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Edward Ka-Spel

Eyes! China Doll

Label: Beta-lactam Ring Records

Format: CD

Genre: Electronic

Out of stock

Each CD will have a coupon to receive a bonus CD of new material once all the solo albums of Edward have been reissued. Includes two unreleased tracks. Edward's second solo full length first appeared as the world was still rubbing ITS eyes from new wave fall-out. Synth pop had, by now, been fully co-opted by the populace at large with Wham, Madonna and Chaka Khan topping the US charts and Dead Or Alive and Paul Hardcastle making a splash across the pond. With Eyes Edward proved a couple things: 1) He really DID have a musical voice distinct from his work with LPD and 2) somehow synth pop could still be melodic, challenging, exploratory AND kick ass. On first hearing Avengelist's almost martial sequences bubble up from behind Mirror Soul's pleasantly plaintive analogue drone, I cancelled all the day's plans so I could just sit home and study this odd record until I passed out. Soon the end of the experimental Hotel Blanc suite was triggering emotional responses of longing. Eyes was...IS a unique electronic vision quest that is schizophrenic in all the right places. In those mysterious pre-internet days LPD and Ka Spel still had an almost Jandek or Residents-like sheen. Had...to...find...out...at...all...costs. It was like that beautiful Steven Stapleton cover was beckoning me personally, but also warning that things would always be a little different from then on. 'Why another China Doll?;' 'is Edward part of Nurse With Wound?;' 'who is Lady Sunshine?' Stories were fabricated to fill in the details, all with Eyes chiming CONSTANTLY in the background with its somber synths that were somehow not sad and Edward's bizarre anti-nursery rhyme lyrics. Weird samples from inside the goldmine: the use of sound on Eyes tugged at the ear and the gut. From a song to a...thing, to another song to another...thing, to a noise, to a sequence to a...run, hurry, flip the record, AGAIN! Completely minimal yet subliminally lush. A chirpy waltz to break the din, but then it felt a bit like being at a run down, radioactive circus. Best circus I've been to so far. Omnipresent little additives made for new discoveries with every listen. Edward seemed to exist in a no man's land hidden somewhere betwixt the new wave and Elysium. He's still there and Eyes is still fresh after 20 years, finally reissued properly as a CD, repackaged with its original art in a mini LP sleeve for maximum geek-out effect. Eyes, I feel for you...I think I love you.
Details
Cat. number: mt114
Year: 2006
Notes:

This release is subtitled "D'Archangel Rises."

Reissue of the Scarface/P.I.A.S. LP FACE 13, packaged in a gatefold wallet sleeve with collectible coupon. Coupon reads, "This is coupon number two of five. Each Edward Ka-Spel solo album reissue will contain a coupon. Collect all five to receive a bonus CD of music. The last coupon will contain all information on how to receive the disk."

Tracks 10 to 15 are bonus tracks:
"Tikko", "And The Lord Said 'Rise'", and "Volicie" are from Perhaps We'll Only See A Thin Blue Line.
"....And Smashed Into A Million Pieces" is from Down In The City Of Heartbreak And Needles.
"Blowing Bubbles (Part 1)" and "History Book" are previously unreleased.

Produced by Hero Wouters at his studio at Brouwersgracht 771, Amsterdam.

Dedicated with the purest love to Marylou.

Thanks to fellow Pink Dots (Legendary), Kenny G., Richard Z., George S., Debby J., Patrick B., Alain + Nadine, Marylou, Chris, Heather, Steve, Nurses, Currents and Organums for their support and encouragement.

SING WHILE YOU MAY!
KLAUBSTEHT NAVEEDA PROMNEZH
©℗ 1985/2006 Beta-lactam Ring/Edward Ka-Spel