DEAD VOICES ON AIR 'Abrader Redux'

CSR320CD (7 October 2022)
CD in matt-laminate digipak
Barcode: 0641871746026




The debut album from DEAD VOICES ON AIR (Mark Spybey of DOWNLOAD / ex-ZOVIET FRANCE), feat cEvin Key (SKINNY PUPPY / DOWNLOAD). "Abrader" blends processed sounds from primitive instruments and found objects into hypnotic looped rhythmic structures, with dark clusters of heavy ambient washes into what could be described as Organic Panambience, or 'music for the eyes'.

The hugely sought-after "Abrader" was the first of over 80 releases (so far) by Mark Spybey using the name DEAD VOICES ON AIR. It was recorded over the space of days in Vancouver in 1993 and released as a tape the following year by Akifumi Nakajima (AUBE), for his G.R.O.S.S. label. Chronologically, the material was recorded after most of the music that made up his first two releases on compact disc - "New Words Machine" and "Hafted Maul" - however, "Abrader" was released before both of those albums.

"Abrader Redux" features the three lengthy tracks that were released on the original cassette, plus the bonus tracks that were included in the 2009 reprint as part of the "Fast Falls The Eventide" double CD, and now with two 'new' previously-unreleased bonus tracks recorded 1994 - taking this masterwork up to 7 tracks and over 67 minutes of exceptional music.

"If most ambient is the laudanum of the new fin de siécle, then Dead Voices on Air are the absinthe" (Village Voice)

This release is dedicated to the memory of both Akifumi Nakajima and Zev Asher who both passed away in 2013. Spybey was introduced to Akifumi by his friend from Vancouver, Zev Asher. Zev had a noise project called Roughage and was also in a band called Nimrod, that had at one time been based in Japan.

The album for Cold Spring has been remastered by Martin Bowes from Attrition. Packaged in a matt-laminate digipak with art by Spybey, beautifully laid out by Abby Helasdottir.

For further reading on the back story on the recording process, please visit the Bandcamp page!

Track listing:

1. Concretion (16:12)
2. Vaerglas (10:54)
3. Hafted Maul (6:58) 
4. Papa Papa Revers (7:18) -  feat cEvin Key 
5. Honour Boe (12:23) -  feat cEvin Key 
6. Water Waetr (7:20)
7. Gassbag (6:20)



REVIEWS:

"Mark Spybey's clanging Industrial sounds on 'Abrader Redux' are long, dense and purposefully hypnotic. The addition of Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key adds a twist... If David Lynch ever fancied rebooting 'Eraserhead', this would be the perfect soundtrack' (Electronic Sound)

"This is an album that matches its title – abrader. And much like the rock abrading tools are designed to break down, this is hard listening, but with some surprisingly melodic moments... The tracks are recorded loops of primitive instruments and found objects, so you are left with a totally 'original' sound, made up of the physical properties of the objects worked with at the time, overlaid with dark ambient washes and industrial whirring... it's the slow stretching of the fabric of sanity" (The Sleeping Shaman).

 "The overhaul has brought out some warmth and greater attention to the nuances to be found embedded in pieces built around loops and the kinda electronic weaving one might expect from a chap who was once a member of Zoviet France and has subsequently long been a presence on the industrial drone circuit... the most rewarding [tracks] are the two which feature Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key on additional Moog and barrell drum. Both of these assume a more hypnotic quality guided by rhythms that most would deem 'tribal' and, once again, a part of DVOA's later trademark sound. " (Adverse Effect)

 "Spybey used sparse equipment to record his music. On the three original tracks of 'Abrader', we find music created with short repeating loops... On top of those loops, Spybey adds a lot more electronics... The music has that overall industrial touch of being caught in the wheels of the industry... I enjoyed this particular history lesson a lot" (Vital Weekly)

 "Abrader bezieht sich auf ein Werkzeug, das zum abschleifen verwendet wird. Dieser kopflastige Titel passt denn auch wenn die Songs aus echten Industrialsounds bestehen, gefällt Spybey der Begriff "Industrial" heute nicht mehr - er bezeichtnet die atmosphärischen Geräusche auf dem Album lieber als "Organic Ambience" oder "Music For The Eyes"." (Sonic Seducer)

"L'ensemble originel est le fruit d’une instinctive fulgurance... une plastique sonore bruitiste et faisant œuvre de mélange entre des sons "primitifs" et des sources issues d’appareils trouvés ou utilisés dans la vie de tous les jours. Le bruit à effet de répétition que tire Spybey de ces mélanges est hypnotique, atonal... La réécoute de l’ensemble de ces travaux donne alors à saisir une puissance d’intention, et celle du principe de faire à partir de peu : les soubresauts du son de Dead Voices On Air sont pleins de cette force d’intention, d’aucuns diraient "la vision". Car Mark Spybey, dans son processus, est un visionnaire" (Obsküre)

"El álbum “Abrader Redux” es espectacular tras este proceso de restauración sonora, haciendo que su audición se convierta en una exquisitez artística para ser disfrutada tan intensamente como si hubieran sido estos temas compuestos y grabados por primera vez en la actualidad... preciosa re-edición discográfica de esta obra maestra dentro de la escena industrial y experimental de vanguardia" (Lux Atenea)

"La cassetta originale, composta dalle prime 3 tracce, risulta fedele alle aspettative date dal titolo... un trionfo di sovraincisioni, metonimia di un macchinario che si accende e arriva alla massima potenza per poi spegnersi... nelle due tracce aggiuntive registra parti con moog e suonando barili: il risultato finale son due tracce percussive e vivaci... veniamo ad coi due brani finora inediti: Water Waetr ci porta ad ascoltare i rumori di “Abrader”, sott’acqua, con rallentamenti a go-go atti a suggerire l’ovattamento liquido. Gassbag con 6 minuti di sintetizzatore che potrebbero star bene in un disco dei Popol Vuh" (Impatto Sonoro)