Music From Memory launch a new series of E.P.s entitled Music For Theatre And Dance. Volume 1 collects 4 quality obscurities – naturally – that were originally composed to accompany non-musical performers. From The Netherlands you get Gerard Stokkink`s Yellow Turtles. A track taken from his 1984 privately-pressed LP, Shusaku & Dormu Dance Theater. Where the squawks of sampled seabirds segue into hypnotic synth repeats. Their chiming countered by soft siren blasts.
There are more seabirds to be heard on Atlantis Transit Project`s Bird Perspective. This time their song backed by tribal timpani. Diskant disco drums that summon spirits, who intone in low pitched down voices. Backward tongues that possess dancers who in turn yelp and yawp. The tune comes from Torso, a re-recorded festival performance released in 1989 by Copenhagen music store, Olufsen.
Frenchman Ramuntcho Matta also gets pretty tribal on Zoique III, committed to tape for his 1985 debut, self-titled, long-player, and licensed from the label, Mosquito. The record features contributions from William Burroughs partner in crime, Brion Gysin, and Ramuntcho`s pop muse, Elli Mederios. Its trance-dance is driven by slap bass snarls and burps. While Ramuntcho`s Egyptian ney sounds a lot like future collaborator Don Cherry and gives the track a very fourth world feel.
Ivory Playground are German. Their composition of the same name dates from 1986, and first appeared on the album, Scattered Clouds, recorded for the Wergo imprint`s Spectrum Series. Those ivories mixing with Windham Hill folk picking and accompanied by a subtly shifting, twisting and turning, electronic kosmische hum and buzz. The piece blooming like a beautiful dawn.
You can order a copy of Music For Theatre And Dance directly from Music From Memory.
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