Eric Lunde was a member of a pivotal American Industrial group called Boy Dirt Car. I must confess I have never heard any of that groups material, but what I do know about them is that they were compared by some to Neubauten and the label RRRecords released most of their work. I am more familiar with Eric Lunde because of his experimental noise work under his own name, such as 2011′s amazing “Candyhole” cd that was released on Finland’s Freak Animal label. That record is a series of strange field recordings, bizarre ear-splitting feedback and noise, unnerving drones, and disembodied monologues about the nature of music and popular culture’s meaning in relation to existence. It is a masterpiece that will perplex a first time listener and age like fine wine. This release is different from that Eric Lunde music, and so it is fitting that this was released under a different project name, Trait. This cassette originally was released by the Arbeit Group in 1988, and is now reissued on a subsidiary affiliate of Freak Animal that is dedicated to presenting compact disc editions of classic noise cassette tape releases from the 1980s and 1990s. The label does not provide any sort of digital mastering or the expected liner notes etc, simply a decent scan of the actual original artwork and an excellent audio transfer from cassette. It is interesting to hear the warm analog sound of the tape presented in this digital form, and although I would prefer to hear this on tape, it is good that it will be able to be enjoyed by many different people via the compact disc format.
An interesting element to this release (as evidenced immediately by the song titles) is that there is a strong militaristic, even political kind of bent to the release. In a manifesto located within the release two-page booklet, Lunde explains many of the philosophies behind this project: “The ‘product’ is a weapon itself, an attack, in the public sphere.” The philosophy of Lunde’s is not one that promotes the goals of any state-run military, but instead what he expresses as a personal battle of individuality and knowledge. In the socio-economic structure existing under military industrial world complex control, it is common for individuals to lose touch with the reality of their own situation, instead giving their lives up to a series of fantasies and ideals presented before them. Lunde appears to view striving for one’s own personal meaning and goal within this structure as a vital component of modern living.
The actual sound of this release is 1980′s weird industrial tape noise- synthesizer-like sounds, some collage, some edited or affected recordings from radio, strange rhythms and so forth. Although it does not have the audio recording clarity of much of the Lunde material, this is a different sort of beast more aimed at the idea of the manipulation of recordings in real time. It still contains many of the important elements of Lunde’s music that gives it such an eerie, intellectually alert and hostile power. This is a good release to pick up for listeners interested in either the works by Lunde or Boy Dirt Car that they already have, or also for fans of grainy industrial tape music like The Grey Wolves classic “Judgement.” Even outside of the interesting philosophy behind the music, there is a personality within it that goes even deeper than those ideals and concepts. Eerie and powerful tape music that is different from Lunde’s best solo work, but still has really stood the test of time to provide an interesting and meaningful listen.
Rating: 4.5/5
Written by: Joseph Gates
Industrial Recollections (FI) / Format: CD
Tracklisting:
01. Several Different Arrangements For Inspiration In Battle
02. “The strong are as naturally inclined as the weak to congregate: if the former unite together it is only with the aim of an aggressive, collective action and the collective satisfaction of their will to power.” – Neitzche: Geneology Of Morals, Third Essay Section 18. Several Arrangements of Side A Combined For Temporary Unified Action
