Jan Beran

Warped, asynchronous, mid-80s FM Synthesis assemblages, captured at the absolute cusp of the Analogue-Digital transition, from Czech-Swiss Composer Jan Beran. Ages dormant on the Creel Pone shortlist, endlessly vetoed by yours truly for breaking the cardinal rules of comprising a total sum of post-1984 activity (pending a rewrite of the foil-stamp copy) and, specifically, explicitly incorporating the "Devil's Xylophone" amongst its tonal palette. But ah, the times, the times. After a few careful listens & a decade+ of consistently softened sensibilities I've relented; I now see it as a master-stroke of pointillist blat, on par with Nuno Canvarro's "Plux Quba" and the like, offering a bevy of small sounds, 6-operator particles, each with their own distinct trajectories. I get why this was such a mystery to so many that sought it, and how unlike anything from its era, before, or beyond it truly is. Four short "Etüdes", each with their own personality and timbral spec, bookended by the lengthier "Aniseikonia" & "Zeitsplitter" This Creel Pone replica edition is also made all the more special by the inclusion of a reproduction of Beran's hand-written note, included in the copy found out in the wilds, pleading for "Doug" to send a check for $10 to the Statistics Department at Texas A&M to cover the likely unsolicited "gift" - priceless.