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Tension!

by Alto Stratus

supported by
Dmitriy Bondarenko
Dmitriy Bondarenko thumbnail
Dmitriy Bondarenko One of the best drone acts I've ever heard Favorite track: Ion Nest.
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1.
No Inset? 31:29
2.
Stone In! 30:10
3.
Ion Nest 17:07

about

This was conceived as an ode to both the experimental Krautrock of Guru Guru and the Paris electronic rock scene of acts like Heldon. What we wanted to do was cross-pollinate the two genres in a way that had never been done before. And I think we succeeded!
"Tension!" focuses on guitars extensively, along with sequential synths, and a manic industrial invention akin to Throbbing Gristle. Just two long conceptualised suites, containing spacious elements, powerful progressions, and some almost agonisingly intense crescendos, using sound effects that pilfer and plunder a good few well-known 1970's/80's sci-fi films (can you spot them all?), "Tension!" indeed lives up to its name, and has also stood the test of time well, as the concoction of elements is quite original, keeping it fresh and different in spite of the obvious influences.
The CDR bonus track saw the 2001 Alto Stratus reinventing the Tension sound, and coming up with a whole new twist on the idea.

credits

released August 13, 2014

Composed, constructed, produced & engineered by Alto Stratus.
Tracks 1,2 recorded at Dark Star Studio (July 1984).
Previously released as a cassette (Auricle AMC 002) © 1984.
Track 3 recorded at Tachyon Studio (20 August 2001).

Original 1984 recording...
Alan & Steve Freeman: Yamaha CS5, Casio keys, guitar, loops, tapes, vocals.

Bonus 2001 session...
Alan Freeman: guitar, Korg Poly 800, Moog Rogue, Siel Orchestra 2, voice.
Steve Freeman: guitar, loops, processing, effects, Yamaha CS5, acoustic CD.

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Alto Stratus Leicester, UK

The duo of Alan and Steve Freeman (Ultima Thule), we spent much of our spare time during the 1980's experimenting with electronics, sound collage, etc., recording some 30 odd cassettes as Alto Stratus (and other guises: Vrije, Q.S.O., Electric Junk, etc.), also as soloists, and the trio ZBB. For 30 years we've continued with a 10 further releases since, bands: Endgame, The Newt Hounds, Triax, etc. ... more

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