David Payne - Reel To Real

Challenging, deeply personal/private non-music by the always amazing and under-rated David Payne (the only constant member of loose improv/noise group Fossils), using tape loops of incidental sounds. In a way, Payne is Canada's pre-Wolf-Eyes John Olson, compulsively producing uncompromising music in small editions with no particular audience in mind, just to satisfy his own unique aesthetic. The atmosphere on this excellent tape (and the two others that came out at the same time) is of overhearing something private and personal, made in such a small edition precisely because it's not for everybody. Yet, this shuffling incidental sound is oddly compelling in a Graham Lambkin or early Philip Corner sort of way. Released in 2011 on Middle James Co as a cassette in an edition of 13 copies. Listen to this, then head to Discogs and buy any tapes or CDRs you can find.  

David Payne - Reel To Real

8 comments:

J.H.M. 9 October 2016 at 07:29  

This tape is quite promising. I am pretty much entirely unfamiliar with Fossils and David Payne's output, but the softly building noise here makes me want to get better acquainted.

Speaking of artists about whom I would like to know more, I have heard strong testimonials to the quality of Dan Greenwood's Diagram: A material, but I can't seem to find much online. You guys got anything?

badgerstump 9 October 2016 at 10:58  

We've got quite a lot of Dan's Diagram ... no doubt some will start to appear soon (ish) ...

J Reeves,  9 October 2016 at 17:29  

I tried downloading it, but my antivirus warns me that there is a virus lurking in the file. Any info about that?

badgerstump 9 October 2016 at 17:43  

Yeah, the problem is at your end.

We don't post music that contains viruses. Try a different browser perhaps?

Mrs. Inside 9 October 2016 at 19:24  

definitely no virus. my husband ripped this from our tape, so it's guarnteed clean.

JHM, if you want to hear more Payne and Fossils, try looking on Discogs. David Payne is usually selling his Middle James Co tapes there for fairly cheap. Buy a few of them at random. That's what I did.

J.H.M. 10 October 2016 at 22:23  

@badgerstump & Mrs. Inside: Thank you!

Regarding Discogs, etc.: I will definitely be checking out more of his work when I have some cash to throw around. Which is unfortunately infrequent, and makes your work here all the more important to me.