John Cage

Early Electronic and Tape Music gathers six such Cage pieces in the loving hands of the Langham Research Centre, a UK-based new music troupe specializing in authentic re-creations of classic electronic compositions. Remaining steadfast to the tradition established by Cage collaborators such as David Tudor and Bebe and Louis Barron, LRC utilize open-reel tape machines, portable radios, turntables, and magnetic pickups, using them to coax all manner of noises, from high-frequency squeals and low-end rumbles to fleeting snippets of big band music and disembodied voices. While less adventurous ears and the otherwise Cage averse will likely want to pass over this collection, others with a fancy for electro-acoustic improvisation a la AMM or MEV, or a foothold in the noisier strains of free improvisation (Borbetomagus, Voice Crack), will have plenty of sonic grist to mill here.