Someone initially wrote:
quoted 2 lines dunno if anyone on the list listens to clock dva.. but if so, can anyone>>dunno if anyone on the list listens to clock dva.. but if so, can anyone
>>give some info? what do they sound like? similiarities? reccomendations?
seofon@wco.com (Seofon) responded:
quoted 7 lines As far as this list goes, get _Digital_Soundtracks_ or you'll kick>As far as this list goes, get _Digital_Soundtracks_ or you'll kick
>yourself. Check that ... get _Digital_Soundtracks_ or I'll kick you. =)
>It's from 1992, and out on an Italian label called Contempo. It's a good
>one to start with, anyway, because it doesn't have any vocals ... and while
>there are many worse vocalists in the industrial world, DVA's aren't by any
>means fantastic. And -- what can I say -- it's got that _classic_ vibe to
>it, like that first Woob album or something.
Just a side note here ... this album, while brilliant IMO, may be somewhat
hard to come by these days since Contempo went bankrupt several years ago,
and the album was never reissued. Your best bet would be to find it used,
or find someone selling a copy. Then again, I guess it could still be
sitting around in certain record stores ...
This also applies to pretty much all of their other releases, old or recent,
since Contempo was (most recently) responsible for putting them all out on CD.
There are of course, the Wax Trax pressings of the releases circa "Buried
Dreams",
but as those are also o/p, the same story applies.
quoted 8 lines In general, DVA happily tread that no-man's-land between industrial and>In general, DVA happily tread that no-man's-land between industrial and
>techno, in somewhat the same manner as Psychick Warriors ov Gaia. Simple
>rhythms and sequences, dark vocals and samples, not noisy like a lot of
>industrial is (but rather with a characteristically bad/odd EQ signature).
>They're really into cognitive philosophy, and their liner notes are full of
>curious and grammatically-poor rantings on the subject. You would do well
>to check out tracks like "Soundmirror", "Hacker (Hacked)", and "Eternity"
>as a next step.
While I basically agree with most of what is said above, I would like to point
out one important note to the original poster (and maybe others) who may be
considering picking up some DVA whose "sound" they may be unsure of ...
There were [the band has been on hiatus since 1993's "Sign" and have most
likely ended their career, although front-man Adi Newton has a solo album
planned
on Anterior which was recently delayed, ex-member (post "Man Amplified") Dean
Dennis relesed two albums under the name Sector, and other members have gone on
to work in the dance music & DJ arena] two distinct phases in the existence of
DVA, their experimental/old-school industrial/jazz-pop one (1978-1983), and
their (the one most familiar to everyone) minimal & clinical electronic one
(1988-1993). Since it would take ages to describe each release (ignoring
compilations) in any detail, and because this is not a highly relevant
topic, I will simply devide
things up, and provide dates & comments where I see fit ... not a comprehensive
discog., but more than what's necessary here ...
* Early Years (1978 - 1983)
Fragment/White Souls In Black Suits/Deep Floor cassettes (TG's Industrial
Records)
1978-1980
Early experimentation with noises, drones, treatments & electronics, with
an inclusion of free jazz & improv (sax's, flute, clarinet, bass, guitar,
percussion etc.) especially on WSIBS & DF.
White Souls In Black Suits (their first LP, although not out on vinyl until
1982,
it was recorded in 1979, on CD (Contempo) in 1990) See above.
Brigade 7" (1980) ... jazzy.
Thirst (Second LP, 1980, on CD (Contempo) in 1992)
DVA's own brand of jazz with Adi's recognizable vocals. Free jazz, with pop
sensibilities and less overall experimentation ... no electronics except tapes.
4 Hours 7" (from Thirst, 1981, 12" in 1983) ... their "hit" from this album.
Passions Still Aflame 7"/12" (Polydor, 1981) ... more jazz 12"s with that same
High Holy Disco Mass 12" (Polydor, 1982) ... pop edge to them.
Advantage (Third LP, 1982, on CD (Anterior) in 1989 & (Contempo) in 1992)
Their most accesible, pop-influenced jazz/funk album. Adi on vocals, trumpet
and piano, with keyboards, fretted & frettless bass, guitars, sax's, drums,
percussion, treatments and any number of other items including radio, tapes,
marimba & synthetic cello.
Breakdown 12" (Polydor, 1983) ... their two "hits" from the
Resistance 12" (Polydor, 1983) ... Advantage album.
* Mid Period (1984 - 1987)
During this time DVA disbanded, but reformed later as an entirely electronic
outfit in 1987-88. Adi was working on the beginnings of their first electronic
"hit", "The Hacker" as early as '84. Adi's other band The Anti Group or
T.A.G.C.
(which included some DVA members) were active during this period fusing
electronics
and beatboxes with jazz. I'll save that for another discussion though ...
* Later Years (1988 - 1993)
The Hacker (12"/CDS in 1988 (Anterior & Wax Trax), CDS on Contempo, 1992)
The Act (12"/CDS in 1988 (Anterior & Wax Trax), CDS on Contempo, 1992)
Hacker (Hacked) (7" + 12"/CDS in 1989 (Anterior & Wax Trax), CDS on
Contempo, 1992)
Sound Mirror (12"/CDS in 1989 (Anterior & Wax Trax), CDS on Contempo, 1992)
4 singles with their "hit" electronic/dance tracks and remixes from their
first,
dark, electronic & atmospheric masterpiece, "Buried Dreams".
Buried Dreams (Fourth LP/CD, 1989 (Anterior & Wax Trax), CD on Contempo in 1992)
Some subject matter/references: Psycho-sexual events, serial killers, spirits,
the man/machine interface, Albert Camus, The Thing, The Conversation,
physics/mathematics, the composition of sound etc. Recommended.
Final Program (12"/CDS on Contempo, 1991) ... Singles, remixes & extra tracks
Bitstream (12"/CDS on Contempo, 1992) ... from their fifth CD, Man Amplified
Man Amplified (Fifth LP/CD on Contempo, 1992)
Clinical, precise & crisp electronics, a la Lassigue Bendthaus. More on the
man/machine interface, man's interaction with & development of technology.
Recommended.
Transitional Voices (live CD on Contempo, 1992)
Live tracks from their European tour in 1990: Buried Dreams & Man Amplified
plus unreleased tracks.
Digital Soundtracks (begun in 1989, not released on CD until 1992, Contempo)
Recommended, as was said above. Totally clinical, mainly thanks to Dean
Dennis.
Subject matter/references: the nature of sound/images, the mind, film
soundtracks
Voice Recognition Test (12"/CDS on Contempo, 1993) ... Singles etc. from their
Eternity (12"/CDS on Contempo, 1993) ... last CD, Sign
Sign (Last CD on Contempo, 1993)
Not as crisp as previous efforts since Dean Dennis had left to form Sector,
but still a decent album. Subject matter/references: The Sun, solar system,
SETI (the project), the exploration of space etc.
Collective Box Set (2 CDs, 3" CD w/ live tracks, etc. on Hyperium, 1994)
A collection of all of their singles, remixes & extra unreleased tracks
and mixes from their electronic period (1988 - 1993)
Whew! Prolly too much, so I apologize for that.
I may be off on some of the dates, but that's not the point. Just trying to
get the info out to those who want it.
-Patrick
np: Cecil Taylor - "Nefertiti ..."