Underground prominent figures of the Belgian 80's scene, Alain Neffe and Nadine Bal have released and produced dozens of tapes under different monikers.
Bene Gesserit is probably their most famous and iconic one due to its multiple facets.
Originally a tape released in 1981 on their own Insane Music label, "Best Of" encaptures all the DIY and creative freedom of the band.
From the yagé vapors of "Erg Habbiana" to synth madness of "Gloria" or "Gppm" this album summarizes the full spectrum of their ethos :
Insane music without borders.
This reissue additionally includes four unreleased tracks from Alain Neffe vault.
Remastered by Krikor Kouchain and limited to 300 copies.
Cerca:bene gesserit
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- A1: Dee Nasty - Orientic Groove
- A2: Scoop! - Asphalt Zombie
- A3: Vox Populi! & Man - Johnny Pour Toujours
- A4: 3M - The Mark
- A5: Asmus Tietchens - Triumph Des Wilden
- A6: Melsjest - Der Sound Kosten
- A7: Vox Populi! - 1234567
- B1: Randall Kennedy - Enorma Jones
- B2: Dennis Young - Intuition
- B3: Stanalis Noel - Wondercat
- B4: Bene Gesserit - Kidnapping
- B5: Kosa - For Dance
- B6: Capital Funk - The Last Set
- B7: Psyclones - Fall In Time
- B8: Chukk Green - Shoes For Freedom
Volume 1[22,90 €]
repress soon!
"Platform 23 presents the 2nd collection of songs selected from the Alternative Funk series released Vox Man and VP 231 Records. Originally appearing in 1985 across 1 vinyl and 2 cassette albums these cult collections have long been in collectors (and bootleggers) sights and finally see the first official reissue. As with Volume 1 (PLA023) the series covers the weird, wonderful, esoteric, exotic and quirky sound and puts them in a reset context that immediately gives clarity of the original's curation.
This volume opens with some DIY electro stealers, first with Dee Nasty's Orientic Groove, where the early French hip-hop pioneer lays down a battle commence of beats, slapped bass and YMO keys, before the second offering from Scoop! and their rap attack, juxtapositions the past series and leads to label heads Vox Populi! & Man and their continued look at the rudiments of cut up manipulation and scratch techniques. The avant rappears with 3M's percussive marker and legendary Amus Tietchens' is ever challenging, before Melsjest's post-punk meets the Weirmar possibly steals the side as Vox Pop spoken outro joins those (micro)dots.
The cult of Randall Kennedy returns with another garage-fuzz gem. His stories for wackos'n'weirdos end all too soon and are followed by Liquid Liquid's Dennis Young, diving deep with Intuition, before Stanalis returns with another winner. Bene Gesserit is a killer and welcome addition, before Kosa return with more industrial clippings and volume 2 heads to the door with Capital Funk's electro-punk bomb - possibly the series champion - while the slap bass-scratch of California's Psyclones leads to a music hall end in the homage to mum's favourite, Chukk.
What these Volumes again highlight is how the DIY aesthetic of so many independent labels was supplemented and spread via collections of friends, contemporaries and often, literally pen pals, to mail in their offerings that are then picked for wider ears. While some of these artists have become known, just as many are who and whats, but they sit side-by-side as warranted and often killing the scene of what Axel and co sought to be ... the Alternative Funk."
- A1: Mahalangur
- A2: Proto Fish (Tiago Denis Mpunga & Paul K - Criola
- A3: Mal - A Letter From Yellowland
- A4: Zazou & Biyake - Komba
- A5: Bene Gesserit - Broken Toy
- A6: La Caida De La Casa Usher - Caballos
- A7: Kastrieste Philosophen - Heroina
- B1: Danny Alias - Big Brother-The Answer
- B2: Image Pour Image - Where Is The Love In This World
- B3: Attrition - Beast Of Burden
- B4: Zazou, Nodland, Lema - Stranger In The New Light
- B5: Det Whiel - Lakota
- B6: Instead Of - Bad Angelsremix)
Emotional Rescue starts its 5th year by shining a light on one of Europe's best underground 80s' label in Spain's Auxilio De Ciento. Their Terra Incognita Volumes I and II collated an international mix of synth-pop, new wave, world and industrial sounds to a small but appreciative following. Released in 1985 and 1986, the Volumes have become highly regarded and rightly sought after, finding a place in discerning playlists from London to Amsterdam and Dusseldorf to Glasgow. Here, taking a premise of avoiding the songs unearthed on other recent reissues, is a unique album itself. Starting with Denis Mpunga & Paul K's esoteric Criola, a fusion of fourth world ideals and poly-rhythmic funk. The music of Mal, Bene Gesserit and La Caida De La Casa Usher, however, soon highlight that the decade also belonged to dark, minimal synth as to shiny balearic ideals. The inclusion of Hector Zazou with Bony Biyake and their contribution Komba, is a fitting continuation from their cult Noir Et Blanc LP before, things continue with US avant-artist Danny Alias and his humorous Big Brother "response" to Laurie Anderson's Superman O. Image Pour Image loose indie-pop and the inclusion of seminal Beast Of Burden lead again to a Zazou contribution, this time in his collaborative Stranger In A New Light, before the compilation eclectically ends with the dadaesque Lakota and the post punk dub of Instead Of's closer, Angels .
For the first time on vinyl a collection of tracks by Cortex, Alain Neffe (Bene Gesserit,Insane Music) experimental spoken-word project originally released on tape in 1984.
Cortex was never intended to be a conventional musical project.
From the very beginning it was centered around free live performances. These encounters were stripped down and highly visual: Alain Neffe constructed a trapezoidal fluorescent white screen lit by black light.
The narrator—la récitante—was only illuminated in the face, while the rest of the stage remained in complete darkness.
This created a ghostly effect where the audience could see only her glowing face and dark silhouette. She was a beautiful young woman, with a striking presence, and beside her, Alain Neffe played synthesizer and created sonic effects.
The aim of Cortex was to deliver a minimalist and emotional experience, one centered on text and the voice of the narrator.
Most of the tracks that exist today were recorded informally during rehearsals, using two microphones placed in front of Marshall amps, captured directly to cassette.
La récitante could choose a text from a collection of hundreds. Then, the music was improvised in real time around her voice. That process, simple, direct, and instinctive produced a body of work that’s rough around the edges, but full of presence. It’s not polished, but that’s the point.
Cortex was focused entirely on the connection between voice and sound.
Limited to 300 copies
Narthex means railed-off western portico or ante-nave in earty Christian churches for women, penitents and catechumens.
Narthex is also a trio featuring (at the beginning) Daniel Denis (Universe Zero, Art Zoyd), Alain Neffe (Pseudocode, Human Flesh, Bene Gesserit) and Nicolas de Villemarqué (Nuwage Music). They had a very different musical background, mostly electric-electronic rock, and decided to work in the field of acoustic music recorded live (two microphones + portable DAT) in churches of their area. After several recording sessions, Nicolas de Villemarqué decides to leave the group. ln order to complete the trio, Daniel Denis and Alain Neffe ask the participation of some of their friends. Anna Homler, Michel Berckmans and Daniel Malempré have accepted the challenge and succeed to fit into their musical universe.
The instruments Church organ, harmonium, sitar, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, zither, valiha, senzas, tarang, voice, percussions, metal clarinet, classical guitar, mew's harp, ongolok, violin, dulcimer, mouth organ, etc.
The music Often dark, sometimes repetitive or experimental, sometimes rhythmical and exotic, always based on emotion inducted by the sound. One could define it as dark age music (as opposite to new age music), a sort of minimal come back to the roots and purity of acoustic sound without the cultural background linked to the 'academic' use of some instruments (for example African senzas are transformed and tuned to sound like Indonesian instruments, sitar or harmonium are used as rhythmical instruments, vahilla is played with a bow).
The places Churches located in an area of 20 kms in the region where Daniel Denis and Alain Neffe live for years and where they feel at home (and feel the vibrations. Every church, place emotionally loaded, has its own specific resonance and sound structure. Every church gave to the musicians a particular inspiration and fill the sound of the instruments with a natural reverberation/echo. The place but also the moment is important. They had the privilege to be allowed to record in the Ecaussines church at night lightened only by candles. lt was one of their most productive recording sessions.
- A1: Schicksal Power Hate Destruction (03:41)
- A2: Ratbau Ordinateur (05:06)
- A3: Palais Des Bauzards It’s Disgusting (Remix) (04:29)
- A4: A Thunder Orchestra Shall I Do It? (04:02)
- A5: M.bryo Let’s Go To War (04:18)
- A6: The Arch Ice In Your Eyes (03:11)
- B1: Genetic Factor The Lizard King, Empty Highway (05:02)
- B2: Elektronische Machine Tanz 86 (04:11)
- B3: No Honey From These Dreams (04:32)
- B4: Paschen’s Law Magnifying Transmitter (06:20)
- B5: Bene Gesserit Les Aliens (06:03)
VOL. 3[23,95 €]
Limited reprint of the sold-out Volume 3 from the Underground Wave series, featuring Belgian and Dutch wave, synth, and minimal artists. Most tracks were previously only on cassette. Walhalla Records is dedicated to reviving the 80s/90s cassette scene by releasing rare material, often for the first time
- A1: Main Title
- A2: The Hidden Hand
- A3: Sisterhood Choir Ritual
- A5: Our Past Always Finds Us
- A6: Push And Pull
- A7: Lankiveil
- A8: You Did This
- B1: Arrakis
- B2: Entering Landsraad
- B3: Obligated To Follow
- B4: God Created Arrakis
- B5: The Emperor
- B6: Give It Some Rest
- B7: Arrest Her
- B8: Opening The Inquest
- B9: Spaceport
- B10: Chamber Baliset
Dune: Prophecy is an HBO original series based on the
best-selling books by Frank Herbert and Brian Herbert, and a spin-off to the blockbuster movies of Dune.
The music for the series was composed by Academy Award-winning composer Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on
the Western Front, Conclave, Lion), whose evocative, futuris- tic ambience, meets bold, powerful orchestral tracks on this score, accompanying the story.
Set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, Dune: Prophecy follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fa- bled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit. Dune: Prophecy is inspired by the novel “Sisterhood of Dune”, writ- ten by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.
The soundtrack of Dune: Prophecy is available as a limited edition of 1000 numbered copies on orange “Spice” marbled vinyl and includes a 4-page booklet with pictures from the series.
- A1: Jb Banfi - Gang (For Rock Industry) (For Rock Industry)
- A2: Michael Garrison - To The Other Side Of The Sky
- B1: Iasos - Lueena Coast
- B2: Carl Matthews - As Above, So Below
- B3: Tim Blake - Midnight
- C1: Stratis - By Water
- C2: Steven Halpern - Starborn Suite (Part 1)
- C3: Laurie Spiegel - Improvisation On A 'Concerto Generator
- D1: Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company - Ceres Motion
- E1: Michael Stearns - In The Beginning
- E2: Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Ever New
- F1: Richard Pinhas - Variations Vii Sur Le Theme Des Bene Gesserit
- F2: Tod Dockstader - Piece #1
- F3: Kevin Braheny - Ancient Stars
New edition of this Soul Jazz Records out-of-print classic album available now as a new limited-edition one-off pressing triple yellow vinyl album (plus download code), and limited-edition one-off pressing special yellow CD edition.
Soul Jazz Records’ Space, Energy and Light is a collection of music by early electronic and synthesizer pioneers (from the 1960s through the 1970s), mid-1970s proto-new age gurus and 1980s guerrilla D-I-Y cassette-era electronic artists, spanning in total over a near 30-year time frame. All of these artists used electronic advancements in music technology as a means of exploring not only space and the idea of the future, but also of looking inwards to the soul and of creating music in harmony with the natural world.
From computer software and hardware experimentalists and sound pioneers such as Laurie Spiegel and Kevin Braheny, as well as Mother Mallard’s Portable Masterpiece Company – the first synthesizer ensemble created in collaboration with Robert Moog – through to musique concrète experimentation, the album shows how technological advancements and creative artistic expression often went hand in hand.
In the mid-1970s artists Steven Halpern and Iaxos were instrumental in creating proto-new age music, experimenting in both the healing properties of sound and its relationship with the natural world. These artists also pioneered a new self-contained and underground D-I-Y approach to music, creating their own record labels, forming new distribution networks (with albums sold in meditation centres, health food stores and ashrams) far away from the commercialism of the mainstream music industry. In the early 1980s after the revolution of punk, these D-I-Y attitudes and ideas appeared once more in the growth of the distinctly anti-commercial and underground cassette-only careers of artists such as Germany’s Stratis and Carl Matthews in Britain.
Artwork includes some of the earliest photography of the Plieades star cluster dating from the 1880s.
"Listening to Space, Energy & Light in one sitting is a bit like experiencing constellations exploding within constellations inside your brain." Record Collector
"Incredible collection of spacey electronics and meditative soundscapes dating from the early 60s to the late 80s here, lovingly assembled by the Soul Jazz team. This compilation has it all if you like your music deep. Big names such as Iasos and Laurie Spiegel feature, but even if you think yourself a bit of a nerd in this field, there are some lesser known pearls to be found." Bleep
"Quite simply an amazing mix of some quite bizarre and interesting pieces of music, no way to describe it other than to buy it, put on some headphones and drift off to inner space.” Amazon
"New compilation charting almost three decades of experimental
electronic and synthesizer music from the most influential and often
unsung composers of their generation. Beginning and 1961 and
following the story until 1988, Space, Energy and Light connects
proto-new age gurus and DIY tape vigilantes who were equally
inspired by the advancements of new technology and its potential to
unlock utopian futures in both the music and the soul." Vinyl Factory
- 1: Dream Of Arrakis
- 2: Herald Of The Change
- 3: Bene Gesserit
- 4: Gom Jabbar
- 5: The One
- 6: Leaving Caladan
- 7: Arrakeen
- 8: Ripples In The Sand
- 9: Visions Of Chani
- 10: Night On Arrakis
- 11: Armada
- 12: Burning Palms
- 13: Stranded
- 14: Blood For Blood
- 15: The Fall
- 16: Holy War
- 17: Sanctuary
- 18: Premonition
- 19: Ornithopter
- 20: Sandstorm
- 21: Stillsuits
- 22: My Road Leads Into The Desert
In association with WaterTower Music, Mondo is proud to present Hans Zimmer's BAFTA Award-winning score to Denis Villeneuve's incredible sci-fi epic DUNE. Mixing more traditional electronic and orchestral elements with Cubase instruments created especially for this project and fused with female voices singing in a language developed by Zimmer himself. The result is nothing short of jaw-dropping. It's otherworldly and completely enveloping, Much like the sands on Arrakis. The music here is vast, open and spawling but at its core is an emotional depth few other composers come close to.
Does the treasure chest of Lex Grauwen have a bottomless pit After the re-discovery of Tranquil Eyes Walks cassette a few years back and more recently the Frozen Ducks legacy, it's time for another dazzling project originating from the man's brain. Cheiron is Lex Grauwen, he plays all the instruments & produced all the music and José van Waveren, who sings distinctively. The album Land After Life aims for the dance floor with it's high energy minimal synth and electro stylings.
In the mid-80s Lex Grauwen was asked to participate in the 'Pas de Deux' compilation album, a legendary new wave compilation album featuring Bene Gesserit, Algebra Suicide & Psyclones. Lex asked high school sweetheart José van Waveren to join up for a few songs. Land after Life' was chosen for the vinyl and began to lead it's own life for many years on the internet. 'Serenity world', recorded during the same sessions is of an equal spellbinding beauty. It got released on the 'Top Tape' label cassette called 'L'Embrasse' in an edited mix.
The third song recorded; 'Finally Free Four' is a José only composition, previously unreleased till now. José and Lex had been making music before though, one of those older tracks is 'No Trace', from '81-'82. Shortly after 'Pas de Deux', they tried to record some more tracks, but the demo's were never really finished. A while later Lex asked Paul Oosterbaan of 'Tranquil Eyes' and Ruud Braumuller of 'Beatnik Love Affair' to help finish these tracks. The results are 'Your life, your body', also a José solo-piece and 'Ping Pong', the last recorded track. Today José is a singer-songwriter, performing in the French language.
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