TAGC Music Reviews

ND #19 - TAGC - Digitaria - Side Effects

The pinnacle and most enduring of the TAGC recordings which was originally released in 1987. Digitaria remains closest in spirit to early Clock DVA, evoking images of urban chaos with more exotic locales other than the First World Metropolis. Archived by combining African and Middle Eastern percussion rhythms with sax and other reed instruments, and then addeding eerie synth wails. The paranoiac assemblage entices at the outset, but ultimately forces the forehead to wrinkle and the eyebrow to lower into thoughts of the apocalypse (Rob Forman)

ND #19 - TAGC - Iso-Erotic Calibrations - Side Effects

The Anti-Group's prolificness never effected the quality of its output. This recording mesmerizes with low key, Techno rhythms which are complimented by subtle atmospheric perspectives. Groovy enough to dance to but headphones and horizontal positioning seems more appropriate. (Robert Forman)

Industrial Nation #11 - TAGC - Burning Water - Side Effects

This compact disc represents a definite step away from the regular, synthesized beat sound of The Anti-Group. Written as a soundtrack to a film of the same name, Burning Water is a two piece, hour long Ambient work. The sound is very mellow and down to earth, creating a lush, full soundscape that relaxes. With bizarre sound bites mixed into the long playing Ambient fields, on has no trouble listening to the entire album in one sitting. The second half of the disc has a more of a bizarre edge to it. It seems creepier and slightly more evil than the first half. The second half also has a faster rhythm to it and is more to the direct point of what the music is trying to convey. Not nearly as creepy as it could be, but still a nice work. (Cipher)

Music From The Empty Quarter #10 - The Anti Group - Audiophile

Adi Newton has moved lock, stock and barrel to Florence, and the Anterior Research Station has gone with him. MMM and Audioglobe have enabled him to release the first new material in five years and the older TAGC material as well. "Audiophile" comprises four 12" singles from 1985's 'Ha/Zulu', with a considerable and very discernible input from Kirk and Mallinder of Cabaret Voltaie, through to the seminal 'Broadcast Test' of 1990, a track that could easily have found a home on Clock Dva's "Buried Dreams". The material on "Audiophile" chops and changes: 'Ha/Zulu' is electronic funk, 'Broadcast Test' is deep psycho-Electro. It's difficult to describe the releases between these two singles. 'Shgl', 'New Upheaval', 'Morpheus Baby', 'F.E.M.' from 1986 and 'Big Sex I and II' from 1987. The electronic rhythms are there, but so are strange saxophones and Adi's stretched vocals. 'SunSet Eyes Through Water' and 'The Ocean' are almost natural seascapes, and set standards for today's ambient artists.(Matthew F Riley)

Music From The Empty Quarter #10 - The Anti Group - Digitaria

"Digitaria' was originally released in 1987 and this re-release contains different tracks from that Sweatbox CD, including a superably titled 'The Abominable Plateau of Leng'. This was TAGC's ambisonic album and it was and still is a great pity that most of us don't have equipment to exploit this process. "Digitaria' is a technological and ethnological work based on the ideas of the Sabean Cults of ancient Khem and the Dogon tribe of Mali. The album is full of tribal percussion, electronic effects, rituals, and strange beliefs.(Matthew F Riley)

Music From The Empty Quarter #10 - The Anti Group - Iso-Erotic Calibrations

The newest TAGC comes full circle and is definitely the most accessible work they have produced. There are the religious chants and slow echoes of 'Mecurious', the Current 93-ish repetition of 'Union With Sirens', the psychosexual Clock DVA-ish 'Psyschophonophilia', the test tones of 'Neurological Engineering', the ambient, grand 'Ephemeral', the steam-powered engines of 'Annals of Sanctity' and the resonances of 'Iso-Erotic Calibration'. This is a gorgeous release and takes chances that see well developed, rounded results. After five years in the making this should be so.(Matthew F Riley)

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