Reissues
Old News #5
First instalment in this new o series providing a long overdue and much needed vinyl-only glimpse into Jim O'rourke's electronic/synth music archive* 'Old News No.5' introduces a "nearly regular series of vinyl albums documenting analog synth and tape works (both studio and live) from the depths of Jim O'Rourke's archive, spanning a near quarter of a century in the field." Side A 'Pedal & Pedal' features 15 minutes recorded at Super Deluxe, Tokyo, 2010. It unfurls a series of tender pasto…
Technology-X
Mirror Tapes present a stunning issue of unreleased, archival work from notorious electronic noise pioneer, Maurizio Bianchi. 'Technology-X' was salvaged from tapes dating to 1981 and carefully restored and remastered for cassette by Edward Sol of Quasi Pop records, faithfully representing MB's crushing dynamics and incredibly visceral textures.
OIRT EMO-DNE
Previously unreleased private cassette from February 1981 containing sound sketches to shape the future 'Endometrio'. While the 'EMO-DNE' track bears some basic resemblances with Endometrio's 'Primo Ciclo', the 'OIRT' track sounds significantly different in the labyrinth of MB's creative processes. The flaws and distresses of the original tape give intriguing textures and details to the recordings which stand well on their own beyond being 'Endometrio' in embryonic form, and towards much …
Symphony For A Genocide
Near-exact reproduction of the original Sterile Records release, including hand-stamped labels and inserts just like the 1981 issue. M.B., aka Maurizio Bianchi, has enjoyed a deserved renaissance in recent times as a new generation discovers his charred brand of industrial noise, particularly the artist's formative early 80's period before he disappeared in pursuit of religion. In the ensuing years, many of these early records became prized collector objects, garnering hundreds of dollars…
Superficial Music
Re-release with bonus tracks recorded in 1982. On 1981's Superficial Music masterpiece, French electronic composer Bernard Szajner presents selections from his previous "Visions of Dune" sessions played backwards and at half speed, enhanced through the use of digital and analog devices, as well as "Oswicim," a three-part reflection on the Holocaust that draws on his own family's experience. Szajner's touch is delicate and evocative, making for a powerful, if understated, listening experie…
The Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda
Fully restored director's cut DVD of Ira Cohen's legendary 1968 film, The Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda ina limited edition of 500 copies only."I must say this is the most chemically abused piece of cinema I’ve ever seen – I actually feel under the influence now, I don’t know if I’m safe to walk home. It’s so narcotic that I’m surprised it’s legal to buy over the counter… all this and it was made in 1968 – one year before Woodstock? Well I’m surprised, I was sure people were still locking u…
Up To Earth
Vinyl edition of this joyous improvised music drawing on South African roots and European free jazz from Chris McGregor and a group including Evan Parker, Louis Moholo, Barre Philllips, &c. This album only had a few test pressings at the time of recording and this is therefore the first vinyl release of this classic work. In 1969 the Chris McGregor Group were riding high on the London jazz scene, playing and hanging out with all the rising stars of British free jazz. Sessions for the pre…
The Disintegration Loops
First widely available release on Basinksi's own label (other releases on Raster, Idea, Durtro, Headz, etc), from early 2003. This series of 4 Disintegration Loops has become one of the true phenoms of post-9/11 experimental music -- totally legendary stuff at this point. "William Basinski is a musician, composer, auteur who has worked in experimental media for over twenty years in NYC, expanding the boundaries of the aural landscape. In 1978, inspired by minimalists such as Steve Reich…
Watermusic II
Volume II. Originally issued as a limited CDR in 2003, now reissued as a fully pressed CD. "A certain flavour of composition puts emphasis more on what could be considered 'hang-time' than 'narrative'. Some pieces don't necessarily have to 'go' anywhere in particular, their existence is simple enough in that it presents a mood, a moment, a place and encapsulates it. Think of still-images for the ears as opposed to moving-pictures for the eyes. As an audio exploration into this hovering su…
Love Life & Games
RESTOCKED: I wrote these tunes in 1968 when Micheal Cosmic and i were students at the AACM School of Music. i revised Love life & games in 2008. i had a band going on then with Micheal Cosmic. we played students concerts with Roscoe Mitchell. he also taught us our reeds. i had music theory with Anthony Braxton and Richard Muhal Abrams..." Phill Musra
Live in Berlin, Ballhaus 1987
Thomas ! Thomas wrote me one day and said to me to check out some audio called So long ago in Berlin... wow, i immediatly fell in love with that sound, really 60's and melancholic in a way... those were the rec. of a mini Tour that Norris Jones set up with his new sextet (2 gigs in Berlin/2 more in NYC). Sirone was one of the most respected bassist coming out of the New Thing, having played with all the greats: Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp, Marion Brown, Pharoah Sanders, Cecil Taylor, Noah Howard,…
Live at Lelli's
Roy Brooks ! what can i say about one of the greatest jazz drummers ?! a man who paid his dues, who lived an hard life...who's Detroit Jazz ! started to play in the 50's with Yusef Lateef, spent 5 years with Horace Silver doing the hard and the bop, then with Dexter Gordon, Lee Morgan, Jackie McLean, two years with Mingus, played with Max Roach M'Boom... plus many others... in the 80's he formed The Artistic Truth & The Aboriginal Percussion Choir... the rec. on this album is even more precious …
A Red Score In Tile
Composed way back in 1979, 'A Red Score In Tile' eventually surfaced as a vinyl-only edition in 2003. Made up of piano, this shows Basinski's patented tape-loop technique perfectly and still stands as one of his most affecting pieces of music. If you've heard 'Melancholia' you'll likely know what I'm talking about, piano notes are transformed into tones by the slowly disintegrating tape, and the loops become motifs all of their own. The beauty of Basinski's work is in its patience, and this earl…
Imperfiction
Another addition to Drag City’s curious collection of ‘outsider’ folk records (sitting neatly alongside Gary Higgins in your collection), Ed Askew is an artist I haven’t come across before. After his debut for ESP in 1968, his second album ‘Little Eyes’ was recorded in 1970, but somehow never got past test pressing stage, and as so many records of this era did, was lost for decades. After the 70s Askew seemed to sink into obscurity, but in the early 80s he got his hands on a harpsichord, a tiple…
Insomnia Theatre 83-86
It all started sometime at the dawn of the 80s by two Canadian brothers, Darrin and Stephen Huss while living with their parents in Edmonton, Alberta. The first and only synthesizer based act in our whole region, we were joined by third member Dwayne Goettel and subsequently formed the band PSYCHE. A combination of horror and electronics that in the area of Western Canada was completely unheard of and would continue to be considered quite shocking until the music finally caught on. B…
Microcosmos 1981-1986
Suberb Synth- and Wave-tunes of Fockewulf 190 incl. the two Italo-Disco-Classic 12“ Body Heat and Gitano plus more demos and so far unreleased treasures like Orient „Express“ collected from the archive of Victor Life
Victor once stated: The Fockewulf 190 project was created as a shape equal to a substance, experimental analogyc electronic music connected to the theatrical and mimic power of rock and the romantic and esthetic force of the electronic dance of thr 80s.We translated thos…
FMP in retrospect
Monumental! Who could have imagined back in 1969 that a German label religiously dedicated to uncompromising free-jazz would outlast the Berlin Wall? Such is the ongoing tenacity of Free Music Production, and its story is told in this intriguing 12-disc box set, compiled with a lavish book of photos and perceptive essays by such musicians as saxophonist Ken Vandermark and author Felix Klopotek. The company has been a true labor of love (or fanaticism) for Jost Gebers, who maintained a day…
Modes reels collectifs
Modes réels collectifs is the first work published in 1981 under the Vivenza banner, following Jean-Marc Vivenza's time with the bands Glace (1976) and Mécanique Populaire (1979). It represents a genuine manifesto that would become emblematic of all Vivenza's subsequent work. By suggesting, from philosophical and sonic points of view, an idea of opening to the reality directly inspired from Futurist theories, Vivenza was presenting what he had brought from his relationship with machines and soun…
Live at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm - 9 July 1971
Day two of this historic and rare live performance at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Sweden." Grey vinyl in clear plastic sleeve with blue lettering (limited edition 500 copies)
Live at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm - 1 July 1971
Recorded on 1 July 1971 in the geodesic dome at the 'Utopia & Visions 1871-1981' exhibition at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Takehisa Kosugi's Taj Mahal Travellers were a Japanese experimental improv group active in the 1970s. The group, heavily influenced by Fluxus, used electronic effects to create their own unique improvised drones." White vinyl in clear plastic sleeve with red lettering (limited edition 500 copies)