Thanks to digital technology and the constant remasters, music is becoming increasingly timeless, in a few years probably a huge amount of more music would be remastered and digitized. Although I’m sure it’s impossible to feel most of the energy without actually being involved in that particular scene and culture in the right time, but there’s always an interesting scene to be in at all times so we’re stuck with this until the bloody time machine or a new time conception is invented.

Here’s the first of the two reissues that’s been boggling my mind. Cul de Sac’s 91 debut “Ecim” on Rough Trade (now reissued on Strange Attractors), is nowadays seen as prophetic;

“Their sound exists at a nexus where kraut rock, American primitive guitar, Gong-style UK drug-space, Stockhausen, and the experimental wing of the avant-garage all meet w/ a splat.” –Byron Coley, Forced Exposure

I guess that’s the best word because this is probably one of the earliest records that can be called post-rock (at least in Today’s sense), and it’s not boring. Wanna hear guitarist Glenn Jones’ list of influences?

“I like the music of John Fahey, Morton Feldman, Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band, Sun Ra, Giancinto Scelsi, Neu!, Robbie Basho, Hans Reichel, Erik Satie, Skip James, AMM, International Harvester, Charles Ives, Bongo Joe, Hendrix, Tim Buckley, the Ventures, Jr. Kimbrough, Yo La Tengo, Miles Davis (especially his electric period), Love, Washington Phillips, Popul Vuh, Stockhausen (especially the electronic stuff), Ennio Morricone, Greek rembetika, Portuguese fado, French musette, and much, much more“.

Well no wonder they were able to make a debut like this with those influences and soul. You know if I were one of the guys who wrote this album I would probably be in constant mourning over the music scene today.

So long and thanks for all the remasters!

Cul de Sac – The Moon Scolds the Morning Star
Cul de Sac – Death Kit Train