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LP
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SV 145LP
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"Hailing from Nuneaton, England, Kevin Harrison recorded both solo and collaboratively throughout the late '70s and early '80s. While his early recordings would come out in hyper-limited editions or go unreleased for decades, Inscrutably Obvious remains his sole LP -- a lost gem of Britian's '80s cassette culture and DIY bedroom aesthetics. Originally released in 1981, Inscrutably Obvious covers a lot of ground on its seventeen inscrutable tracks -- from analog synth workouts to mutated disco and shimmering guitar improvisations. The album maintains a late-night vibe, filtered through a post-punk lens. Harrison clearly wears his influences on his sleeve -- major debts are paid to Brian Eno, Robert Fripp and Manuel Göttsching -- yet finds his own unique voice, combining quirky instrumentals and surrealist sensibilities. This first-time reissue is recommended for fans of Chris & Cosey, Cupol and The Normal. Inscrutably Obvious sounds as fresh today as it must have nearly 40 years ago."
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LP
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VOD 145KH-LP
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Limited edition of 444. Includes hand-numbered certificate. Tape Recordings 1975-1985 features work from Kevin Harrison. Kevin Harrison's music is guitar orientated. But treated and mutated. Harrison is no ordinary guitar hero: his playing shimmers like light reflected on water. His work is reminiscent of a cross between Brian Eno, Michael Rother and Eric Random. While in the ambient field, it balances a lot more in the direction of contemporary electronics and a heavier sound. Nevertheless, his influences are very clear. A minimal psychedelicist at heart, Harrison's is the music of the hypnotic state, of dream and trance. Its core is an obvious affection for the work of Terry Riley, Philip Glass, Kraftwerk and The Normal tempered with an awareness of oriental rhythms and harmonies which give the elemental electronics a warmer, human touch. With Harrison's deft handling his squeaks and buzzes, his synthesized loop tables and his drum machines "Inscrutably Obvious" seems like it will prove horribly inaccessible. But once properly investigated it offers a sparklingly seductive selection of tracks wholeheartedly recommended to anybody looking for entertainment from the avant-garde. Chas de Whalley on Harrison: "No guitar heroes next 'cause it's Kevin Harrison. I could listen to his excellent stuff all night. What he does is guitar improvisations with the guitar put through lots of reel-to-reel echo units and other such things. This means he only has to fall over his guitar and it sounds good good good good. The result is similar to Fripp/Eno collaborations with layers of rejected guitar sounds. It sounds much better than I can be bothered to write it, if you're curious go and see him do his act."
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CD
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REDUX 004CD
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First reissue of Kevin Harrison's Spectro Verdu Est Mort?, originally released on cassette in 1981. Digitally remastered by John A. Rivers in a beautiful widescreen edition, repackaged and wrapped in a triple-fold card sleeve with a 12-page booklet. Thirty short tracks of electronic textures, kind of a condensed pre-Orb/Aphex Twin's Ambient Works with a Lee Perry/Augustus Pablo/Fripp & Eno sonic influence.
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