Sunday 15 November 2015

$oviet France - "Untitled (aka the Hessian Album)" (Red Rhino Records ‎– RED 12) 1982


This 1982 12"er finds the Zoviets when they were still the $oviets, finding their identity.the opening track, "Ritual", is a virtual sonic manifesto, laying out everything they were to become over the forthcoming records that followed. It has the dark ambient dubby sections, the tribal drum loops, the noise, and the desperate screams of the modern primitive. "Mudbast boys" is a dark muffled dub based on a random voice tape loop echoing into vast amounts of foggy space.
"Sem Boys" treads uncomfortably on the ethnological forgery footprints that Muslimgauze would exploit to death....even after death!?.
Weirdly, we then have the Zoviets using silly voices like a Residents out-take, for "Bring Hessa"....did I hear Laughter?????
"Mounw" starts as a nascent dark ambient piece,then segues into a post punk funk pastiche.
It ends in more familiar territory with "Ji Boys", a throbbing overloaded percussion workout.

There you go, i never do a running commentary of all the tracks!....I must be uninspired this evening.
Basically this is Proto-Zoviet,but it has its good if not great moments.One of the great moments being the Hessian bag it was released in. this is why its also know as the Hessian Album.If only the Beatles had thought of that?

Tracklist:

A1 Ritual
A2 Mudbast Boys
B1 Sem Boys
B2 Bring Hessa
B3 Mounw
B4 Ji Boys 

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Spasibo, merci , thank-you, wowie-iz-dat-da-sheet. Another bulls-eye, JZ.

El Barto said...

Holla, I have a wish: Is there a chance you have anything from Alien Planetscapes? This is an awesome blog btw!

Jonny Zchivago said...

You know what, I think i do....one has a pink cover.I'll have a look see.

Jonny Zchivago said...

I got 'Planet and Universe' from 1990 and 'Children of Slaves' from 1986. Are these of interest for you?

El Barto said...

Great! 'Children of Slaves' can be found on archive.org as well as bandcamp, but 'Planet and Universe' is totally of interest for me.

https://archive.org/details/AlienPlanetscapesChildrenOfSlaves
https://cassetteartclassics.bandcamp.com/album/children-of-slaves-1986

Jonny Zchivago said...

Ok,i'll rip it and upload it later for you.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Zoviet France!!

El Barto said...

Thanks, you rock!

Jonny Zchivago said...

Hey,El Barto, have you seen this?
http://tapeattack.blogspot.com/2015/11/alien-planetscapes-celestial-dance-hits.html

Anonymous said...

bring in sheaves.

Jonny Zchivago said...

Here you go, Alien Planetscapes "Planet and Universe":

http://www.mediafire.com/download/71qbtbo5cdidoc6/alien_planetscapes.rar

Jonny Zchivago said...

Take out Sheeeeeves!

El Barto said...

Thank you again.