Various ‎– "Flowmotion(An Album of Contemporary Electronic Music)" (ICR ‎– ICR 003) 1982

Well, as this compilation is over 35 years old, it can no longer claim to be an album of Contemporary anything, but it does have some electronic music on it ,by some of the bigger names of the UK's electronic underground of the early eighties. And I note that none of this lot have yet to retire.
A few of these tracks one would hesitate at calling them strictly 'Electronic'.Experimental pop with incidental electronics is good enough for Eyeless In Gaza,and Those Little Aliens hark back to the time when magnetic Tape manipulation was called 'Electronic' Music.I suppose anything made with machines that one plugs into the mains is technically 'Electronic' so there you are!?

Tracklist:

A1 –Chris & Cosey-Devil God
A2 –Those Little Aliens-Ismalia
A3 –Eyeless In Gaza-Dusky Ruth
A4 –Eyeless In Gaza-Through Eastfields
A5 –David Jackman-Do The Dog
A6 –Ian Boddy-Follow
A7 –The Legendary Pink Dots-Hanging Gardens
B1 –Ian Boddy-Skylights
B2 –Paul Nagle-A Journey In The Dark
B3 –Carl Matthews-As Above, So Below
B4 –Colin Potter-Rooftops

DOWNLOAD with the flow HERE!

Various Artists ‎– "A Cage Went In Search Of A Bird (An International Compilation)" (Dark Star ‎– DS 1-2) 1985

A wide ranging compilation that included all the leading lights of the UK Electronic Underground.....aka a fancy way of saying 'Prog'......are collected on this c-90/c-60 double package.Compiled in 1985 by our chums from the Ultima Thule Record Shop in Leicester; whose own projects (Alto Stratus and Zircon etc) take up a hefty 20 minutes of tape time.....and why not?
A wide range of abstract experimentation is on display over these two and a half hours, ranging from Ambient electronics to mid range Industrial, to the madness of DDAA,categorised in the 'Other' category on iTunes.

Tracklist:
White Side
A1 –Paul Nagle-Skrying 8:45
A2 –Peter Frohmader-Pharaonische Grabkammar 9:10
A3 –Colin Potter-Potters Wheel 6:14
A4 –Region 5-In The Cage Of Crystal Moonlight 5:43
A5 –Conrad Schnitzler- 1·11·84 7:02
A6 –Adhara Alucian Landscape 6:58
Yellow Side
B1 –Ken Moore In The Field With Flowers & A Toilet 5:47
B2 –Kevin O'Neill The Claws That Catch 5:39
B3 –Peter Frohmader Sepulchral Choirs 11:28
B4 –Alto Stratus The Captive 14:56
B5 –Paul Kelday Timelord 5:06
Grey Side
C1 –Günter Schickert Powolerman/Suleika 8:53
C2 –Land Of Yrx Merman Ikon Bee 7:07
C3 –Bourbonese Qualk-Blackout 3:02
C4 –New 7th Music-Tlazolteotl 5:03
C5 –Hartmann-Forget The Past 3:08
Blue Side
D1 –R N Andrews- Humphrey's Final Words 2:06
D2 –Aussenminister-City Wolf 4:29
D3 –Zircon & The Burning Brains-Imaginé 5:16
D4 –Input- Heavy Street 4:19
D5 –David Gate-Nothing Isn't Everything 3:39
D6 –Rollkomanndo-Nude Picture 2:11
D7 –DDAA-Une Etude De Sonorisation Par Le Sol 4:50

DOWNLOAD this bird from its cage HERE!

Colin Potter ‎– "See" (ICR ‎– ICR 028) 1990

A journey into ambient drone territory for the wizard of DIY underground electronica, Colin Potter; long before Harry Potter became the most famous Potter, overtaking Beatrix quite comfortably.
ICR(or Integrated Circuit Records) was probably the 'Hogwarts' of experimental keyboard-ism for the whole of the 80's, and C.Potter was its Dumbledore.
Here , Dumbledore goes Drone, before it became fashionable for every Wire magazine reader to have an experimental Drone project on the go. It's a genre that should be attempted once,preferably by one person only, never to be repeated and I'm quite comfortable with that 'one person' to be Colin Potter.
A 'Drone' album can be written produced and played in real time in one take without any musical expertise required whatsoever,and is basically not really for listening to.Its a kind of aural water to fill up your flotation tank to the brim, to assist you to cut yourself off from this cruel world and confront your inner id without influence from the ego.
I don't sense that Colin has any ego whatsoever,and as one of the instigators of the DIY movement and cassette culture he deserves massive respect;but I can't say I've listened to anything he's done since this outing in 1990, which I'm shocked to find out was 27 years ago!!!!....or is that 27 years ego?

Check out his series of classic cassette releases HERE!

Tracks:

1-A Drift (23:57)
2-Tide (23:36)
3-Untitled (15:50)

DOWNLOAD from user platform 9 and 3/4 HERE!

Various ‎– "Three Minute Symphony" (X Tract ‎– XX002) 1984

Classic compilation that skirts in and around the edge of the Industrial scene of 1984,the underground equivalent of 'Pillows and Prayers' but for weirdo's instead of foppish fringe wearing students.
Being a Sounds reader since the halcyon days of Punk Rock, Sounds contributor and compiler of this album, Dave Henderson, was writing increasingly about the burgeoning underground of there new music of 1984. Nowhere else could you read about such acts as Konstuktivists or Nurse with Wound; and of course, in these pre-internet days,obtaining these records was a stiff task, especially if you lived outside of London. This made these disc's and tapes even more desirable, and the moment one actually obtained one became an almost religious exercise. Slipping the artefact out of its sleeve and playing the messages contained within, which invariably would lead to friends, parents, and neighbours believing that you were either mad or insane, or a potential threat to their community as a whole.
Anything that is a threat to normality is naturally attractive to anyone with their eyes firmly open to this sham we call Civilisation; so that fact put these artists on the front line of consciousness change.
The works within this double album's grooves, span a virtual Who's Who of the underground in 1984, even the granddaddy of Industrial , Conrad Schnitzler himself, who contributes the title track, appears.
It also has probably my favourite German group, Die Tödliche Doris, amongst many other international favourites.
UK Diy is represented well, with Philip Johnson, Colin Potter (with an actual picture on the cover of the man himself!) and David Jackman, can't go wrong there?
The only groan factor was the inclusion of The Legendary Pink Dots, who, as many of you may know, are not one of my favourite groups; but!.....even their track is pretty good,despite that Edward K bloke failing to resist contributing some of his god awful warblings half way through it!
Apart from that sole criticism, this is pretty perfect! (mmm(thinks), doesn't that mean its NOT perfect?......but isn't perfection in itself, imperfection? Without imperfection we wouldn't recognise perfection, therefore by definition, perfection is imperfection is perfection.9999999 recurring?).

Tracklist:

A1	– Kill Ugly Pop	Let's Get Real Gone	3:45
A2	– Ptose	Waiting For My Soul	3:30
A3	– Trax	Trax Co Mix 1	3:12
A4	– Die Todliche Doris	Maria	2:45
A5	– Van Kaye And Ignit	A Slice Of The Action	3:30
A6	– Bene Gesserit	White Men	3:10
B1	– Colin Potter	The State	2:57
B2	– Human Flesh	L'Ultima Storia	3:20
B3	– DDAA	Your Mother With A Cake	3:10
B4	– Point Of Collapse	When Worlds Collide	3:10
B5	– David Jackman	Wolf (Part 2)	3:05
B6	– Sema	Untitled	3:20
C1	– Hunting Lodge	Tribal Warning Shot	2:58
C2	– Roll Kommando	Die Romantik Ist Tot	3:00
C3	– Stratis	I Fotia	2:58
C4	– Merzbow	Xa-Bungle	3:10
C5	– Philip Johnson	Always Behind You	1:58
C6	– Conrad Schnitzler	Three Minute Symphony No 1	3:00
D1	– Nagamatzu	Bird, Spider, Fly	3:05
D2	– Hurt	Money Matters	3:20
D3	– Nurse With Wound	Antacid Cocamotive 93	3:50
D4	– Legendary Pink Dots	No Bell, No Prize	3:52
D5	– Asmus Tietchens	Dahinter Industriegelande	3:10
D6	– Smegma	The Breathing Method	3:00

DOWNLOAD these 24 Three Minute Symphonies HERE!

Various Artists‎– "Sudden Departure" (Recloose Organisation ‎– LOOSE 001) 1982

Classic 'Industrial' compilation on Bourbonese Qualk's own Recloose Organisation label.Featuring such classic artists as Colin Potter, Bryn Jones(E.G.Oblique Graph),and Phillip Johnson.Even Lol Coxhill makes an appearance!Rather marvellous.
The first release from Bourbonese Qualk's RecLoose Organisation label was a compilation release intended to be followed up by albums by each of the artists. the album included works by lol coxhill, eg oblique graph (muslimgauze), new 7th music, la fondation, colin potter and Bourbonese Qualk with two early pieces; " i've heard some talk" and "the women and the sun" recorded in 1981.
"One of my favorite early '80s compilation albums was "Sudden Departure" on the RecLoose label. Bladder Flask (one Richard Rupenus a.k.a. Funeral Danceparty) was featured on a few of the very best tracks, as were Bourbonese Qualk and EG Oblique Graph, who would later change names to Muslimgauze. I already love this album to pieces!" [Jeff Gibson]

Tracklist

A1	La Fondation –	"Cat Sisters"
A2	La Fondation –	Petit Meurtre
A3	Bladder Flask –	Did Debussy Wear An Anorak?
A4	New 7th Music –	Forever
A5	Bourbonese Qualk –	I've Heard Some Talk (No You Don't!)
A6	Mental Aardvarks –	Radio Caroline North
A7	Colin Potter –	Soul Train
A8	Paul Kelday –	Somewhere Over The Rainbow
A9	Peter Northz (At Home), The –	Can't See The Trees For The Pope
B1	E.g Oblique Graph –	Affirm/Deny
B2	Bourbonese Qualk –	The Woman And The Sun
B3	Lol Coxhill –	Bim 80
B4	La Fondation –	Holidays En Espana
B5	Bladder Flask –	You Can Slap Me Or Sleep With Me But Don't Call Me A Crust (I Insist)
B6	La Fondation –	Lettre Au Procureur
B7	E.g Oblique Graph –	Human Rights
B8	Bourbonese Qualk –	Apart From That Mrs. Lincoln, Did You Enjoy The Play?
B9	Philip Johnson –	Entertainment

DOWNLOAD suddenly HERE!

Various Artists - "Integration" (Integrated Circuit Records ICR12) 1983

Excellent minimal synth/experimental compilation realised in 1983 on Colin Potter's Integrated Circuit label. Full of all the usual suspects, Alain Neffe, Colin Potter,David Jackman,it goes on. A classic DIY electronica compilation.

Tracklist:

A1 Trevor Wishart -Anna´s Magic Garden

A2 Muslimgauze -Afrikaner

A3 Paul Kelday -Towards A New Clear Age

A4 David Jackman- Last Estuary

A5 Ampnoise - Floppy Disk Drive

A6 MFH - To Give Painless Light

A7 New 7th Music - Untitled No. 7

A8 Andrew Cox - Ritual Dance

A9 Andrew Cox - Silent Moorings

B1 Ian Boddy - Sundance

B2 Subject - What Happened To You?

B3 I Scream - Menace

B4 Human Flesh - Delon Enlarges

B5 Carl Matthews - Power of three

B6 Carl Matthews-Harmless Thought

B7 Monoplane - Fin

B8 Citizens Of Science - She Moves Like A Machine

B9 Colin Potter - Hills

B10 Stratis - By Water

B11 Dave Jones - Memories Of...

DOWNLOAD and integrate HERE!

Colin Potter ‎– "A Gain" (Integrated Circuit Records ICR008) 1982

 What more can I say say about Colin Potter? You know its good,and always interesting? So its time to download another great ICR tape, and bathe in the electronic beauty.

Track Listing:

A1		On Entering York Minster	10:00
A2		Rooftops	7:30
B1		You Tell Me	7:54
B2		Mainland	8:36
B3		All Reel	3:00

DOWNLOAD again and again HERE!

Colin Potter ‎– "Two Nights" (Integrated Circuit records ICR004) 1981

Two side long untitled electronic compositions done in two takes on two nights,as Colin says goodbye to his old studio.As always, inventive and great sounding from one of thee hero's of DIY.

DOWNLOAD in two minutes HERE!

Colin Potter ‎– "The Where House?" (Integrated Circuit records ICR005 ) 1981

Colin Potter,one man electronica factory, and founder of ICR amongst many more achievements within the medium of experimental do it yourselfness, and his third cassette release from 1981.
You know what to expect; plenty of lovely phat vintage electronics with an experimental edge rarely found in this genre today.
All Hail the Potter!

DOWNLOAD direct from the where house HERE?

Colin Potter ‎– "The Ghost Office" (Mirage Records) 1980

 (sorry for the uninspired text,its a cut and paste job from early in my blogging career;originally posted on Nov 8th 2009)

One area that suited the cassette medium down to the ground was DIY Electronica.The most prominent prime mover in this zone was one Colin Potter.Sound engineer and bedroom geek, with a couple of synthesisers and a tape recorder, he took the opportunities available to him, via the new cassette culture,to release his owns works on his own record label(which still exists today!);Integrated Circuit Records.ICR Studio and ICR Distribution have been in existence for over twenty years.
 Colin has been an engineer for over 30 years now, and along his diverse history he has worked with Nurse With Wound, Current 93, Organum, Jonathan Coleclough, Ora, and many others. Being a musician himself, his contributions to these projects are often more than just being the engineer. His music is primarily synthesiser based, and sounds very ‘now’ ,with its minimal electronics and crude rhythms.The muddy quality of the cassette tape gives the sound an time looped quality,like you’re listening through a wall into a bedroom stuck in 1980; or is that just in my mind?
So we bring you his first solo cassette,alas NOT on ICR:

Track Listing:

A1		The Lope I
A2		Falling Downstairs
A3		Fassed
A4		Murder By Furniture
A5		Number Five
A6		All Reel
A7		The Lope II
B1		Mainland
B2		Everybody Dance
B3		You Tell Me
B4		Off The Graph

DELIVER some ghosts from 1980 HERE!

Colin Potter ‎– "The Scythe" (Integrated Circuit Records ICR002) 1981

Colin Potter is a hero of DIY, due mainly to his formation of ICR(integrated circuit Records), and his ground-breaking electronica, both solo and with stellar luminaries such as Nurse with Wound etc. He is what Daniel Miller, aka The Normal, could have become; instead of a millionaire music mogul.
In tribute, I begin a series of Integrated Circuit Records releases from the early eighties, starting with Colin’s First solo cassette release on ICR….”The Scythe”, which is fantastic.
I have no picture of Colin Potter here, because I have never,or want to, see a picture of him. The cult of personality is not something that enhances music, in fact it harms its mythology irrevocably. Myth building is something that has become almost impossible in the modern media fueled orgy of celebrity. Nothing is more deflating than meeting your idols in the shiny spot scarred flesh of reality……ugh! In fact don’t have idols at all you sad little creeps, have and appreciate someone like Colin Potter, with his mr. Everyman name, and ego-less graft in the shadows of mainstream ‘Dumb’ culture.
Now us musicians/non-musicians have the anonymity of the internet, these days can return again.When artists images could be formed in the minds of the beholders, and not on the glossy video sets of mass re-education channels like M.T. fucking V!
“Colin Potter is a sound engineer and musician. He has been involved in the field of electronic and experimental music for over thirty years. Based at his own IC studio, he has recorded, produced and distributed a wide array of projects. He has gained a reputation for innovative mixing and sound processing, working with artists such as Current 93, Fovea Hex, Ora, Organum, Monos, Andrew Chalk, Jonathan Coleclough and, most notably, with Steven Stapleton on many albums by the renowned Nurse With Wound.” (From ICR’s Website…..Click Here!)

Colin Potter – “The Scythe” (Integrated Circuit Records ICR02) 1981:

A1		Power
A2		I Like Your Elbows
A3		Murder By Furniture
A4		More Murder
A5		The Fifth
A6		Here Is
A7		Carpentry
A8		Recline
B1		Remain Flexible
B2		Another Day
B3		B. Hind (U)
B4		Rewop
B4		The Last Train
B6		Joinery
B7		Decline

DOWNLOAD you very own reapers' scythe HERE