Gri Gri - I'm Not A Performing Monkey -198X- (Cassette, Self-Released), Netherlands

Here's another cassette from the Dutch home-taping circuit of the 80's of which I don't know anything. So far it's a mystery who was behind the Gri Gri project. The only information provided on the cassette is that it came from the southern Dutch city of Eindhoven. During the 80's, the city of Eindhoven and its surrounding areas were home to different post-punk, industrial and home-taping acts like Nasmak, De 6de Kolonne or Jacques van Erven, but the Gri Gri cassette seems to have been an isolated effort. 

I'm Not A Performing Monkey displays some nice Casio sounds, NDW influenced madness, weird pop-songs, acoustic improvisation and repetitive minimalist soundscapes. It has a primitive approach that at times almost feels ritualistic, yet also maintaining playfulness. Quite unclassifiable music: some sort of combination of absurd home-taping experimentation and the furthest deconstructed fringes of Rock In Opposition somewhere lost between Achwghâ Ney Wodei, Hora Est, Gefährliche Klons and the previously mentioned Dutch multi-instrumentalist Jacques van Erven.

No tracklist. Unindexed.

From the Collection Allard Pierson/NPI

Get it HERE if you're not a performing monkey!

Insecticide - Insect Human -1983- (Cassette, Insecticettes), Netherlands

Insecticide was a solo-project by René Paes who was also a member of Dutch underground group Solenoid (which was posted before on the blog). Another Insecticide tape was uploaded here. I'm very grateful that René shared some of his memories about this project with me:

Insect Human was created during a period when René was living in the Dutch city of Eindhoven where he locked himself in the house for a year, only leaving for groceries and an occasional visit to the pub. It was the last of six cassettes and issued in less than 10 copies.

During its existence Insecticide performed a.o. at art centre Het Apollohuis in Eindhoven, theatre Bellevue in Amsterdam and as part of the Holland Festival in Amsterdam where toy-instruments were used. Also there was exposure during the Holland Festival on the radio by Dutch cult-figure Willem de Ridder. The radio show was called Radiola Salon: a show very much dedicated to the Dutch hometapers movement. At Holland Festival 1983 a Radiola Salon happening took place where René played with manipulated sounds, trumpets and toy bird-sound-flutes. At the same time an experimental ballet by Annie Sprinkle took place: naked breast movements on hometaper sounds, amongst many other curious sound performances.

Sketches and notes for Insect Human: "A taperecorder is recording sounds. Rhythm box and bass guitar create the fundament. A cassette player plays trumpet bursts backwards with echo. The sounds gently disappear and come back invertedly, then die like a machette severing a head. A radio transmits noise into the room. A toy windorgan with tape holding down the basskeys creates a continuous harmonium effect. Insecticide fills the room."

Get this looped piece of Dutch home-taping history HERE

Philips Technisch Tijdschrift jaarg. 19, no 9 -1957- (SP, Philips), Netherlands

This single is one of the first examples of electronic music from The Netherlands and was made at the Philips company in Eindhoven, a city in the south of The Netherlands. Philips was one of the first companies to create a scientific lab devoted to the creation of electronic music. They were also the company that created the Compact Audio Cassette.

In the late fifties Philips' Natlab was a place where composers like Dick Raaymakers, Tom Dissevelt and Henk Badings were experimenting with tape loops and electronic sound generators. All this futuristic electronic music has been rediscovered over the last decades and has even been re-released. Make sure you find the Fantasy In Orbit and Song of The Second Moon albums on the web (better on vinyl).

This particular record was published to accompany a "technical magazine" by Philips which they published regularly in those times. The first piece on this vinyl is called "Elektronische Muziek", Klankvoorbeelden, which means "Electronic Music", Sound examples. The creator is unknown and this piece hasn't been reissued as far as I know. The second side is an excerpt of Henk Badings' Kain en Abel, created for Ballet, which is to be found on multiple collections of this music coming from the Philips music archives.

Get this historical document of electronic music HERE

Donated by Kim

Vovokai - No Title (1st Cassette) -198X-, Holland

Six years ago, No Longer Forgotten Music started uncovering all obscurities from the Dutch DIY cassette underground. Among them releases from the city of Eindhoven in the south of The Netherlands. Vovokai was a band from Eindhoven too, consisting of Paul Verwilligen and Edwin van Eck. Although nothing visually proves that this silver spray-painted cassette is Vovokai, you'll have to believe my words. Moreover, it's the first untitled one mentioned by Frans de Waard's Nederlandse Cassette Catalogus (Dutch cassette catalogue) and quite rare since probably only a hundful have survived.

This Vovokai release must be from the early eighties, but about exact dates I don't have a clue. The band was closely related and intermingled with Eindhoven's guerilla artists association 6de Kolonne and belonged to the same scene as Baader Pop Gruppe, MTVS, Zwoek and others. Most of them are to be found here and here. The 6de Kolonne still exists today as an artists collective. Edwin van Eck later moved on with a solo project called Zombies Under Stress.

As for the music: It's a typically DIY impro noise thing, but has certain elements which makes it a real treat. Drenched in guitar primitivism, repetitiveness and electronic manupulations, Vovokai seems to create sounds that are reminiscent of other groups from the Dutch cassette culture underground like Solenoid (to be found on this blog), but also bands like Campingsex and occasionally hinting at something that could as well be a very early Sonic Youth demo. I have tried to seperate some tracks, but I'm not sure how it's intended to be. I have a strong feeling that the B Side was intended to be one whole piece. But then again, what is the B side? Anyway, listen to it yourself!

Highly Recommended!

Get it HERE