FSOL - ISDN (1995)

September 9th, 1994. Surely someone had died that day, but I couldn't care the least as that Friday night I was eagerly waiting for The Future Sound of London to come through to the Dutch VPRO radio via ISDN - something highly exceptional those days. The duo from London hardly ever turned up on stage, but they were all the more willing to show up in your own bedroom as invisible but definitely audible realities. Or as they wistfully hoped themselves, "to turn it into a death of rock 'n' roll statement." For over an hour, FSOL spewed unbelievable soundscapes over the ISDN cables, through the VPRO airwaves and then through my cheap stereo cables out of my speakers, through a few metres of air into my ears and brain. It wasn't the most pleasurable of evening hours for my dad, but the "gig" surely made my day.

If you're acquainted with FSOL's Lifeforms, be ready for something different. If, on the other hand, you know their Dead Cities, you can expect something more subdued, less aggressive. For the fudge-packing pigeonholers: ISDN consists of jazzy trip hop with ambient sugar glazing and a psychedelic cherry on top. Well, perhaps "mushroom" is more apt? Personally, I think this release is the most accessible of the three; though I guess not everybody would agree.

Most of the tracks on this album are taken from live sets via ISDN to Holland, the U.K. and the U.S. As can be expected from FSOL, all the tracks flow smoothly into each other, effectively turning the album into one big journey through whatever your mind is willing to provide. One of my all-time favourites and highly recommended! And as for headphones, use 'em if you got 'em - seriously, it raises the experience to a whole new level...

IFNKOVHGROGHPRM

posted by Paxjorge @ Thursday, July 13, 2006