Reviews...

OUTLET Magazine, 1980/No. 21 - Trev Faull (Ilford, Essex, UK)

"........I picked up the interesting looking 10" sleeve from the racks and handed it up to the assistant behind the counter. The assistant took a glance at it and I enquired what it was like? I obtained a negative response in fact as I found it was a flexi album and L3 at that the assistant said it was probably not worth the money anyhow and they only had the one. Such salesmanship always staggers me and there was something about the tone of voice in which it was employed that made me doubly resolved to buy the thing. I'm relieved to say I was very glad I did. The album is a thick type of flexi with surprisingly good recording quality too. RASTAMUNKIES opens the first side with a jolly pop style song all jaunting guitars giving no idea as to what was to come. ARTEMIA SALINAS led the way, solemn blending of guitars and voices rushing into one vibrating wind that led into OCTOBER BARGAIN DAYS. The voices here seem to be mingled with that of an announcer and it's pretty difficult to find out what the hell's going on! 38 ANGRY TIGERS begins the electronics which (with?) blips and farts and all manner of jungle noises. A guitar hangs frosted notes upon the beasts of the jungle and in turn they bey and call to the music. N.Y. NIGHTMARE continues the atmospherics. A voice reciting words over the top of electronic doodlings. At times it sounds as if a whole flock of birds are taking over the recording studios. After 3 or 4 plays it gets very captivating! MALAY DEADFALL closes on a short note full of more electronic intricases. A definite Residents feel to this. Turn over for the strange sound of UMBRAL VECTORS where the industrial side of things takes over. Gone are the conventional sounds. All that's left are like distorted phantoms creating uneasy vignettes of sound patterns. Chaotic at times but interesting to observe. After the machines are set on overload it is followed by "2%". With the benefit of low grade guitar mix, special effects and a drawling voice a song breaks forth about 2% of everything. The voice is strangely mutated into a whispered echo that keeps the original voice company all through. NOT AT HOME begins with the electronic jungle sounds and all manner of contortions and textures are drained forth. What does a black hole sound like? Maybe like this, I dunno but the way it buzzes and bleeps is quite extraordinary....uneasy listening! BLAUGEIST arrives from the region of the twilight zone and poses the question....Why hav'nt Ralph Records signed em to a long term contract yet, or perhaps they are already defunct? This is a brief grating sound and makes way for the final song "AUTO-ACUPUNCTURE". Oriental electronics with tinkling piano and just about everything else are contained here. The vocals are the best on the LP. It has that distictive drone of sound with all manner of instruments vyung for control. Almost dub at times it ends on a whine of motorised sound that poses the question....did the machines really take over?? Seek and enjoy."