All posts by edwardo

Happy New Year

EDWARD KA-SPEL

<< back to the Combined Discography

Cover ImageRelease date and tracklist

August 2005
US CD Beta-Lactam Ring Records MT112

September 2005
US 12″ LP Beta-Lactam Ring Records LAC31

23 July 2014
NL enhanced MP3 self-released on Bandcamp
NL enhanced CD-R self-released on Bandcamp

Cover ImageAugust 3, 2024
UK/NL remastered MP3 self-released on EK’s Bandcamp
UK/NL remastered CD-R self-released on EK’s Bandcamp

  1. Happy New Year – [MP3 excerpt 1, excerpt 2]
  2. What Goes Around – [MP3]

 

 

Credits

  • Edward Ka-Spel – keyboards, voice
  • Mastered By – Doug Krebs at Dig Recording

Notes

Two tracks recorded on December 31, 2004 and January 1, 2005.
CD: Packed in a broadstock 6-color gatefold sleeve, limited to 325 numbered copies. Additionally, there was also a numbered edition of 75 copies that was sold during the Pink Dots’ 25th Anniversary Tour. These have slightly different artwork, but are the same in every other respect.

LP: 12″ acetate version of the limited CD release was packaged in a handmade press-stud closing sleeve. Numbered and signed edition of 20 copies.

CD-R: Limited cdr version in card cover and coloured artwork assembled at Chez Dots. Edition of 99.

From Bandcamp: As rare as hen’s teeth, this beautifully packaged but very limited cd first appeared just under a decade ago/ Chris at BLRR made the cover, while the music was created on a cold New Year’s Eve (ning).

August 2024 remaster:
Repackaged, remastered and assembled by the artist…a new CDR edition of this oddity is a limited edition of 59.

Reviews

Although I always search in vain for any indication that the Legendary Pink Dots front man is resting on his laurels, phoning it in, or “taking the piss,” as they say, each new release tends to hold to an impressive level of quality control. Happy New Year is the new chunklet of music-scented sound art from Edward Ka-Spel of The Legendary Pink Dots, and its release represents only one of a small avalanche of EKS albums to be issued in 2005. Already this year has seen the release of O Darkness! O Darkness! and Fragments of Illumina, and if Beta-Lactam Ring Records sticks to their plans, there could be as many as three more EKS albums issued this year.

The reason for this sudden spike in Ka-Spel’s already absurd prolificacy could only be speculated about, but one thing is for certain: if anyone has earned the right to unleash a ridiculous amount of vanity albums on the world, it’s Edward Ka-Spel. An argument could be made that I have merely fetishized Edward’s recording aesthetics and artistic obsessions, and that an objective assessment of his work would be impossible. Well, fuck all that.

Happy New Year clocks in at about 26 minutes, making it more of an EP than a full-length. The recording was undertaken on New Year’s Eve 2004, when the artist found himself in solitude, alienated from the celebrations occurring outside his door. While most of us would probably get drunk and call up an old flame, EKS decided to record this layered mini-album. In the far distant background of the recording, you can hear the crackling and whistling of fireworks exploding as EKS rifles backwards through his recent memory, producing hazy, backwards washes of analog synthesizer that reek of nostalgia, sadness and regret.

Lovely, meandering piano melodies take the fore, picking out deconstructed variations on “Auld Lang Syne” and other celebratory songs. It’s haunting, elegiac and tasteful, never totally surrendering to melancholy, but gracefully skating around its edges. “What Goes Around” is the second track, and though it is not part of the same New Year’s Eve recording session, it is paired with the first track because of its similar insistence on looking backward, on the nebulous play of memory in the mind’s eye. It ends with a spooky loop from an old-time-y record, running out numbly into oblivion.

The construction of both tracks is along the lines of EKS’ more experimental, dislocated, ambient work, as opposed to the more song-based structures of classic albums like Khataclamici China Doll and Tanith and the Lion Tree. This is not a bad thing by any means; just a caveat. Though this brief memento of days gone by is barely substantial enough to warrant repeated listens, Happy New Year is still another terrific little entry in the EKS discography. – Jonathan Dean, Brainwashed

Live at Paradiso- Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 1986-01-07

THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS

<< back to the Combined Discography

Cover ImageRelease date and tracklist

2005
MP3 DE Edition Aurinia e. K.

  1. Unknown Soldier, Foreign Land
  2. Echo Police
  3. A Spanish Bridge
  4. The Heretic
  5. (bridge)
  6. City Ghosts
  7. Premonition 16
  8. I’m the Way the Truth the Light
  9. This Could Be the End
  10. (bridge)
  11. The Hill
  12. The Lovers Part II
  13. (tuning)
  14. The Jungle
  15. Plague 2
  16. Silverture/Flowers for the Silverman

Credits

Edward Ka-Spel

Notes
 
Recorded At – Paradiso Amsterdam. Offered as free download from The Official Live Archive of the Legendary Pink Dots, which is no longer.

A Dream is a Dream is a Dream

THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS

<< back to the Combined Discography

Cover ImageRelease date and tracklist

2005
US DVD Beta-Lactam Ring Records  MT101

  1. Dream Intro / Curious Guy
  2. The Plasma Twins
  3. Premonition 16/She said
  4. The Hill
  5. Echo Police
  6. Rattlesnake Arena
  7. Poppy Day
  8. The Jewel In The Crown
  9. Our Lady In Chambers
  10. Guardians Of Eden
  11. The Dairy
  12. Neon Gladiators
  13. Love Puppets
  14. The Heretic
  15. I Am The Way, The Truth, The Light
  16. Silverture / Flowers For The Silverman

Credits

  • Edward Ka-Spel – vocals
  • Stret Majest – guitar
  • The Silverman – keyboards
  • Jason Salmon – bass
  • Graham Whitehead – keyboards
  • Patrick Q Wright – violin

Notes

Region free NTSC DVD recorded live at De Vrije Vloer in Utrecht, Holland, on January 21,1987 featuring the orginal 6 piece line up. First 1000 DVD’s are in a 6 color gatefold wallet.

A special thanks to Freek Kinkelaar for preserving this early video document of the LPD’s six-piece line up, and for the concert photo’s used in the cover design.

 

Kissing Frogs Is Fine

EDWARD KA-SPEL

<< back to the Combined Discography

Cover ImageRelease date and tracklist

2005
RU CD Zakat ZAKCD053

  1. Radio 6 – [MP3]
  2. Believe On A Breeze – [MP3]
  3. Chyekk 1 – [MP3]
  4. Lisa’s Christening – [MP3]
  5. Klazh Tristurr
  6. Lisa’s Resurrection – [MP3]
  7. Forbidden Zone – [MP3]
  8. Joey The Video – [MP3]
  9. The Char Char – [MP3]
  10. Intermezzo – [MP3]
  11. Hotel Blanc – [MP3]
  12. Extract From ‘A Birth Marked Conspiracy’ (Conception) – [MP3]
  13. Share The Day – [MP3]
  14. Dream Stealer – [MP3]
  15. Hotel X – [MP3]

***

October 18, 2014
NL MP3 self-released on  Bandcamp

  1. Radio 6 – [MP3]
  2. Believe On A Breeze – [MP3]
  3. Chyekk 1 – [MP3]
  4. Lisa’s Christening – [MP3]
  5. Klazh Tristurr
  6. Lisa’s Resurrection – [MP3]
  7. Forbidden Zone – [MP3]
  8. Joey The Video – [MP3] / The Char Char – [MP3]
  9. Intermezzo – [MP3]
  10. Hotel Blanc – [MP3]
  11. Extract From ‘A Birth Marked Conspiracy’ (Conception) – [MP3]
  12. Share The Day – [MP3]
  13. Dream Stealer – [MP3]
  14. Hotel X – [MP3]

Credits

Notes

Russian compilation of previously released material
Extract From ‘A Birth Marked Conspiracy’ is the entire track “Conception”
Believe On A Breeze is mis-titled Belief On A Breeze

 

Alchemical Playschool

THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS

<< back to the Combined Discography

Cover ImageRelease date and tracklist

2006
US CD Caciocavallo CAD32

2007
2×10″ LP Caciocavallo CAL32 (alternate cover)

18 March 2013
MP3 self-released on Bandcamp

  1. Part One – [MP3]
  2. Part Two – [MP3]
  3. Part Three – [MP3]
  4. Part Four – [MP3]

Credits

  • Edward Ka-Spel – Voice, circuit bent flower
  • The Silverman – Keyboards, Electronics
  • Raymond Steeg – sound wizardry
  • Charles Powne- soundscapes from India

Notes

Based on the double CD of field recordings “Indian Soundscapes” released in 2004 by Soleilmoon.
CD: limited to 400 copies packaged in a cloth bag inside a soap stone box with trident symbol eteched into the stone.
LP: 2×10″ limited to 250 copies, presented in a deluxe silkscreened gatefold folder made of recycled sugarcane fiber, with a full-color 9.5 x 20 inch (24 x 51 cm) poster, and each record is stored in its own hand-made marigold flower petal-infused, plastic lined sleeve.

***

From Bandcamp: Could there be a more satisfying project for The Dots than “Alchemical Playschool?”
The concept was devised by Old friend and collaborator Charles Powne at Soleilmoon Records who became besotted by the sub-continent of India around a decade ago.
In fact he wanted to share his experiences and recorded the environment almost wherever he went.These recordings were made available on the fascinating “Indian Soundscapes” double cd on Soleilmoon.
Even so, he still wanted to go a step further and that’s where the Dots’ came in.He asked us to provide musical soundscapes ,using his field recordings as a source.
We did our best. All manner of instrumentation came into play- most notably on Part 1 with the circuit bent flower, which was made for EK by a genius friend in San Francisco named Tom Koch (Univac).
It took a few months to make the music, and longer to make the package- a handmade soapstone box which had to be shipped from India- almost impossibly fragile and extremely beautiful.
2,000 were made but it’s now long out-of-print, although the more regular reissue is a small delight in it’s own right.
No remaster necessary for this one. –E K-S

Press Release

“Alchemical Playschool” is easily one of the most unusual Legendary Pink Dots albums ever released. Based on the LP and double CD “Indian Soundscapes” (Soleilmoon SOL 114/SOL 114 CD), these recordings are best enjoyed with a cold glass of Bhang Ki Thandai, following which the operation of heavy equipment or motor vehicles is strongly discouraged. Yes, this a trippy, psychedelic album, in the tradition of earlier “Chemical Playschool” albums, but it’s been dusted with magical powders from The Orient, making it an altogether different experience from its predecessors. As experimental and esoteric works go, this is the band’s definitive work. The album was conceived at the end of the the Dots’ 2004 North American tour. Edward Ka-Spel met with Soleilmoon owner Charles Powne, who had recently returned from a stay in India. Charles gave Edward a copy of his “Indian Soundscapes” 2xCD, and invited him to take the material and use it in a new Dots recording. The resulting music borrows lightly from the source material, deftly blends it with the band’s signature electronic wizardry, and distills a potent brew redolent with the aromas of saffron, cardamom and flowers. We think you’ll find it both irresistable and unforgettable. The first edition of “Alchemical Playschool” was released on May 8, 2006, as a CD box set limited to 400 copies. It sold out in a matter of weeks. This vinyl edition, limited to 250 copies, is presented in a deluxe silkscreened gatefold folder made of recycled sugarcane fiber, with a full-color 9.5 x 20 inch (24 x 51 cm) poster, and each record is stored in its own hand-made marigold flower petal-infused, plastic lined sleeve. While Soleilmoon is famous (or infamous?) for unique packaging and high quality presentation, this album stands above the rest. The audio content, however, is identical to the CD edition, so no one should feel compelled to purchase this record unless they love vinyl as much as we do!

 

Reviews

East Indian soundscapes meet noisy experimentalism, but the extravagant packaging ensures only diehard fans will hear this. The most obvious aspect of the latest Legendary Pink Dots release is the package it comes in: a hinged box of imported soapstone with the band’s logo hand-carved on the front. It’s exquisite, but its fragile and expensive nature pushes it right out of the price range of all but the most fervent Dots fans. This is too bad, because Alchemical Playschool is easily one of the most distinguished of the band’s more noise-oriented recordings. Crafted in part from the Indian Soundscapes collection of field recordings issued by Soleilmoon, it’s reminiscent of Nurse With Wound’s Shipwreck Radio project, with the sweaty bustling streets of central Asia standing in for the cold tranquility of the northern European fishing village. Divided into four parts, it incorporates such city sounds as ringing telephones and rain on dirt roads, as well as a number of snippets of street music, ranging from the cacophonous squeal of bagpipes on Part One to the more soothing ragas and chants of Parts Three and Four, respectively. Part Two is most recognizable as a Dots recording, with vocalist Edward Ka-Spel delivering spoken word over nervewracking electronic buzzing, but still evokes India: the spoken word comes from the Kama Sutra (it’s less salacious than it sounds; the passage in question concerns the qualities a man should avoid in a prospective bride). The Dots aesthetic pervades the rest of the album in a subtler ways, but it’s still apparent in the playful but somehow disquieting use of manipulated speech, samples, and vintage analog synthesizers. The Indian atmosphere is what makes this unique though, and even more casual Dots fans who might feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the band’s output are encouraged to seek this out. Soleilmoon has indicated plans to issue a less extravagant edition in the future; hopefully this will happen sooner rather than later, as this is one of the most interesting forays into sound manipulation the Dots have recorded. – Matthew Johnson, Regen

***

Perhaps the press text says it all: “The audio content, however, is identical to the CD edition, so no one should feel compelled to purchase this record unless they love vinyl as much as we do!”. I like vinyl, but overlooking my castle, I realize I don’t have enough space for vinyl, so when it comes to preferring one or the other, I opt for the CD version. But both the CD version and the double 10″ version look great. The stone soap box versus the handmade paper (“deluxe silkscreened gatefold folder mae of recycled sugarcane fiber, with a full color poster, and each record is stored in its own hand-made marigold flower petal-infused, plastic lines sleeve” mind you). As for the music, not different than before, we return to Vital Weekly 529, when Freek Kinkelaar wrote (wrongly credited to me actually): “Alchemical Playschool is an altogether different beast. It comes packed in a beautiful trident-carved soapstone box that weighs a ton. Here the Dots-core of Edward Kaspel and Phil Knight rework environmental sound-material recorded in India (by Charles Powne of Soleilmoon records, the original recordings are available on CD as Indian Soundscapes). In doing so the Dots create a beautiful dreamscape. The four long tracks (parts one to four) evoke scenes of the East with street sounds, crowd noises, voices and field recordings drifting in and out. At times the results are pastoral and on other occasions downright hectic – just as you’d imagine India to sound like. Part Four, with its beautiful voice sample and washes of sound, forms the highlight of this fascinating album. Alchemical Playschool is welcome proof that the Dots are still willing and able to create exiting experimental music.” Quite right there. At 250 copies a certified pre-programmed collectors item. – Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly

The Secret Experiment

THE TEAR GARDEN

<< back to the Combined Discography

Cover ImageRelease date and tracklist

2007
US CD Subconscious SUB033

  1. My Brother’s Keeper
  2. The Tragic Carpet
  3. Alexander the Flake
  4. Friendly Fire
  5. The Adventures Of Spiky The Hedgehog
  6. Counting Zeroes
  7. 21st Century Box
  8. A Gift Of Knowledge

September 22, 2020
NL MP3 self -released on Bandcamp

Credits

Notes

Recorded at Subconscious CA, Limburgia and The Mermaid’s rock.  Mixed at Red.
Limited edition of 1000. Packaged in a Digipak.

cEvin Key writes, “About 6 months ago I was searching through my hard drives for some songs from a session I still haven’t found. While searching I stumbled across a session I had made in ProTools that I had forgotten about. It had been ar least a year or more since I had opened the session, and I was very surprised to find 14 or more songs I had written since Crystal Mass, and more or less had put aside and forgotten about while working on Mythmaker. When I listened I immediatly realised that it may be a Tear garden Lp that had mysteriously compiled itself. I sent Edward the ideas, and he worked on them and some of his over the past 6 months. The result is The Secret Experiment. A new album.”

A collection of recent recordings exchanged over the past few years between Cevin and Edward among others. Digipak sleeve design by Simon Paul. Released as part of the Subconscious Vault 2 subscription series, in a limited edition of 1,000 unnumbered copies.

2020 Bandcamp notes:
Released in 2007 as part of Subconscious Communications “From the Vault” series. This is TG in experimental mode…Enjoy the ride!

Reviews

More magnificent weirdness from one of industrial music’s most inspired team-ups. With members of the Legendary Pink Dots teaming up with Skinny Puppy’s cEvin Key, The Tear Garden is one of the most unexpected yet consistently brilliant collaborations ever to hit the dark music scene, as evidenced by their rabid cult following. The lovechild of the Dots’ psychedelic eccentricities and Key’s dark electro geek stoniness is a whole new kind of weirdness, and the crew’s latest opus is as good as any of their previous offerings.

Edward Ka-Spel’s vocals are as reedy and distinctive as ever, leading the gentle pianos of “The Tragic Carpet” in ever trippier directions, and his penchant for eerie tale-telling is put to good use as well. “Friendly Fire” comes off as a death’s door conversation, with Ka-Spel dreamily responding to muffled, sampled queries, while “A Gift of Knowledge” is an extended monologue of hinted UFO conspiracies and shadowy agencies who have imprisoned the narrator for knowing too much; at first it seems like a desperate plea for contact with the outside world, but as it trails off into effects-laden ranting, Ka-Spel leaves us with the possibility that we may have been listening to the ramblings of a madman.

While Ka-Spel’s signature delivery is hard to upstage, some of the best moments on The Secret Experiment are instrumental. “The Adventures of Spiky the Hedgehog” in particular is a surprisingly evocative collection of whirrs, motors, and springy twangs that really does conjure up the image of a small, spiny creature bumbling through his daily business. That playfulness is tempered by the album’s darker, occasionally paranoid moments, but can you think of another industrial outfit that could pull off a song about a hedgehog? That mixture of guileless charm and moments of utter lunacy is what sets The Tear Garden apart from the rest. – Matthew Johnson, ReGen Magazine