Listening/purchase: Bandcamp (has 6 bonus tracks), iTunes/Apple Music (disc 1, disc 2), Amazon (disc 1, disc 2)
Info
I just got turned on to Operating Theatre, an Irish experimental musical theater company, and their composer, Roger Doyle. In 2006, the Dublin Electronic Arts Festival released a collection of some of their music from the ’80s (along with two tracks from the company’s revival in the ’90s), and that collection has been rereleased a few different times since then. It’s also available digitally, which we always love to see.
The music is, well, I guess you could describe it as weird, arty, synthy new wave or synthpop or something like that. Generally sparse synth textures with some occasionally weird noises, mixed with odd, often theatrical vocal delivery. Some of the instrumentals have a little bit of a video game feeling to them, due to the synths chosen and some writing. Interesting, unexpected chord movement and dissonance. Quite enjoyable!
The Bandcamp version has had various bonus tracks from various time periods added to it since its original release in 2012. Skimming through old versions of the page on the Internet Archive, it’s even had at least one bonus track that’s since been removed (“Vocal Shadow”), which is weird.
Recommended tracks:
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“Part Of My Make-up” has a mix of spoken word and pop vocals
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“Rampwalk” is chill and also kind of unsettling
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“The Tractor” very much sounds like something from an old arcade game by Capcom or Taito or something
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“Johnny’s Body At 002 – part 1” is one of the two ’90s tracks, both of which sound by far the most like an avant-garde theater production
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