grey Area, is a collection of pieces Zoviet France contributed to compilations between 1984 and 1990. While none of the tracks stands out, they collectively provide a reasonable précis of the band’s various approaches