The Yammouni Files (1992)

Many, many moons ago I began the pursuit of this cassette only release from what remains one of my favorite, though now retired, labels. I did not know of nor would have known of its existence prior to the advent of the Web but immersed myself fully once I stumbled across it. Electronic, dark, even dangerous, it spoke to me.

However, some of its earlier releases were released on tape based formats only. The I+T=R VHS containing the visual work of Richard Grant remains a collection in need of reissue/remaster on DVD or other similar format. I have the VHS and an audio rip of the music but it sounds like it was ripped from VHS. 

And then there was this one. A fantastic assortment of Australian artists who represent a lesser known side of the sound of electronic based music in the early 90s, this remains a hidden gem. Several of the groups/artists moved on to other projects but most of these artists remain encapsulated within that time frame and within this cassette.

I am still looking for the physical cassette to add to my collection but the format here is a one of a kind, direct from 'the original masters' you might say, and is available here, and only here, on HTCIS.

Sometimes you just gotta ask and the kindness and generosity of people will surprise you.

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Wire Music

Alan Lamb - Primal Image (1998)

One of my all-time favorite albums. Can't recall when I first stumbled across this but it was most likely during my full immersion into the Dorobo back catalogue. Long out of print, it was expensive but I ended up buying it as I couldn't find it anywhere.  His Night Passage album often showed up on those "dark" (ooh, creepy) ambient websites.

These tracks were constructed in 1988 ("Primal Image") and 1986 ("Beauty") as a series of segments averaging several minutes each, with transitional overdubs at the seams, and with heavy use of EQ for harmonic balance and noise reduction. About 20 hours of source material was recorded using contact microphones on telephone wires over a cumulative period of 10 days in November 1981 ("Primal Image") and April 1983 ("Beauty").

Rhythm and music is all around us if we only would just slow down and listen. Highly recommended to listen in one setting, undisturbed. Quite hypnotic and meditative (with the occasional 'burst' of energy).

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Muhmood - 6200 Miles Of Silence (2009)

6200 Miles Of Silence is totally based on field recordings. Recorded in the Western Siberia area which is crossed by a few huge power lines going from East to West and from South to North. The idea was to render in sound the trip of electric currency flowing in huge masses across the vast empty spaces of Russia. The sound of the album follows the topography.

Free download and info

HERE

Loggerhead - Demons In Rapture w/ Demos (1994)

Richard Grant, the man behind I+T=R, the visual aesthetic of Dorobo, had posted a comment on a previous post:

good release this one, Milton M was a big fan of The Young Gods as well which had a big influence on this CD. i have a demo cassette with some different versions of some of these tracks - i think before Francois got his holds on them - i'll post it up in the next week or so. i also did another video for 'Stategic Womb' which i will put up on vimeo, it didn't make the Dorobo VHS as it was too long!

Long out of print, this sleeper from the mid 90s is well worth turning up loud.

Album

He was also kind enough to send the demo cassette mentioned above so it's a great opportunity to listen to the before and after as referenced in the comment left above.

Demos

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TCH (This Crepuscular Hour) Discography

One of the more obscure gems of the Dorobo/Iridium label.

Eryn Tooey (violin) appears on Shinjuku Thief's The Witch trilogy. Peter Breuer (electronics) appears on Shinjuku Filth's Junk.

Only two releases to their credit.

YouTube has a site with many of their videos if you want to get to know a little bit more about their aesthetic.

Tough to find too, especially Abutilon at 320.

Abutilon (1994) (320 kbps)

Try

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Sinflower (1997) (VBR~256 kbps)

Try

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Dorobo Videos 1992-1995

 

Let's try this again...

The Dorobo label (now defunct) out of Australia has been one of my favorite labels for a while.  Mostly the brainchild and work of Darrin Verhagen under his various monikers, it features some interesting music of a more "industrial" nature, social commentary with an art school aesthetic.

This is a compilation of videos of artists from the label.  The videos definitely match the feel of the music.  Grainy, industrial, Kafka-esque collages.  An excellent series of videos put together by I+T=R (local designer Richard Grant credited by Verhagen with creating the entire Dorobo aesthetic)

Turn down the lights and turn up the volume for a creepy good time.

This one is long overdue for a DVD treatment.  Richard Grant has been posting some stellar videos on his YouTube account which includes everything here and then some.

TCH (aka This Crepuscular Hour) also has a YouTube account well worth checking out.

Experiment and engaging stuff, highly, highly recommended.

Tracklisting:

1 Shinjuku Filth - Detox
2 Snog - Cliche
3 Shinjuku Thief - Komachi Ruins
4 Hanging Garden - Rust
5 Shinjuku Thief - The Assessor / Stepping From Routine / Lips Of The Guilty
6 Snog - Empires
7 Ryoji Ikeda - What's Wrong / Zone 2
8 TCH - In Sensorium
9 Professor Richmann - Eis
10 Shinjuku Thief - Warm As The Blood Beneath The Clods / In The Path Of Walpurga's Ashes
11 Loggerhead - Demons In Rapture
12 This Digital Ocean - Heartbreaker
13 Shinjuku Thief - The Year Of Silence

Links

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