various | speakers keep speaking

rocket racer was one of those small labels that put out consistently interesting records in attractive packages. and this record is definitely proof of that. the music is enigmatic, beguiling and uncommerical, and so is the packaging - no words on the sleeve, a solitary match glued to a sleeve that depicts hundreds of matches, the running order provided on a matchbook... that kind of thing.

and any label that's willing to release records including eletroscope is genuis in my book. ahem.

1. hood - i have it in my heart to jump into the ocean
2. the freed unit - picnic at stretton baskerville
3. ma cherie for painting - ola ola es una boa manha
4. lackluster - hyaline reverie
5. tank - kino art
6. electroscope - the prior eye
7. astorria - third movement
8. accelera deck - guided (a^d/ec.k-rmx)
9. five way mirror - libby marsh

released by rocket racer in 1999.

you dig.

various | more tell-tale signs of earworm

back in the day, earworm was one the uk's most impressive and highly collectible record labels. like wurlitzer jukebox, it was one of those labels that out art before profit and therefore poured huge amounts of money into the coffers of gramofonove zavody and the like, with little hope of seeing much of it back.

that said, earworm's catalogue features an impressive number of household names - that is if people like obscure indie bands in your household. we're talking bands like yo la tengo, bright eyes, fridge, of montreal, spacemen 3 and the apples in stereo.

their speciality was a mixture of space/kraut/post rock and elephant6 psychedlia, and it's well represented on this compilation of sold out singles and exclusives. this is the second of two - wish i had the first...

cd1
1. echoboy - scene 30
2. left hand - piero manzoni
3. the apples in stereo - behind the waterfall
4. the minders - right as rain
5. ma cherie for painting - salut salut
6. green pajamas - missing miss. maccoll
7. gnac - the moustache
8. screen prints - her name i don't remember
9. love machine - ge lightbulb
10. lenola - slipping under the shadows

cd2
1. epic45 - the motorway journey of hope
2. cul de sac - the portland cement factory at monolith california
3. the gerbils - big white limo
4. southall riot - a warp in my dreams
5. force - the sofa
6. kimonophobic - super highway
7. the slowes - searching for larry playfair
8. portal - 'hydro-electric' version ii
9. opia - abstack
10. sunray - fire inside

dirty pants, clean botty.