Various Artists
Sexy but Chic / Ode to Samantha Fox cassette only (Insane Music)
Sammy Fox is obviously more of a European phenomenon than you might have thought given the twenty-nine artists lined up for this compilation. Plenty of stalwarts of the cassette scene are here, from the Dead Goldfish Ensemble to Bene Gesserit. Most of the music is eccentric electro-pop, frequently with outrageously moronic lyrics, presumably as a mark of respect to the subject matter. Some of it is more experimental, such as M. Nomized's layered voices all saying "Samantha Fox". Ultimately, it all ties itself sufficiently tightly to its heroine that unless you find the whole idea amusing, then the music probably won't appeal on it's own.
Hyperreal
Various Artists
Reynard The Fox (In Der Tat)
In Der Tat continues its laudable policy of releasing music free to the public - perhaps if more bands etc. followed suit then the UK tape scene could recover its lost enthusiasm. This splendid collection features previously unreleased studio/live tracks, re-mixes, demo versions and out-takes from many people around the world. 23 pop-gems that are far superior to most of today's major record releases! Highly recommended listening.
Stick It In Your Ear #117
Various Artists
Music From The White House Vol. 2 (Exart)
Subtitled "It's A British Treat" this, the second "White House" compilation features the following UK artists: The Detective, The High Tech Pagodas, Turn Blue, Hail! G5, The Strakman, Jon Jenkins, The Dead Goldfish Ensemble. In fact it's really a showcase for Cambridge's Peeved Records artists! If volume 1 was experimental & improvised, volume 2 is a more structured, accessible work. I look forward to the forthcoming vol 4.
Stick It In Your Ear #126
Various Artists
How To Become A Millionaire (Underground Productions)
A French compilation with a fair smattering of other nationalities represented. The music is best described as experimental that veers from definite songs to industrial noise. Among the 29 artists appearing are Urbain Autopsy, Vox Populi, Cripure S.A., No Unauthorized, Unovidual & Tara Cross, Front Line Assembly, Keeler, & The Dead Goldfish Ensemble. In fact something for every (lack of) taste!
Stick It In Your Ear #139
Various Artists
Total Recess Grade No. 3 (Mystery Hearsay)
More music from around the world that is primarily song orientated with particularly good pieces by Nagamatzu, The High Tech Pagodas & Venus Fly Trap. An interesting instrumental of forgotten sounds is "The Slow Multiplication Of The Liquid Light Rays On The Princesses Playground" by La Sonorite Jaune. Honourable mentions to X-Ray Pop, Weird Scenes, No Unauthorised, Circles & If Bwana. This tape collection comes highly recommended.
Stick It In Your Ear #141
Various Artists
Total Recess Grade No. 4 (Mystery Hearsay)
This international compilation is largely instrumental, although there are some songs, the best being The Detective's "What A Life (To Be A Goose)". A couple of the tracks veer towards the industrial, but the rest are very much in the European/Tangerine Dream style. Amongst other people featured are Noxious Bait (from Japan), No Music, Exart, The Dead Goldfish Ensemble, Mario Marzidovsek (from Yugoslavia), Agog & No Unauthorized.
Stick It In Your Ear #141
Various Artists
Mysterious Night (Epitapes)
This tape starts with about fifteen minutes of intriguing minimalism from Emanuel De Melo Pimenta. The rest of the tape features songs and more minimalist offerings from the likes of X-Ray Pop, La Sonorite Jaune, Clubfoot, Prima Materia & DZ Lectric, before finishing with more offerings from The Dead Goldfish Ensemble. An altogether rather splendid collection, with some fresh faces to add to the indie cassette compilation scene.
Stick It In Your Ear #141
Various Artists
A Cross Is Formed By The Spread Wings Of A Bird (Epitapes)
Another of those international compilations, this time of quiet, eerie, beautiful music. There are some simply dirge-like pieces, but the second half of side two sounds like The Weathermen, but are Flatbush. Perhaps the most fascinating contributions are from Settore Out, which consists largely of panpipes (synthesized?). Usually I doubt the value of this type of compilation, but this one is well worth having.
Stick It In Your Ear #141
Various Artists
Disco Totem Volume 3 (R. R. Products)
Another RR Product and yet another label based in Grenoble. This compilation is based upon the idea of dance music (but most of the tracks fail to fit the usual idea of music for dancing). Side One is fairly poppy, with the likes of Deleted, Local Scandal and Y Create. The second side is distinctly noisier with contributions from De Fabriek, In Aeteranam Vale, AR AR and Cripure.
Stick It In Your Ear #150
Various Artists
Durchnittsanfall No 5 (Prion Tapes)
More extreme noise terror from the likes of Silent Voice, No Idea, Mental Anguish, JFK, Die Rache, Odal, Ethnic Acid, Merz, The Circle Of Heretics, H64, Funeral Souvenir, Abessinier, Victimized Karcass, Solanaceae Tau, plus many others. It's lightened, almost, by the more musical, but still difficult, Dead Goldfish Ensemble. A thought from the sleeve... "we personify the universe in order to escape nothingness?". Eh!!! For noise fans only.
Stick It In Your Ear #150
Various Artists
Passions Organiques Volume 4 (APEAC/Organic Tapes)
Another international compilation, this time firmly based in Europe with contributions from the likes of The Detective, No Unauthorised, Vox Populi, X-Ray Pop, The Spinoza Sisters and The High Tech Pagodas. Despite the title nothing here could be regarded as 'conventional' songs. Whilst some pieces come close, many are rather formless instrumentals. That said, there is some good, interesting stuff here to wet a jaded appetite. Give it a listen!
Stick It In Your Ear #150
Various Artists
La Folie Volume 2 (R. R. Products)
A collection of songs (for the most part) on the theme of madness, from an international set of artists including Pierre Perret, Radio Prague, Merzdow Shek (Yugoslavia), Jaj Enterprize, Machine Maid Man & (from Mexico) Roland Chia. The bias is towards French acts, so if you have an interest in French music, then this is the tape for you.
Stick It In Your Ear #150
Various Artists
Grenouille (APEAC/Organic Tapes)
My French speaking friends assure me that this compilation tape is about frogs! (That is the animal as opposed to the man!) Only one track uses the sounds of frogs, the rest veer between songs and instrumentals. You even get a book of lyrics to accompany the songs. Again most of the acts are French, but there's also Sack (from Germany), Machine Maid Man (from the UK), & MGz (from Italy). Fun stuff!
Stick It In Your Ear #150